I laugh airily as I take another bite of cake, savoring the rich chocolate flavor. "Well, you certainly didn't disappoint," I tease Jeff, giving him a playful wink. "It really was one incredible day..." My eyes meet his across the table and I feel myself relax further into the comfortable familiarity of this moment with him, even if it did start out so unexpectedly intense. "Happy birthday to me," I murmur, reaching across to squeeze his hand. "Thank you for being such an amazing gift."

As everyone heads off home, I can't help but feel a twinge of sadness wash over me. But I'm also grateful for the memories we made today. And even though it may be over, there's no doubt that our friendship will continue to grow stronger. FIN