“What a beautiful spot.” When she turned to give him a kiss, she noticed he had a picnic basket in his hand. The crowds of famous actors and models with whom she’d celebrated her birthdays in previous years had nothing on a quiet picnic in the Tahoe pines with her husband. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

After they were settled on a soft blanket, he said, “I’m thinking we should build the cabin right in this spot.”

She almost dropped the glass of wine he’d just handed her. “Build a cabin? Here?”

His beautiful grin stole her breath, even before he said, “It’s ours, Mary. Every last tree and pinecone and grain of sand.”

Jack knew she didn’t need expensive gifts or extravagant gestures to prove how much he loved her. Just as she knew he didn’t need any of that from her. But sometimes, she decided as she put down her glass then pulled him closer for a very passionate thank-you kiss, extravagant—and decadent—was exactly right.

June

“I know you’ll love California, Mama. Please come stay with us for a while.” Jack moved behind Mary to massage her shoulders as she listened to her mother’s stubborn refusal to get on an airplane for a visit to the United States. Barely holding back her sigh, Mary said, “Give Papa my love.” When she hung up the phone, she let the sigh go. “I tried, but she won’t leave home even for a week.”

Clearly sensing her frustration, Jack pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I loved the time we spent in Italy over the holidays. How about you show me how different your town looks in the summer?”

Hope leaped in Mary’s chest even as she said, “But your workload with the new product line—”

“Can wait.”

* * *

A few days later, Jack got to show off just how far his Italian language skills had come as he directed the driver from the airport to Rosciano. Six months ago, Mary had been frightened and wary during this trip. Now, she couldn’t wait to see everyone again.

She flew out of the cab and into her mother’s arms, where she stayed for a long while. Finally, her mother drew back and took a long look at her.

“Love has made you even more beautiful, cara.”

“I’m happy, Mama.” Mary instinctively reached for Jack’s hand. “So happy.”

“Good,” her mother said, then gave a pointed glance at Mary’s still-flat stomach. “But a baby will make you even happier.”

* * *

That evening, after the moon had risen, the air was warm as Mary and Jack climbed hand in hand to the top of a hill high above town.

“Your mother was quite eloquent today as she explained how I can be a truly good son-in-law by providing her with many strong grandsons and beautiful granddaughters. Although,” he said with a grin, “she speaks pretty quickly and my Italian still needs work, so I may have filled in the blanks with some ideas of my own.”

Mary had to laugh at her mother’s new focus. Now that she’d had the Christmas wedding she’d always dreamed of for her daughter, Lucia Ferrer was ready for her next big dream to come true: grandchildren. Maybe, just maybe, Mary hoped, a newborn baby would convince her mother to finally make the trip to California.

“I can’t wait to hear what the two of you came up with,” she said.

At which point Jack brushed the hair away from one ear and began to whisper his own incredibly naughty plans for the two of them…in perfect Italian.

July

Jack always felt like a kid again on his birthday. For weeks beforehand, whenever he talked about the big day, Mary smiled in a secretive way and zipped her lips shut with her fingers. Or, if she’d been on the phone with his mother and he’d walked into the room, she’d abruptly say goodbye and hang up.

“You’re planning something for my birthday, aren’t you?” he’d asked.

“Yes,” she’d replied, instead of denying it, “your mother was telling me how to make your favorite cake.”

He’d tried to get the other details out of her in the best way he knew how, but even his seductive powers of persuasion couldn’t get her to spill the beans.

Finally, on the morning of his birthday, she gave him the tickets to Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, a world-class track only ninety minutes from their house.

Most people were surprised when they found out about Jack’s love of race cars but not Mary. She’d simply nodded as if the final puzzle piece had slipped into place, saying, “I always knew there was something dangerous about you.”

Jack loved everything about the racetrack. The smell of fresh burning rubber in the hot summer sun. The thrill of watching the cars zip by in the blink of an eye. The amazing skill of the drivers going more than two hundred miles an hour.

He’d never thought to share his love of racing with his wife, but as soon as she’d given him the tickets, he found out she’d practically grown up at the Italian Grand Prix with her father, who had taught her to love the sport.

“Speed. Danger. The thrill of victory.” She was clearly as excited as he was to get to the track. “What’s not to love about it?”

He was walking proudly with his beautiful wife past the gates into the stands, when Mary surprised him yet again by steering them in the opposite direction.

“You didn’t think watching the race was going to be your birthday surprise, did you?”

Wait a minute. Mary couldn’t have possibly arranged for him to—

“Mary! It’s been too long.”

One of racing’s greats, Alvin Rusker, gave Mary a kiss on each cheek.

“I’d like to introduce my husband, Jack Sullivan. Jack, this is Alvin.”

“Ah,” Alvin said as they shook hands, “so you’re the lucky man who managed to steal Mary’s heart.” He grinned at Jack. “Ready to get behind the wheel?”

“Surprise!” Mary said, clearly thrilled with herself for having managed to keep him in the dark about her amazing gift.

Jack barely stopped himself from jumping up and down like a little boy. But before he gave Alvin his answer, Jack had to pull his wife into his arms to kiss her breathless.

Finally, he turned back to Alvin. “Now I’m ready.”

* * *

The track was fast, the car even faster. Every last one of Jack’s boyhood dreams came true as he took lap after lap in one of Alvin’s race cars.

It was the best birthday he’d ever had. One full of speed. Danger.

And the thrill of being in love with the most incredible woman he’d ever known.