This is love

TWENTY-EIGHT

“Babe, you ready?” He calls from outside our closet and then peaks his head inside as I thread the second earring through my lobe. “Graham’s downstairs.” 

“Give me two seconds.” I say, sweeping down to the lower shelf and grabbing the very trusty and very worn Jimmy Choos that were the only pair I could rely on to not give me throbbing blisters and aching arches for the rest of tonight. 

He whistles, entering the closet further. “Look at you.” 

“Stop.” I mumble bashfully, shying away from his compliment to tie the straps around my ankles. I stand upright, shimming the black satin dress down slightly and fixing the ridiculously thin strap on my shoulder. My cheeks beamed beneath his hungry gaze that drinks me in from freshly pedicured toes right up to the professional painted face. I squirmed. “Is it too much?” 

He saunders towards me with hands in the pocket of his suit trousers, eyes still smoldering until he stops toe-to-toe. “You’re perfect.” He presses a very soft, gentle kiss to my forehead - he noticed my red lippy. “Ready to go?” 

I nod, threading my fingers through his and descending downstairs to Graham waiting very formally by the car. It was after eight and for the past few days, I was already asleep by this time; usually crashing on the couch and finding myself carried to bed shortly after. Jason blamed my lack of knowledge on how much jet lag has an effect but tonight I promised myself and him to stay bright eyed and bushy tailed for our date night. 

“You sure you’re not mad at me for doing this on your birthday?” He asks, cupping the inside of my knee as my legs cross over. “I can always tell David and Georgia to find another babysitter for Knox. Her mom I’m sure would love to have him for a few nights.” 

“Absolutely not. I’ve missed him. Anyway, it’s not like it’s a big birthday. I’m only twenty-six.” 

David and Georgia were heading out of town for a school friends wedding and had kindly asked for our help with Knox for the few days they’d be gone. I had accepted much more eagerly than Jason and hadn’t put much thought into what date it was, not that it mattered. I was over the big parties and late nights. A night on the couch with the craziest amount of food and my hubby was all I needed. 

“You’re remarkable, you know that?” He mutters, gliding his thumb in circles over my knee. “Really remarkable.” 

I nudge my shoulder to his. “What’s with you today?” 

“Just want to make sure you know how much you’re loved and appreciated.” 

I tenderly touch his jaw, stretching my lips and barely grazing mine against his. “I know.” 

As the bright lights and city came to life, dancing through the windows and lighting up my eyes, I found myself squinting in curiosity of where we were actually going for this surprise date night had sprung on me just days ago.  Our usual spot Rito’s zoomed past the window and my confusion grew. 

“Jason where are we going?” 

We were heading closer to Times Square, somewhere we had always avoided due to the high level of people that crowded the tourist hot spots with not alot of manners. We preferred the more secluded, side streets restaurants and bars like Rito’s. 

“You’ll see.” He smiles, giving my knee a squeeze in reassurance. I duck my head to look out the front window and eyes the suspiciously looking crowd that was gathered on the sidewalk, a much larger crowd than the average Friday night queue. I’m also pretty sure that regular diners wouldn’t carry cameras; some larger than their faces. 

“What’s going on?” I ask him, my heart doubling in speed when Graham steers to the right and parks right outside the shark infested waters. Not literally but you get the idea. “Jason?”