Last Olive Bistro ✓

Chapter 41: Promise

The golden sand was velvety and warm under my bare feet, and it felt like I was walking on another planet. The sensation was foreign, compared to a lifetime of stomping on concrete. Jacob caught me when I lost my balance and we both almost fell, but I laughed like an excited child in his arms.

Dubai glistened at all hours of the day when the sun beamed off of every metallic and glass building that made it the utopia it was. The famous Burj Khalifa towered over the rest of the skyline, marking its place as the tallest building not just in the United Arab Emirates, but in the entire world. Dubai's skyline made New York City look like a miniature model.

We walked hand in hand along the shoreline as the pink, foamy waves blissfully lapped over our feet. The air was dry but clean and crisp, and much easier to breathe than the thick pollution I was used to sucking in.

My body and soul felt so relaxed, like I was meditating and focusing just on the sounds of the waves as they caressed the beach, and the feel of Jacob's hand comforting mine. There was something about the calming atmosphere that affected me—it put my entire being at rest, and I never knew how much I needed it.

"Happy Birthday, again," I said, swinging our hands between us.

He smiled and wrapped his arm around me lovingly. "Thanks, again."

"Are you ready for your big surprise tonight?"

He smirked devilishly. "Let me guess—rose petals arranged in a heart shape on the bed? The finest champagne chilling on ice?"

"No, no," I said, in a wispy reply. "That's too cheesy. I was thinking of something actually romantic."

He raised an eyebrow and laughed. "I'll leave it up to you, dearest. But you don't have to go overboard for me."

I scoffed playfully. "After everything you've given me? But even so, you're my man and I want to give you the best birthday you've ever had."

He blushed, or else it was the burning orange sunset glowing against his skin. Either way, he looked beautiful in the lowlight. Every line that aged his face was flawless to me. We stopped and turned to each other, and I looked longingly into his dark eyes.

"What is it, love?" he asked. His lips curled into the smallest smile at the corners.

I blinked a few times, unaware that I wasn't, as I took in the gorgeous sight of him. "I'm just...so happy. I never thought I could be this happy."

He caressed the side of my face and replied, "You keep saying that as if you're scared you'll lose it."

I shrunk in my white lace sundress, still feeling a twinge of apprehension. "Sometimes."

His smile tugged at half his face and his hands gently wrapped around my bare shoulders, rubbing my tanned skin gently. "You make me happy, you know that?" he said. He brushed some of my hair away that the soft wind had blown over my face. "Do I make you happy?"

"Of course," I answered immediately.

He nodded ever so slightly and said, "Then that means we're meant for one another. We're meant to be happy together."

I laughed a little in relief, understanding and taking his words to heart where I held them so close. I reached on my tip-toes and kissed him. He pulled me into him, deepening our passionate kiss, and as his body seemed to melt into mine on that sunset beach, all felt right with the world.

"We should get going or else we'll miss our shuttle."

"Shuttle?" he asked. "I thought we were going back to the hotel?"

I smirked and replied, "Kind of. We're staying somewhere else tonight. That's your surprise, but I won't say any more."

~ ~ ~

Our shuttle was a souped-up Range Rover with a young yet experienced desert driver behind the wheel. Jacob, against his will, remained blindfolded for the entire one hour ride outside of the city. He became suspicious when the terrain changed from the ultra smooth pavement to a more bumpy and less stable surface.

"We're on sand," he said. "I can feel it's sand."

"Maybe, I don't know," I replied, acting coolly oblivious. The driver glanced back in the rearview mirror and held back his laughter. "Are you scared?"

Jacob's demeanor went rigid. "Should I be?"

I laughed and rubbed my hand soothingly along his arm. "No. I mean—I hope you're not scared." I smoothed out his suit jacket, the same gray one he wore on the night we met.

He was speechless after that, but the drive didn't take much longer. We were still jet-lagged and exhausted from a long day of sightseeing and walking around the stunning Dubai Mall. Even though it was his birthday and I insisted that we were only browsing, Jacob went ahead and surprised me with yet another gift—a white Chanel bag, one that I always had dreamt about.

While the destination was in the desert, it wasn't far away from civilization. It was civilization, in the form of a luxury, outdoor camp.

The driver pulled into our private lot and helped unload our bags. Jacob stayed in the Rover until the very last minute. I felt somewhat bad for making him wait in suspense, but I knew the surprise would be well worth it. I was ecstatic to finally do something wonderful for him, after all he had done and given to me.

"Ready?" I asked, slowly reaching for the blindfold.

"I'm not so sure," he said with a slight laugh. "But I trust you."

I slipped the blindfold off and he blinked several times to regain focus. First, he stuck his head out of the car door and looked around through the blackness. But then he noticed the soft glow of lights some dozen feet away.

"Chloe, this is magnificent," he said, breathless.

In awe, he got out and we walked towards the exclusive camp. The area included four sections: a dining area, an outdoor lounge, private bathroom facility, and the sleeping quarters, which was an enormous bubble tent with a transparent top that provided the ultimate views for stargazing. They were all connected by trails of bulb lights stuck into the sand so one could find their way around. The whole space was ours for the night.

"What do you think?" I asked as we approached the sleeping area. It was glowing with romantic lights. Inside, the enclosed bubble tent was perfectly air conditioned. The room held a luxurious, fluffy bed and ample space for our bags. Hanging around the bed canopy was a banner that read, "Happy Birthday".

We kicked off our shoes and sat on the bed together, sinking into its plush comforter. "It's the most glorious place I've ever been. I never thought a place like this existed."

"I'm so happy you like it," I said, then leaned and kissed him. He pulled back unexpectedly.

"Always stay happy," he said, his eyes fixated on mine. "Promise?"

My eyes darted back and forth over his, looking and finding within the soul of the man who I was madly in love with. In that moment, our history flashed through my brain, quickly reliving each sacred moment we shared—the first ride home, the first date, the trip to Connecticut; I also remembered the not-so-good, like the wedding ring confusion, the checkbook, and the possessive attitude he sometimes posed, but that was part of being in a relationship. You had to accept those sorts of things.

Those instances were also part of living. No one makes it through life without hardships, grand or small, but that's what makes living, well, living. Life would be quite boring without ups and downs. If everything was perfect, if everyone settled on whatever was easiest, the world would be a dull place, and perhaps not one worth fighting to live your best in.

"I promise."

He gently pinched the tip of my chin, then hopped up to switch off the lights. The darkness surrounded us, but after a moment our vision adjusted to see the vast landscape of stars above us.

I made it out into the world I always knew was out there; I was living in it the whole time. It just took love and some encouraging pushes to get me to see that it was always sparkling around me.

ˣ ˣ ˣ The end.