Fate's Playbook

Chapter 34 - Sunset Kisses

"Kissing you as the sun sets is like tasting the sweetest part of life before it disappears into the night." -Unknown 

1 month later...

It's a beautiful morning and Luca is waiting outside Nora's apartment building. As soon as he sees her, he can't help but smile.

"Happy one month anniversary, my love!" Luca exclaims as he greets her with a bouquet of her favorite flowers.

"Aww, thank you so much, sweetheart!" Nora responds with a grin as she takes the flowers.

As they drive to the zoo, they chat about their plans for the day and Luca can see the excitement in Nora's eyes.

"I'm so excited to see all the animals!" Nora exclaims.

"I know, I can't wait to see your face light up when you see your favorite animals," Luca says, grinning at her.

As they walk around the zoo, they talk about the different animals they see and share interesting facts about them.

"Did you know that giraffes only need 5-30 minutes of sleep in a 24-hour period?" Luca says, pointing towards the giraffes.

"No way! That's crazy!" Nora responds, amazed.

After a few hours at the zoo, the two of them left hand in hand to a close-by restaurant.

As they entered the restaurant, Luca took Nora's hand and led her to a cozy booth by the window. He pulled out her chair for her and made sure she was comfortable before taking his seat across from her.

"I hope you're hungry," Luca said with a grin as he handed her the menu.

Nora's eyes scanned the menu, and she couldn't help but smile at how considerate Luca was being. "Everything looks amazing. What do you recommend?"

Luca made a few suggestions and they ordered their meals, all while engaging in light-hearted conversation. As they waited for their food to arrive, Luca reached across the table and took Nora's hand.

"I have something for you," he said, pulling out a small box from his pocket.

Nora's eyes widened with surprise. "Luca, you didn't have to get me anything."

"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to," he said, placing the box in front of her.

Nora opened the box to find a delicate necklace with a small heart-shaped pendant. "It's beautiful, Luca. Thank you so much."

Luca leaned across the table and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. "I'm glad you like it."

Their meals arrived and they enjoyed their food, all while stealing glances at each other and sharing sweet smiles. The whole time, Luca was being the perfect gentleman, making sure Nora had everything she needed and that she was enjoying herself.

As they finished up their meal, Luca paid the bill and took Nora's hand, leading her out of the restaurant and to his car. "Ready for our next adventure?" he asked with a grin.

Nora grinned back at him. "Always."

Nora couldn't help but feel excited as she wondered what Luca had planned next. As they drove towards the carnival, Nora couldn't help but feel like a kid again.

When they arrived, they immediately headed towards the games. Luca won a few small prizes, but Nora couldn't help but giggle when he tried his hand at the ring toss game. "Come on, Luca! You can do it!" Nora encouraged him.

Luca concentrated and threw the ring with all his might, and to their surprise, it landed perfectly on the bottle. The attendant handed them a huge teddy bear, and Nora's eyes widened with delight. "Luca, it's so big! Thank you!" she said as she hugged the bear tightly.

As they walked around the carnival, they shared a stick of candy floss. "Mmm, this is so good. I haven't had candy floss in ages," Nora said as she licked her fingers.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. You deserve to have some fun," Luca replied, taking her hand in his.

Nora smiled, feeling grateful for such a thoughtful partner. "I am having fun, Luca. I'm having the time of my life," she said as she leaned in for a kiss.

Luca's arms wrapped around her tightly, pulling her close. They continued walking and talking, enjoying each other's company until it was time for Luca's final surprise of the day.

Luca stood behind Nora, his hands covering her eyes gently. "Close your eyes, Nora," he whispered in her ear.

Nora's heart started racing with excitement. She closed her eyes obediently, wondering what surprise Luca had in store for her. She felt his hands move away from her eyes and then she felt something soft being draped over her head. It was a blindfold.

"Keep your eyes closed, okay?" Luca's voice was full of anticipation.

Nora felt Luca take her hand and lead her forward. She could hear the sounds of the city around them, cars honking and people talking. They walked for a few minutes and then she heard the sound of a car door opening.

"Okay, Nora, I'm going to help you into the car now," Luca said.

Nora felt Luca's strong hands guide her into the car and she settled into the passenger seat. She could feel the excitement building inside her as she tried to guess where they were going.

The car started moving and Nora could feel the wind in her hair. She wanted to take off the blindfold and see where they were, but she knew that would ruin the surprise.

After a while, the car came to a stop and Nora heard Luca's door open. "Stay right here, Nora, I'll be right back," he said.

Nora sat in the car, her heart beating fast with anticipation. She had no idea where they were or what Luca had planned for her.

Finally, she felt the car door open and Luca took her hand, leading her to their last stop of the night. "Okay, Nora, you can take off the blindfold now."

Nora slowly removed the blindfold and looked around in wonder

Nora gasped as she took in the sight before her. The sun had just started setting and they were on a deck next to a peaceful lake. The water sparkled in the sunlight and the sound of birds filled the air. She turned to Luca with tears in her eyes. "Luca, this is incredible. You didn't have to do all this."

Luca smiled warmly. "I wanted to do something special for our one month anniversary, Nora. You mean everything to me."

Nora couldn't believe how thoughtful Luca was being. She looked around and saw that there was a blanket, a picnic basket, pillows, and roses. He had recreated one of her favorite picnic scenes from "To Catch a Thief." She had tears in her eyes and turned around to kiss him.

As they settled down on the blanket, Luca poured them each a glass of wine and they started eating the delicious food he had packed. They talked and laughed, enjoying the beautiful scenery and each other's company.

"This is the best date ever, Luca. Thank you for making it so special," Nora said, smiling.

Luca reached over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Anything for you, my love."

As the sun started to set, they cuddled up together under a blanket and watched the colors of the sky change. When the sky was filled with deep shades of red and orange, Luca leaned in to give Nora a kiss. It was a long, romantic kiss that made her heart flutter with joy. Nora knew in that moment that she was exactly where she was meant to be, with Luca by her side