Plain Sight

chapter sixty-three

Tom

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I can't stop staring at her, she's blinding and completely captivating. I've never known anything like it, it's hypnotizing.

It's everything about her, from the way her brown hair falls down her shoulders, or even the way her eyes seem to have a million tiny fires inside them.

"What are you staring at?" Her voice brings me out of my trance, snapping me back into reality and out of my own thoughts.

"You're beautiful," I hear myself say, "So beautiful, princess."

She scrunches her face in a mix of confusion and embarrassment, ducking her head as she says, "Oh, princess? That's a new one."

"You're so perfect, it makes my chest hurt."

She ducked her head again, and I laughed aloud.

"I know you already know that," I tell her and laugh again because I've seen her shrug off that exact compliment so many times.

"Careful Tom, or I might start getting used to these compliments," She smiled softly at me, picking up her fork again.

"You should, I want to tell you how stunning you are every chance I get."

"Shut up," She laughed quietly with her eyes focused on the pasta she twirled onto her fork.

"I lied to you, you know." My voice sounded nonchalant even though my heart was about to burst.

She stopped moving for a moment before looking up at me, "What?" She put her fork down.

I copied her motion and placed mine down, "I didn't bring you here for just a getaway," I said, "I have a surprise planned."

"What kind of surprise?"

"The kind that's worth all the trouble, Juliette," I respond, planning this thing was a disaster and Bill was a pain in my ass for it all. Georg was even being an impossible diva about it all.

Her eyebrows only raise in confusion, "I'm confused, what the hell are you talking about?"

I smiled softly, here goes nothing. everything.

"I just want you to know how absolutely special you are to me, Juliette. Truly."

She puts the fork down and sits up straight looking at me, confused and serious.

She narrows her eyes at me, "You're being suspicious, Tom." She looked so deeply into my eyes I could freeze at the sight. "Is something wrong?"

I placed my hand on the table, and reached out for her hand enclosing it gently, "Do you want to know why I brought you here this weekend?" I asked her.

She nods slowly, but surely.

"With all the chaos going on, I figured we needed a break. But I also hope you didn't think I was so naive as to not acknowledge your birthday, Juliette." I smiled softly at her, waiting for her reaction.

She was completely dumbfounded. Her mouth agape before she said, "How did you know it was my birthday? I didn't tell anyone."

"You haven't forgotten who I am, baby. Have you?" I squeeze her hand gently. "I know everything about you, including this special day you wished to keep from me."

"Mia, told you, didn't she?"

I nodded, "She did," We laughed softly together, "But why didn't you tell me?"

She sighed quietly, "I just didn't want to bring any attention to it. It's not a big deal. Really." She says nonchalantly.

"But it is a big deal. A massive one, actually."