"Be My Valentine" - A Love Story

Part 4

Part 4

     
      It was about half past six, and Mindy was running some light gloss over her lips one last time. She had showered and put on a cream-colored party dress, one that would match her new purse. It was the Hidden Assets’ Mini Madison Frame Bag by Brighton’s My Flat in London line. Mindy had gotten it from The Pearl less than three weeks ago. Since she worked there, she enjoyed a twenty percent discount on everything in the store, but even then, the reduced price tag of $140.00 was a huge cut out of her budget. She didn’t usually splurge on things like that. She couldn’t afford to. But every once in a while, she gave in to her weaknesses.
      The sound of a car engine made its way up Mindy’s driveway. She looked out her window. It was Tyler, back from his game of foosball. He hurried inside, running upstairs, without even glancing Mindy’s way.
      “Did you have fun?” she asked, not really interested.
      “Yeah. It was a lot of work though. I’ll be ready to go in a minute,” he said as he went into the bathroom.
      Mindy rolled her eyes. A lot of work? Now, that’s just upsetting. Hearing the shower start, she thought sarcastically, Well, it’s a good thing he’s showering. He probably worked up quite a sweat playing foosball with the guys.
      Looking down to her dresser, she stared at the earrings Tyler had given her earlier that day. She couldn’t help but think of how beautiful they were. She felt like a jerk. Tyler treated her so well. He was so good to her. He had done so much for her. And now that she actually thought about it, it was obvious that he did love her. That he had loved her for a long time… He didn’t deserve this kind of treatment from her, even if it was slightly odd that he went to play foosball on Valentine’s Day. He was just being there for his friends, like he had been there for her all week. Was she really going to be so selfish as to require his constant attention? No. That wasn’t who she was. Bradley had hurt her, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her from being herself and enjoying her time with Tyler. If she was going to cry over a broken heart, she’d have to do it later. It was still Valentine’s Day, and who better to spend it with than her best friend.
      Mindy heard the water shut off and the bathroom door open. Brought back to the present moment, she slipped the earrings on and gazed at herself in the mirror. She was ready. Once she left her room, Tyler came out of his. He was wearing a black suit and tie, his hair was combed (for once), and the alluring scent of his cologne filled the air. She had never seen him look so attractive before. At the same time, Tyler’s eyes scaled Mindy’s figure. She was gorgeous. Her dress was just short enough to show off her slender legs, and there was something about her silky hair. He loved how long it was. He wanted to feel it; to let it slip through his fingers... But that was only a fantasy. He had to be content with just being close to her.
      “Are you ready?” Mindy asked.
      Tyler had been mesmerized by her beauty. Breaking away from his daydreams, he replied, “Oh, yes. If you are.”
      “I am,” she nodded.
      Then they left.
     
      It was almost seven o’ clock. The sun was gone, replaced by a glowing, full moon. Tyler parked the car in a small, empty lot.
      “Where are we?” Mindy asked, glancing out the windows. She didn’t recognize anything. “I thought we were going to dinner. What is this place?”
      “We are going to dinner,” Tyler reassured her. “And this is where we’re having dinner. I told you I’d take you somewhere you’ve never been.”
      “Uhh, Tyler…” Mindy was getting nervous. “It looks like no one’s ever been here before. Not to eat dinner anyways. Let’s go somewhere else.”
      “Don’t you trust me, Mindy?” Tyler looked into her eyes. He held her glance until she nodded slowly. But whether it was out of trust or guilt, Mindy couldn’t be sure.
      “Then come on,” Tyler continued to coax. “And don’t be afraid. It’s a surprise.”
      “Well, that’s for sure,” Mindy murmured after Tyler stepped out of the car. When he opened her door on the other side, she got out and took hold of his arm, afraid to let go. She didn’t know where they were, and she couldn’t see more than ten feet in front of her because of the darkness. Tyler locked the car and bent down slightly, closer to her. He whispered softly in her ear, “You’re safe with me.” Then he eased away. Mindy felt his breath linger on her cheek. It was warm compared to the cold night air.
      “Are you sure?” she asked, half-jokingly.
      Confident as always, Tyler repeated, “Don’t be afraid.”
      They walked through the darkness, with only the light from Tyler’s phone to guide them. As they made their way along the narrow, dirt path, Mindy could barely make out the tree branches moving in the wind at her side. Part of her wanted to close her eyes, and the other part was too scared to. Suddenly, she heard something in the distance.
      “Tyler, what was that?” she whispered, holding onto his arm even tighter.
      “Listen,” Tyler answered calmly. He wasn’t the least bit afraid.
      Mindy listened carefully to the sound. It was consistent, and it gradually got louder. Finally she realized it was music. But why was there music out here? Before Mindy had a chance to speculate though, she quickly noticed a dim light coming from behind the trees. It kept getting brighter as she and Tyler grew nearer to it. When they rounded a corner, the trees and bushes opened up into a small clearing, and what Mindy saw took her breath away.
      “We’re here,” Tyler announced happily.
      Mindy just stood there, taking the sight in.
      The sandy ground was replaced by grass, inlaid with scattered stones that created a circular terrace, spanning the size of the clearing. Trees surrounded the area, with their many leaves acting as a canopy above. From various branches hung thick pieces of rope, each with a glass jar tied to its end. Inside the jars were white candles that emanated a warm glow. They shed light on all they touched, and darkness completely disappeared in their midst. In the middle of the terrace was a small, white table and two chairs. A lace tablecloth gently hung over the edges of the table, decorated with dinnerware that was set for two. The centerpiece was a bouquet of flowers and four tall, lit candles. Rose petals were sprinkled over the table and all about the terrace. Through an opening in the trees, past a short stone wall, there was a view of the ocean. The reflection of the moon played off the water, and the multitude of stars in the sky could be seen, endlessly. A soft breeze brought in the saltwater air as the soft music Mindy had heard earlier continued to play.
      Tyler watched Mindy’s eyes as they roamed the beautiful scene. Mindy opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She was speechless.
      “What do you think?” Tyler asked.
      “Did you do all this?” she finally managed.
      “Yep,” he answered proudly.
      “For me?” She couldn’t take it in, much less believe it was real.
      “Yep,” he repeated.
      Mindy’s eyes were glued to the beautiful setting as she slowly shook her head back and forth. “Why?” she asked.
      “Because… I love you, Mindy. And I wanted you to have an awesome Valentine’s Day.”
      “But, how did you do all this?”
      Tyler laughed. “I just did it. It took me the entire time I was gone today. I was actually getting worried there for a while that I wouldn’t finish in time.”
      “The entire time you were gone? Wait. What about foosball?” she asked, confused.
      “Oh, I just made that up,” he said as that mischievous grin appeared. “I needed an excuse to get away for a few hours to set everything up. It was pretty good though, right? I mean, you believed it completely, didn’t you?”
      At that, Mindy smiled. “Yeah, I did believe it, you jerk! I was all upset about it!” she joked.
      “Well, I’m sorry, but it had to be done.” He sounded like a high-end, business tycoon with no remorse. His voice filled with excitement as he continued, “But let’s not waste time. There’s dinner and dessert…” He waved his hand over the scenery. “…Everything we need for a perfect night.” Looking back to Mindy, he asked overdramatically, “So what do you say, Mindy? Will you be my Valentine?”
      Mindy could barely contain the mixture of happiness, surprise, and excitement that welled up inside of her. She had never expected such romance from anyone, especially someone like Tyler. “Yes! Yes, of course, I’ll be your Valentine!”
      Mindy couldn’t help but jump into his arms. He held her tightly, closing his eyes, while savoring the tingling sensations that shot through his body as her skin touched his. Letting her down, he held her hand, guiding her across the terrace to one of the chairs at the table. She sat down while he got their dinner out of a nearby cooler. They ate and talked for hours. It was the first romantic night they had ever shared together. When they finished, it was time for dessert. Tyler had gotten raspberry cheesecake, Mindy’s favorite. That was when Mindy first noticed how Tyler always made things extra special like that. He knew what she liked and what she didn’t. He knew her favorite things, and he cared about how she felt. Tyler went to any extent to make her happy.
      “Oh my gosh, Tyler. That was fantastic,” Mindy said, after eating her last bite of cheesecake. She sat back, smiling at him. He just gazed at her.
      “What?” she finally asked, dying to know his thoughts.
      He shook his head. “You’re so beautiful.”
      Mindy blushed, then looked away. “No, I’m not, really,” she argued. “But thank you for saying so.”
      Tyler smiled. He knew Mindy didn’t realize how beautiful she really was. Only the people around her saw it.
      “Dinner was wonderful,” Mindy said, moving on from his compliment. “I still can’t believe you did all of this. This place is beautiful.”
      “There is one more surprise before the night’s officially over.”
      Mindy raised her eyebrows. “There is? Tyler, I don’t deserve so much.”
      “Yes, you do, Mindy.”
      Tyler got up from his chair and pulled a box out of some bushes. It had been hiding there the whole time. The box was white, and it was almost as big as a piece of paper. Tyler handed it to her and sat back down. “Here,” he said. “I was going to give it to you for your birthday, but I couldn’t wait.”
      Mindy opened it slowly, finding tissue paper inside. Unfolding the soft paper revealed a beautiful sterling silver necklace, adorned with pink pearls, Swarovski crystals, and white seed beads. The necklace matched the earrings Tyler had given her.
      “Tyler…” Mindy gasped.
      “Do you like it?”
      “I do. It matches perfectly.” Mindy picked it up and placed it around her neck. “How does it look?”
      “On you, everything looks gorgeous.”
      “Oh, Tyler. This has been the most amazing day. It’s been the most amazing week actually. I had no idea how much you really meant to me until now. And I’m not saying this because of the jewelry, or even the cheesecake,” she laughed. “…but because you’ve always been so good to me. No one has ever cared for me like you do.” Mindy paused, before continuing. “I think I’m finally realizing what it’s like to truly love someone.”
      Tyler looked at Mindy, trying to figure out what she meant. Then it hit him. “Are you saying that now you care for me, too? That you’re starting to fall in love with me?”
      Mindy hid a smile. “Maybe,” she teased.
      Tyler searched her eyes. They were mysterious and enchanting, but were they holding a trace of love for him? Tyler wasn’t sure. Nothing would stop him from taking the chance though. He leaned in, allowing his lips to fall on hers. Resting them there for only a moment, he pulled away. He had been waiting to do that for longer than he could remember. Mindy’s eyes remained closed a second longer. He could see that she liked it almost as much as he did.
      “I love you,” he whispered.
      Mindy slipped her hands into his as she said, “I’m falling in love with you, too.”
     
      Mindy and Tyler ended their Valentine’s Day by falling asleep under the stars. Then exactly one year later, he proposed to her. She said yes.

© 2014 Anne-Marie Mooney

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This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

I do not own and am not affiliated in any way with the following companies, brands, and/or trademarks: Coach, Vera Bradley, Brighton (including My Flat in London and their Hidden Assets’ Mini Madison Frame Bag), UGG Australia, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, the Owens-Thomas House Museum (Savannah, GA), and Swarovski.