You Don't Know..What you Don't Know

Chapter Thirty Six: Summer

There was a limo outside my house.

No—let me rephrase.

There was a freaking limo outside my house.

Sam and I were already dressed when we heard the engine rumble into the driveway. We rushed to the front window and peeked through the curtains.

Phillip and Mark stepped out.

Each of them carried enough roses to empty an entire flower shop.

Phillip held what had to be three dozen peach roses, their soft color glowing in the afternoon sun. They were the most beautiful roses I had ever seen.

Sam gasped beside me and immediately started bouncing on her toes.

"Tia! You are so my favorite person. I love you!" she squealed as she spotted Mark carrying an enormous bouquet of deep red roses for her.

We heard Jim answer the door and invite everyone inside. Sam grabbed my hand, and together we floated down the staircase.

As soon as Phillip greeted my parents, he smiled at my mom.

"I'm sure these flowers don't compare to your daughter."

Mark noticed us first.

He stood so quickly that he nearly tripped over the coffee table.

Phillip followed his gaze.

For a moment he simply stared.

"Jesus, Tia..." he breathed. "How do you somehow look more beautiful every single time I see you?"

Heat rushed into my cheeks.

He always knew exactly what to say.

He handed me the bouquet, and I carried the roses into the kitchen where Mom had already placed a crystal vase on the counter. As I arranged them, I couldn't resist leaning down to smell one of the fully opened blooms.

They smelled like spring.

Strong arms slipped gently around my waist.

Phillip.

I relaxed against him without thinking.

The flash of a camera exploded across the room.

I blinked spots out of my eyes.

"Sorry," Mom said without sounding the least bit sorry. "I had to."

That single picture turned into another.

And another.

And then about fifty more.

Eventually everyone laughed their way outside, where the chauffeur opened the door to the limousine.

Sam and I climbed inside first.

The thing was enormous.

It looked big enough to hold twenty people.

I wondered if Phillip had invited the entire basketball team.

As the limo pulled away from the house, I scooted closer to him.

"Phillip," I whined, giving him my very best pout, "will you please tell us where we're going now?"

He lifted my hand, turned it over, and kissed my palm.

"Not yet, Princess."

Of course not.

We picked up Jim's date, then Dan and Brandon and their dates before finally heading toward the interstate.