SUNSHINE

fifty-one

"How was your day?" Casey asked when Alessio came home. He had been supervising and training bartenders for the last month to be ready for the grand opening tomorrow evening. They needed to be flawless, and he thought that they were ready to go.

"It was long, but I think my bartenders are ready for tomorrow. It's gonna be busy as hell but it'll be worth it." Alessio responded excitedly, kissing her on top of her head.

"That's good, I can't wait. I haven't even seen the place yet because you won't let me come by." She chuckled, standing up from the couch to follow him into the kitchen.

"You got up without wincing." He commented, changing the subject and pointing at her.

"Trying to dodge my question?" She asked in response, and they both laughed.

"I'm more intrigued by your health than my bar." He scoffed, and she sighed.

"Well to answer your comment, question, whatever it is, yeah, I got up without wincing. Jackie says I should be good to train full time starting Monday, but I've got a couple more MRIs scheduled to make sure." She explained, and he hugged her tight. "Okay ow, that still hurts." She laughed, and he set her down, kissing the top of her head.

"I'm proud of you. You could've given up, but you didn't." He said, and she could not help but laugh. "What?" He scoffed, chuckling as well. "I guess that sounded a little deep, didn't it?"

"I'd expect to hear that when I'm reaching thirty and tearing my ACL." She responded with a laugh.

"Alright, so what do you want to do tonight?" He asked her, and she shrugged.

"Well we haven't had a chance to test out the pool yet. How about a night in with some take-out, beer, and swimming with an overview of the sunset?" She suggested, and he wrapped her arms around her.

"I think that is a wonderful idea." He responded, kissing the top of her head. "Usual?" He asked, and she chuckled, nodding. "Go change and I'll order and meet you out there." He told her, and she nodded, heading up the stairs. He watched as she walked away, still not believing that after almost eight months of dating they were living together. It was almost surreal. He never thought he would find love again after the death of his previous girlfriend, but Casey was the one.

He ordered dinner and went upstairs to change, finding her getting music going outside by connecting her phone to the bluetooth patio speakers. She had his favorite bright red bikini on, and she knew it was his favorite. He came up behind her and snaked his arms around her waist, and she let out a shocked scream.

"That wasn't cool." She pouted as she got out of his grasp to pull on one of her oversized t-shirts over herself. "You told them no tomatoes right?" She asked, and he chuckled.

"Yes don't worry. I'm gonna change, then I'll meet you down there alright?" He chuckled, and she nodded, pecking him on the cheek and heading out of the room so he could have his privacy. Ten minutes later they reconveened down at the pool, both of them waiting for their food to arrive before they actually got in.

"So what should we wear tomorrow?" Casey asked him while they basked in the late afternoon sun, her feet in the pool. The water was cool compared to the air, but there was not much of a difference. It was the end of March, so the temperature was only upper seventies.

"I actually ordered you a new dress for you to wear special for tomorrow night." He admitted to her, and she looked at him with shock in her face.

"And when were you gonna tell me?" She asked with a laugh.

"Well I was gonna pick it up in the morning and lay it out on the bed while you were at training and surprise you." He told her, and she smiled.

"You know you didn't have to." She sighed.