Novaletti Factor

Chapter 13~

It Must Be Love  

Elise~ 

"...oh, what a lovely scarf, where did you get it?" My mother reached up, rubbing the material of my white scarf between her fingers. My side of the closet at Micah's. It was just an accessory to cover up the blue and purple bruise from Micah's bite. The very fresh memory made my cheeks warm and I glanced over her shoulder at him, where Sebastian was greeting the male. 

"It...was a gift, I think." Everything on my side of the closet at Micah's was a gift. "Look Mom, Micah is here. You can finally meat him." I grabbed her hand away from my throat and pulled her across the office where the two men were standing by the door. 

The compulsions to be near and touching him were strong. All of that brown hair and that crisp suit. I knew his introduction would be polite and formal. Basically, he took her hand from mine and lifted it to his lips. "Mrs. Connolly..." 

She swooned, Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Oh. It's nice to finally meet you, Micah. Elise has told me so much!" 

"Has she?" A twinkle of amusement flashed in his eyes as he looked at me and I went to his side. 

"Of course." That much was true. "I hope you will be joining us tonight. Audrey has invited everyone to dinner." 

"I would love-" 

"Actually mom, I was thinking it could just be us. You and Dad and...us." I gestured between Micah and myself. Had I even ever agreed to have dinner at my brothers? My sister-in-law hadn't called me with an invitation. Didn't matter...I wasn't in the mood. Sure, it had been several months since everything had happened with Camille Danvers but I was still pissed about it. 

Sebastian glowered at me...Mom frowned, then shrugged. "Sure. But I would like to have dinner with my children sometime soon." As if that mattered. 

"K, great." I moved away from Micah then, going back across the room to my desk and made a show of opening my appointment book. "I'm glad you came by Mom. I have a photo shoot to get to soon. I'll call you tonight and we can make plans." I definitely didn't have a shoot to get to. 

I just wasn't very fond of people showing up unannounced, anywhere. I wasn't surprised when Micah walked them out. 

~ 

Have to meet a client out of town. See you tomorrow

I didn't think 'tomorrow' would be this early tomorrow. That was the text I had gotten from Micah yesterday afternoon before closing the studio. We didn't usually have mornings together unless I stayed at his house, or he stayed at mine. 

But I was pleasantly surprised when I sat up in bed this morning; the first thing I noticed were the millions of red and white rose pedals, everywhere. The second, music. Quiet music and the smell of food. If I hadn't have given Micah a key to my house then this would have just been creepy. Criminal Minds kind of creepy. 

Then there were the balloons. "Oh..." I rubbed my eyes and sat up in the bed. It's your birthday, Elise. I'd been worrying too much about other things lately to remember. I'd stop worry about birthday's-somewhere in my teens. After a certain age they just weren't so exciting anymore. Unless...you were in a relationship with Micah Novaletti, apparently. 

There was a long, velvet box on my nightstand beside a bouquet of colorful mixed flowers. Jewelry. And then the boxes at the end of the bed. A dress, I guess...and more heels. He has a serious problem...I shook my head and reached for the box. And I was going to have to upgrade my jewelry box if things kept going on like this. I wasn't talking fancy, like the built in drawers he kept his watches in at his place...something more like second hand from a thrift store.