Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79488 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79488 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Her house is on the way, so it doesn’t take long, and once we arrive, Brody jumps out with his bouquet in his hand and runs up to her front door to knock.
“We should take a couple of pictures,” I tell Ben as I watch Brody wait for someone to answer the door.
“Or I can use this time to give you this.” He pulls a small black box out of his pocket. “I was helping Brody pick out his gift for his girlfriend when I saw this and thought of you…of us.”
I open the top and nestled inside the felt bedding is a white gold or maybe platinum pendant with a beautiful diamond in the center. It looks like it’s a knot of some sort, but I’m not sure why. Or what it means. Maybe it’s just something pretty…
When I glance up, silently asking for him to explain, he takes the box from me and pulls the pendant out, letting it dangle from the delicate chain. “Turn around.”
I do as he says, lifting my hair up so he can clasp it on. The pendant lands on my chest just above the swell of my breasts.
“It’s a love knot,” he explains. “It’s made up of two strings that are tied together to form one knot. Each string represents us. When we first started this, we agreed to no strings, but now everything is different, and those strings have come together to form a knot. Alone, they’re fragile and easy to break, but together...” He locks eyes with me, and my heart thunders in my chest. “Together, they’re strong and can withstand anything.”
“Ben, this is so beautiful,” I choke out. I’ve never been given a gift with so much thought and meaning put into it before. “Thank you.” I entwine my fingers around his neck and connect my mouth to his, wishing we were alone so I could show him just how much this gift means to me.
The ride to Lush is filled with casual conversation. While we met Sariah at Brody’s birthday dinner, she was quiet for much of the time around so many people. Tonight, though, she’s chatting away, and I can see why Brody likes her. She’s cute and bubbly and funny, and the way she talks about and looks at Brody is so sweet.
When we arrive at the restaurant, it’s busy with everyone arriving for dinner and the Valentine’s Day party. Outside, there’s a black carpet where a photographer is taking professional photos of the couples, and since it’s a high-traffic area for celebrities, several paparazzi are camped out, watching for anyone they can get their eyes on. The four of us get our picture taken together and then separately as couples. Ben is given a QR code where we can view and purchase the images once they’re uploaded.
We arrive at the hostess stand, and she greets us, recognizing Ben. She immediately walks us back to our table in a quiet area of the restaurant. There are red, pink, and black balloons in the corner, and a small vase of roses and candles decorate the table. I glance around and notice the other tables don’t have all this, which means Ben had this done in advance. It’s crazy that he’s spent the past several years not in a relationship because he’s naturally good at it. He pays attention to the details, which is probably why his business ventures are so successful. He’s put all his energy into that instead of his relationships.
“This is beautiful,” I murmur, kissing his cheek. “You really set the bar high.”
He chuckles—no doubt remembering when I told Brody not too long ago that the first date sets the tone for the entire relationship—and takes my hand in his, threading our fingers together.
Dinner is fun, and the food is delicious. Brody and Sariah are adorable together, and when Ben tells them that we have to run upstairs for a few minutes to make an appearance before we take off to the movies, Brody asks Sariah if she’ll dance with him, not caring that nobody else in the restaurant is dancing.
We take the elevator to the second floor, and then Ben guides us through the club. The area is filled with large heart-shaped balloons, and the band is playing a slow, seductive number that couples are on the dance floor swaying to.
As we make our way through the crowd, several people stop Ben to say hello. He also makes it a point to seek out a few people, introducing me as his girlfriend and asking them if they’re having a good time. It’s the second time I’ve seen him in business mode since we’ve met, and a lot like the day in his office, he’s attentive to each person he speaks with while also being unemotional and detached. He’s completely different than the Ben I’ve grown to know, and I know this is the man who’s spent the past fifteen years building up his successful business.