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I garnished the plates and opened the wine to let it breathe. But I’d almost forgotten that Gwen didn't like dry wine. She preferred something sweeter and lighter, so I found the one I'd bought just for her and opened that one too.
I assessed the table to make sure everything was perfect, but when I heard her coming down the hall, I cursed as I realized I’d forgotten the most important thing.
I ran to the pantry where I’d stored her surprise. While she'd been busy with the toffee, I ran out of the candy factory and back into the market to ask the seller if she could make another bracelet like the one Gwen had liked so much. The seller had offered to have her apprentice make a smaller one without as many links and deliver it to the house, and it had arrived thirty minutes ago.
I placed the little velvet pouch next to her plate and made sure everything was perfect.
When she walked in, she had a bright smile on her face. "Something smells good. You might spoil me."
"You probably should be spoiled."
"How am I supposed to go back to normal life after all this?"
"Who says you have to? Maybe you’ll let me spoil you at home."
She bit her bottom lip. "Home. Right."
Way to go, asshole. No need to remind her of New York just yet.
"Don't think about it right now, Gwen."
"I sort of have to think about it. I’ve been in a two month wallow fest, and I have to make some decisions about my life. And what happens when we get back? Will I still be in danger? There is a lot to parse out. I was able to put everything on pause for a few days, but some devious munchkin somewhere is about to hit the unfreeze button, and I need to figure it out."
Shit. She had valid points, but we only had tonight before things got far more complicated. "Don't. No talking about any of that until tomorrow."
"Our flight's tomorrow. You don't want to discuss how it's going to go?"
I shook my head and handed her a glass of wine. "How about no talk of tomorrow or the future until it's officially tomorrow, okay?"
She sighed. "Okay."
I could tell her mind was still spinning, but at least she relaxed marginally. We clinked glasses and she smiled at me. "What are we drinking to?"
"How about to new beginnings?"
"Okay." Her gaze searched mine, like she was waiting for something.
"What's that look about?"
"It’s just that I'm not used to you like this. I mean, you're always bossy and a bit grumpy and domineering. But now you're being sweet and pampering, and I'm not used to it."
"Well, you should probably get used to it because I know what it's like to be without you, and I'm not willing to do that anymore." I could almost physically see the tension rolling off her shoulders.
"Okay." She glanced down at the plate and saw the velvet pouch. "What's this?"
I couldn’t suppress my grin. "Oh, just a little something."
She set her wine glass down and tilted her head, gazing up at me from under her lashes. "What did you do?"
"It's just a little thing, but hopefully it makes you smile."
And as she opened the gift, her mouth hung open. "How did you?—"
"When I excused myself to go to the bathroom at the candy factory, I actually headed back to the market. They delivered it about thirty minutes ago."
She pulled the bracelet out onto her palm, and her smile was so wide I thought it would fully crack my heart open.
"Atticus, it's gorgeous."
