Page 48 of Pretty

I plopped down in the middle of the bed and sat cross-legged. I watched his face transition from a curious smile to a beam of delight. He chuckled and held it to his chest.

“Aww, man. You’re cute, girl.” He walked to the bed and tackled me onto my back. “Did I tell you I love you today?” he asked, tickling me.

I giggled and spoke through my laughter. “Y-y-yes! Yes! Yes!”

He showered my face with kisses as he let up off me. “This is sweet. I’ll definitely use it,” he declared, waving the card that I created in the air. It was a list of scratch-off date night ideas that I would treat him to.

Just before we left our villa, he handed me one final envelope. “I know that I’ve given you envelopes during our stay here so that you could choose what our dates and adventures would be, but here’s one final one.”

I took it and slid my finger underneath the closure. I smiled when I saw the pumpkin-shaped heart.

These last few days were so much more than a vacation. With my constant travel, I know that it can get lonely at times. This is just my way of saying that no matter how far away I go or how often, I’ll always choose you and put you first. This is just the first of many adventures in our future, sweetheart. Love Drew.

“Tickets to Bora Bora, babe?

“Yes. Anything for you, beautiful.”

He pulled me into his arms and kissed me, slow and sweet, just as our ride to the airport pulled up. I was so thankful for this beautiful man that the Lord had sent my way to heal and care for my heart.

THANKSGIVING

“Baby, cheer up. It’s Thanksgiving,” Maman declared, kissing my cheek. I was sitting on the couch beside my father, who had his arm wrapped around me.

Maman had come to sit on the other side of me, and my siblings were moving throughout the house talking to their significant others, their children, and a host of our cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

“I’m fine, Maman.”

“No, you’re not. I know my daughter. You haven’t been fine all day,” Maman countered.

“It’s not hard to figure out why. She’s missing her man. Everyone who is a couple is booed up today except for her,” my youngest brother, Maxime, declared from where he was lying on the floor watching the game.

“Quit being such a jerk and have some compassion,” Chloe replied and threw a throw pillow at Maxime’s head.

He caught it and smirked at her, but she threw another one that caught him in the face.

“That’s enough. You guys still act like little kids,” Maman fussed.

Papa and Uncle Pierre reacted to something on the game on TV. It was the late afternoon game, and when this one ended, there would be another one played this evening around eight; that was the game Drew would be commentating on. I snuggled even closer to Papa. Drew left yesterday morning to get ready for the game, and I had been missing him since.

“Mon cœur, I have an idea,” Papa declared, giving me a squeeze and kissing the top of my head. If he wasn’t calling me Bulles, he was calling me mon cœur, which translated to my heart. Those had always been his two nicknames for me growing up.

“What’s that, Papa?” I asked.

“Thanksgiving isn’t over. Why don’t you go and be with him?” he suggested.

“You think I can get tickets at this last minute?” I searched his eyes for the answer, because I didn’t need false hope.

“Absolutely. Your brother isn’t an airline exec for no reason,” he explained, tossing a look at Enzo who had just walked into the room with his arm wrapped around his wife.

“What reason would that be, Papa?” Enzo asked.

“Your sister needs last-minute airline tickets to Orchard Park.”

“You couldn’t take it anymore. You’re going to see him, huh?” Enzo asked, smiling.

“If you can get me tickets,” I replied with an endearing smile of my own.

“If? Girl, call up a car service to be picked up within the hour. You’re on your way to New York,” Enzo replied.