AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“This is one of many stops along the ride that is your birthday extravaganza!”
She laughs as she plucks a strawberry off the tray in front of her and pops it into her mouth.
As soon as she’s done with breakfast, I take her shoppingat Champs-Elysées. I head straight for a jeweler and tell her to pick whatever she wants as a birthday gift. She is hesitant at first but picks a modest diamond necklace. I try to get her to pick out more but she refuses.
“This is plenty.” She places her hand where the pendant sits along her clavicle. “I love it.”
I had planned to spend the afternoon carting her from luxury store to luxury store, but she insists she wants to spend the day with me, just relaxing. So it’s time for my next surprise.
“Put this on,” I say, holding out a blindfold to her.
“I’m not sure I trust you enough for that.”
I roll my eyes. “Will you ever simply just do as you’re told?”
“No.” She smiles, then takes the blindfold from my hand and ties it around her eyes.
I steer her back to the car and our driver takes us to our destination.
Once we get there, I get her onto the elevator. “Brace yourself. We’re in an elevator and we’re going really high.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“You’ll see soon enough.”
Once we get to our floor I maneuver her into the apartment. When the door is closed behind us, I park her right in front of the window and takeoff the blindfold and her hand goes to her mouth and she gasps.
All of Paris lays before us in each direction.
“Oh my God, Travis, this is gorgeous. Where are we?”
“The Eiffel Tower.”
She turns her eyes away from the view and takes in the room we are in. It’s very modern with sleek furniture both in the living area and the dining room. The floors are medium brown wood. Most of the walls are made of glassand steel. And one corner of the room is a foosball table and across the room is a stationary exercise bike.
“This looks like an apartment.”
“That’s because it is an apartment.” I chuckle.
“There is an apartment in the Eiffel Tower?”
“Yes, there is. It was commissioned a few years ago for the UEFA EURO soccer tournament. I booked it for two days. I figured at some point during the trip you were going to want to relax, as you should. So I figured we could do that here.”
“How do you know me so well?”
“It’s easy. You’re an open book.”
She smacks me across the chest. “No, I am not. I’m an enigma.” We both laugh. She closes the gap between us and hugs me. “Thank you for all this. This is way more than I ever could’ve expected for my 30th birthday.”
“You’re welcome. It’s my absolute pleasure.”
My goal was to please Paige with all this. Having gotten to know her pretty well, I know she isn’t usually one for all this largesse. So I worried about how she would receive all this, but I’m glad she likes it. I would go so far as to say, it’s one of my bigger accomplishments of life.
It’s in this moment I realize that I am in love with her. The realization hits me like a freight train.
However, I don’t tell her. I don’t want to distract from her birthday. The moment doesn’t seem right, but I will tell her the second it does.
I only hope she feels the same way in return.
