Blue Haven, Part 4

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

I held the letter close to my chest, as if I could get his words even closer to my heart. I wondered what he had in store, so I made my way to the stairs, & on the very first step laid a single, deep purple calla lily with another note.

The smile on my face reached from ear to ear, I absolutely love surprises!

Angela,

One thing you must know about me is that I am incredibly observant. I believe I missed my calling as a detective. Anyway, in your room you will find a red dress lying on your bed. I took extra precaution to ensure I had the right size. I request that you wear it tonight. Please meet me downstairs at 5:00 pm.

Yours,
Jared

I felt so giddy. No one had ever made me feel this way. I rushed up the stairs and opened my bedroom to find that he had placed vases of purple & orange calla lilies throughout the room. There were more notes scattered around, but the one on the dresser in an orange envelope with a message that read Open first, immediately caught my attention.

My dear,

I know how much you love music so I made a playlist for you on Spotify. We will have numerous opportunities to listen to it throughout the night, but I would like for you to play it while you get ready. I wasn’t sure how much time you would need, so I’ve given you a couple of hours. Take a long shower, pamper yourself, do whatever it is you need to do, and enjoy yourself sweetheart. Today is all about you, celebrating the light you shine on the world just by being in it, and most importantly, mine.

Thank you for being born,
Jared
I instantly opened Spotify and searched for him, & sure enough, there was a playlist titled “For Angela.” I resisted the urge to scroll through it to see all of the songs he had chosen, and instead, just simply hit play. The very first song that played was “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” by Elvis.

In addition to the dress, Jared had also bought me a beautiful cashmere shawl I had been eyeing on one of our outings earlier in the week. He really was observant.

I did as he requested and took my time. I showered, shaved my legs, curled my hair, did my makeup, & put on just a dash of perfume with subtle hints of coffee & jasmine. Since I wasn’t sure what he had planned, I decided on a pair of flats instead of heels. I slipped on the red dress & I felt so beautiful. It hugged my curves in just the right places, the material was soft and it felt delightful against my skin.

There was one more note, hidden beneath the dress, that simply read, I cannot wait to see you.

I placed all of the notes in my luggage so I wouldn’t lose them. I gave myself one last look in the mirror, popped a mint in my mouth, & headed downstairs with ten minutes to spare.

Jared was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs and his gaze instantly found mine. He watched me as I walked as gracefully as possible down the stairs, willing myself not to fall. He looked so incredibly handsome in his dark blue jeans and black button up shirt, that’s always been my favorite look on a man, especially one with broad shoulders like his, and boy did he pull that look off nicely.

He reached for my hand and kissed the back of it, “You are even more stunning than I imagined.”
I felt my cheeks blush, but I held his gaze, “Thank you, handsome.”
He smiled that eye reaching smile that has become my favorite and my heart began to flutter. He held his arm out for me to take and I felt like I was in some sort of fairy tale.
We walked arm in arm out to his car, and I noticed he had the boat hooked up to the back of it. I shot him an inquisitive look and as he opened the car door for me he said, “Don’t ask questions, dear.”
I chuckled and got into the car, obeying his wishes. We made the short trip to Alki Beach, it was only about a 10 minute drive from the B&B.
“Can I trust you to close your eyes & keep them shut until I ask you to open them, or do I need to blindfold you?”
I looked around the car and held my hands out in an inquisitive motion, “With what?”
He reached across me and opened up the glove compartment, revealing a black and white striped tie.
I raised my eyebrow at him. “Do you blindfold all your women?”
He snickered, “Down girl, it’s incase I need to get dressed up for a business meeting.”
I relished in the levity between us, closed my eyes, and leaned my head back against the headrest. “You can trust me.”
He kissed the back of my hand again and then started pulling items out of the backseat of the car. I heard all kinds of random noises, & I even heard him curse in frustration a couple of times. It was kind of reassuring to know he actually wasn’t perfect, and I was so tempted to open my eyes to see the chaos, but I didn’t. I didn’t want to ruin the surprise that he had obviously put so much time & thought into.
I’m not sure how long I sat there waiting but I finally heard the car door open. “Please keep your eyes closed for me.”
“Yes, sir.”
I felt him kiss my cheek as he placed one hand gently on my arm & the other on the back of my head to help guide me out of the car. Once I was on my feet, he grabbed my hand and started to walk. I could feel when we had hit the beach. As hard as it is to walk in sand while watching where you’re going, it’s even harder to walk in sand when you’re not. I struggled a bit, & he felt me losing my balance.
“It’s not too much further, but perhaps it would be easier if I carried you.”
Before I could say anything I felt him swoop me up in his arms. Being this close to him, feeling his biceps, inhaling his scent, oh it was heaven and I hoped with all my might that the walk was further than he thought, but to no avail. Before I knew it he was gently placing my feet on the ground. He left my side for a minute and came back behind me, wrapping my shawl around my shoulders. I felt him move in front of me and I could feel his gaze. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was taking advantage of this opportunity to drink in the sight of me. Finally, he whispered. “Okay, Angela, open your eyes.”
I gasped at the sight before me. The boat we had spent all week working on was ready, it was adorned with blankets, LED candles, and I spotted his guitar. It was so breathtakingly beautiful, especially with the Seattle skyline in the background.

He helped me onto the boat and rowed us out a little ways before stopping. It was another nice evening, but it was chilly on the water, so he moved to sit next to me, pulling a blanket over our laps. He had even stopped at my favorite café & filled a thermos with London Fog.

“Thank you for this, Jared,” I said as I leaned my head on his shoulder, he wrapped his arm around me pulling me closer to him, stroked the side of my face with his other hand, and gently lifted my head until our eyes met. “You’re Welcome.”

My breath hitched and I moved my gaze between his eyes and his lips, and ever so slowly he leaned in closer, he looked at me, as if to ask permission, & I closed the distance, gently pressing my lips against his. I had been dreaming of this moment for days, so I kept my eyes open until our lips touched, savoring each and every precious second of our first kiss. He moved his hands into my hair, deepening the kiss, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, welcoming him. It was magical, I don’t think I have ever felt more alive than I did that exact moment our lips first met. I almost didn’t believe it, Houdini himself never experienced magic like this. He pulled away slowly, allowing his kiss to linger a few seconds longer before pulling away completely. I kept my eyes closed for a few seconds after he pulled away, memorizing every tender second. When I opened my eyes to look at him I was taken back by how much love was written on his face. And there I went, falling even deeper in love with him.

He played the guitar, some sappy love songs, some fun songs I sang along to, and of course, he sang “Happy Birthday.” We talked for a while over my favorite beverage before he rowed us back to shore. The sun had just set, but there was still some light lingering in the sky. I had gotten eaten alive by mosquitoes & Jared felt horrible, but I reassured him it was totally worth it. No amount of mosquito bites could ever ruin such a magical night, and he informed me that our night was not over yet.

After we loaded up the car, we swung back by the bed and breakfast to drop off the boat. Jared took me to an Italian restaurant called Il Terrazzo Carmine. He reserved a table in a corner, by itself,  next to a big, picture window with views overlooking the city. He had put on a sports jacket and his black and white striped tie, and to be completely honest, it wouldn’t have mattered where we went or what the views were. I was more than happy to just be with him and gaze upon him in his chosen attire, he was breathtakingly handsome.

We enjoyed an intimate conversation over dinner, filled with seafood, pasta, & wine, the ambiance was so romantic, the tables were adorned with linen table cloths, and jazz music played in the background.

We walked hand in hand back to his car, and I still wasn’t used to him opening my car door, he was a true gentleman, which just appealed to me even more. Think Cary Grant class, with a hint of James Dean rebel, and Danny Kaye humor, that is my Jared.

When we got back to the B&B, Jared helped me out of his car, he kept one arm wrapped around my waist while he closed the door & pulled out his phone, playing “Slow Love,” by Prince. We danced beneath the moonlight, stealing kisses, his hands stroking my hair, mine caressing the back of his neck and shoulders, & just holding each other close, feeling each others heart beat. I didn’t want this night to end.

It was getting late, but neither of us were tired, both high on this feeling of pure bliss we were feeling.
“CAAAAAKE!” Jared shouted.
“PIIIIE!” I shouted back.
He raised an eyebrow at me in confusion.
“I thought we were just shouting random desserts,” I chuckled.
He shook his head, “No, silly. It’s your birthday, & we haven’t had cake.” He ran to the pantry and started pulling out all of the ingredients. I couldn’t help but chuckle at his eagerness.
“Do you want some help?”
“Nope,” he replied, popping the p.

We played my playlist and danced around the kitchen while we waited for the cake to bake. After it was finished we curled up on the sofa & watched “When Harry Met Sally.” Jared was so playful, he fed me pieces of cake, making sure to smear the frosting on my lips so he could lick it off. He imitated Billy Crystal during the “poppykosh” scene, which makes me laugh no matter how many times I’ve seen it, and Jared’s interpretation made me laugh even harder.

Jared gave me that look again, the one that makes me feel as if I myself am a piece of magnificent art. He brushed a piece of hair behind my ear, “You know, an uncle once told me that if I wanted a woman to fall in love with me, I should make her laugh, but every time I watch you laugh, I’m the one who falls in love.”

“Awe, Jared! Keep talking to me like that & there will be nothing left of me except a puddle.”

He stroked my cheek and kissed me chastely, pulling me into his arms. Neither of us meant to, but we fell asleep on the couch watching old black and white movies, but before I drifted off to sleep I felt him kiss my forehead & heard him whisper, “Happy Birthday, beautiful.”

Falling asleep in his arms, I never felt more at home.

To be continued….

Kristian L. Weigman

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Eeeek!!!!! Okay, this is the best thing I’ve ever written!!

I really hope you are enjoying it!! I’m so giddy! Lol.