Page 295 of The Bonus

“This is Becco?” My eyes widen. “You flew in Becco?”

His eyes glow with tenderness. “I wanted you to have your favorite food.”

I choke up again. “Honestly, you could feed me stale bread tonight and it would be fabulous.”

I see a trace of a smile cross the waiter’s face as he puts the meal down in front of me. “Your entrée,” he says, he takes the champagne and refills our glasses.

“Thank you.” I smile.

“You may leave us,” Gabriel says softly.

The waiter nods and disappears back into my house.

Gabriel listens to the song that is now playing. “Ah, yes, track seven,” he says. “We are right on schedule, Gracie.”

The Ed Sheeran song, “I See Fire”.

I imagine Gabriel picking the songs and making an agenda to go with it, and I smile as I listen. “This date is actually stupid.”

“I was hoping for a bit better than stupid.” He throws his head back and laughs out loud, and it’s deep and velvety, it makes my stomach dance with butterflies.

“How did you even think of all this?”

“It’s you.” He sips his champagne.

“Me?”

“You magnify everything.”

“What do you mean?” I frown.

“The way you make me feel, the good, the bad and the…” He shrugs. “You make me want to be better than I am. More romantic than I am.” He tips his head as if searching for the right wording. “Just more.”

I smile softly over at him…oh, how I love this man.

It’s like every dream I had for the two of us has come to fruition. He’s not the monster he is to the world, there’s this deep, loving soul inside of him. I never imagined it all those years before, he felt it too.

I feel validated, I feel heard and seen…cherished.

Loved.

My eyes well with tears, overcome with emotion.

“Eat your dinner, crybaby.” He smirks as he reaches over and begins to cut up my food. “We are three songs behind schedule.”

I giggle as I wipe my eyes. “Sorry, boss.”

Three hours later.

We’ve talked and laughed; we’ve eaten and drunk champagne. We’ve lain on the rug and stared up at the moon and gazed at the stars as they twinkled their magic down on us.

“It’s been the perfect night.” I smile over to my handsome date.

“We should dance.” He stands and holds his hand out for me.

I take my time getting up.

“We are on a tight schedule, hurry up.”

---