Page 44 of Laws of Love
Aiva stared at herself in the mirror. Knox would arrive to pick her up at any minute, and she wanted to garner the same reaction from him as she had when he’d picked her up the first time. She and Tara chose a mint dress that flattered her girls nicely. It housed cutouts on the side and an open back. The bottom half flowed and stopped mid-thigh. Several things would play peek-a-boo with Knox tonight.
She’d pulled her thick hair up, leaving pieces down on each side of her face, kept her make-up light, and paired the outfit with stud earrings, a simple necklace, and wedge heels.
She’d just grabbed her clutch and was headed down the hall when there was a knock on her front door. Aiva pulled it open and found Knox on the other side with a beautiful bouquet of soft pink roses.
“There’s that definition of temptation again,” Knox stated.
“Well, if you’re ruining dates with other men for me, I’m ruining the impression you have of other women on dates for you,” she responded, taking the bouquet he held out to her.
Knox leaned down, speaking against her lips. “Who said I planned to go on dates with other women?” He gave her a soft kiss.
Aiva laughed. “Come on in. I’ll put these in water, and we can go.”
She entered her kitchen, grabbed a vase, filled it with water, placed the flowers in, and sat them beside the ones he’d brought her last weekend. She’d removed the few that had wilted, but the rest still looked good.
When they were in Knox’s vehicle, she thought about asking him where they were going, but he’d told her when he asked her out that he wanted it to be a surprise, which meant that he wouldn’t tell her if she asked now. Instead, she turned slightly in her seat.
“How is Yasmine doing?”
“She’s good. She’s enjoying the extra time she gets to spend with her grandparents, but I’m sure that has more to do with them letting her get away with almost everything.”
Aiva chuckled. “Isn’t that what grandparents are supposed to do?”
“Let them tell it.”
“How’s she adjusting to being with you full-time?”
“She hasn’t said much about it. I don’t think she’s noticed the difference, but I plan on sitting down with her after everything is finalized.”
Aiva nodded. She’d only met Yasmine once, but she seemed like a smart little girl and would notice something different. However, kids were resilient, and she knew it wouldn’t affect her too heavily, and if it did, she could bounce back with the proper guidance and help.
“I’m sure she’s excited school will be out next month.”
“Surprisingly, I think she’s going to miss it. I’ve never seen a child enjoy school as much as Yas, but I know she’s also excited since I’m taking her to Disneyland.”
“I bet she’s going to have a blast. I’ll have to run that by Meila and see what she thinks of taking our youngest siblings at some point,” Aiva replied.
They lapsed into silence, and she took in the passing scenery. They were leaving the city limits, and again she wanted to ask where they were going but refrained.
They drove twenty minutes outside the city limits and pulled off into a small gravel parking lot. Aiva had passed it many times when leaving the city, but the gate that was now open had always been closed.
She got out of the car as Knox closed the gate. He then made a stop at the trunk. When he came to her side, he held a picnic basket in one hand. His other one took hers, and they started down a gravel path.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been on a picnic, but she was excited about this one. While she always appreciated anything someone did for her, she enjoyed the simple things. However, she got the feeling that this might have been anything but simple.
When the path opened up, Aiva found herself in awe as she looked around. They’d stepped into a cherry orchard, and in the middle was a white mesh tent decorated with plush blankets and pillows that looked soft—a small wooden floor table in the center decorated with flowers, candles, and dinnerware.
The entrance was draped in tulle with flowers intertwined. A vase of pampas grass sat outside on one side, a small white rug at the opening, and a woven bag chair on the other side. She’d been right; this picnic was going to be anything but simple.
“We’re in an orchard,” she stated, turning to him.
“A small one, but yes. Do you like it?”
Aiva smiled at him. “It’s beautiful. You keep setting the bar higher, Mr. Chandler.”
He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. “That’s the plan, Ms. Neel.”
She rose on her tiptoes, giving him a soft kiss before stepping out of his hold. Sitting on the chair, she removed her wedges, placed them aside, and stepped into the tent. The blankets were soft and plush under her feet, and the pillows even more so as she sat against them.
