Page 34 of The Write Knight

?She chuckles, "Okay, goodnight for real this time."

?"Goodnight, baby."

I end the call and put my cell on the nightstand. I’ll call Elijah tomorrow to get Lizzie a new phone. That is a must have. I turn the light off and roll onto to the pillow that smells like her from two nights ago. I take a deep inhale of her scent and smile into the pillow, as I snuggle up to it.

Chapter 24

Elizabeth

“HAPPY BIRTHDAYYY, LIZZIE!!!!” Sarah comes rushing into my room, squealing as she jumps on my bed. I groan and put a pillow over my head.

?“Sarah, what time is it? Have you lost your damn mind?” I inquire because, surely, she doesn’t think this is the best way to wake me up, especially this morning.

“It's 8 am and high time to get your sleepy ass out of this bed, so we can start the birthday celebration!” she yells, as she snatches the pillow from my face.

?“Can you just go celebrate without me, then come back and tell me how it went? With coffee, preferably,” I say, whining as I sit up in the bed. Miles and I stayed up late talking on the phone, and I didn’t expect to be awaken so early today. It’s my day off for Pete’s sake!”

?Sarah jumps off the bed and scoffs just as I hear a loud knock on the door that startles me. I look at Sarah, and she doesn’t seem surprised at all. In fact, she seems happy. What is she up to?

?“Well, get up birthday girl. That’s for you!” she exclaims as she yanks the whole comforter off the bed. I pop up and put on my robe in a rush, so I don't freeze to death, while she is standing in my doorway with her arms crossed and wearing the largest grin I’ve ever seen.

?“What are you up to Sarah? Why can’t you go get the door?” I say exasperated. She pulls my arm and drags me through the living room to the door of our apartment. Just as I am about to peek through the hole, the loud banging returns, and I almost fall over from being startled and half asleep. I can’t take this much stimulation before coffee! Sarah pulls the handle open for me without looking to see who it is. I almost protest when I look up and see Thomas, Miles’ driver. I open my mouth to say something, but there are no words. I just stare at him for a moment, and he begins to chuckle.

?“Happy birthday, Miss Lizzie. These are for you,” he advises with a wide smile on his face. I didn’t even notice he’s holding a large bouquet of the most stunning flowers, and a package. As he hands them over to me, I can’t help but smile as a giddy feeling flutters in my stomach. What did Miles do this time? Sarah takes the flowers and heads to the kitchen, leaving Thomas and me in the doorway.

?“Thank you, Thomas. You didn’t have to go through the trouble to bring all of this to me. Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?” I ask, feeling a bit awkward at what the protocol for this is. I don’t want him to have to have come all this way on a Saturday just for me. The thought makes me a bit uneasy. Just as if out of thin air, he pulls out a cup of coffee that I instantly recognize as my favorite coffee shop logo appears. He must see the awe on my face because his smile broadens even more than I thought possible. He hands the cup over to me, but before I take a sip, I see the name on the side, “Austen.” A chuckle escapes me. Miles thinks of everything. He pays so much attention to the intricate details. My cheeks burn from the smile that has permanently attached itself to my face since I first saw Thomas at the door.

?“I must decline the offer, Miss. You have plans to get to. I will be down in the car when you and Miss McKenzie are ready,” Thomas replies, and before I can ask further questions,he takes a bow and heads to the elevator.

?“Thank you!” I call out to him as I shut the door. Before I can wrap my head around the fact that he said he will be waiting for us, Sarah tugs me into the kitchen where she has put the flowers in a beautiful glass vase. They are sitting on the kitchen counter next to the package Thomas left.

?"Open it! Open it!" Sarah exclaims.

?I skip over to the counter, set my coffee down, and inspect the box.

?"Do you know what this is all about? You didn't seem surprised to see Thomas at the door."

?She shrugs her shoulders with a coy smile and slides the package closer to me.

?The package is a thin white box with a black satin ribbon wrapped around it. I pull at the edge of the bow, and the ribbon falls away. As I open the box, my heart begins to race. I have never been treated like this in my life. I feel like a princess, getting all these gifts and surprise deliveries. When I lift the lid off, I see a cream envelope with my name written on it, which I instantly recognize as Miles’ handwriting. With trembling hands, I open the envelope carefully and pull out the handwritten card.

My dearest Lizzie,

Happy birthday, my love. Today is a celebration of your life; without it I wouldn’t have you in mine. I will be forever thankful. I want you to enjoy this special day beginning with a bit of relaxation. Enclosed are your and Sarah’s passes for Eden Spa and Salon. I am told it’s the best of the best. Enjoy your time. Thomas will take care of anything else you need. When you arrive home, expect another package.

“There are as many forms of love as there are moments intime.” – Jane Austen

Yours,

Miles

?A gasp escapes my lips as I reread the note. I press a hand over my mouth as I continue to stare at this beautiful note.Or love letter. That's what it seems like, and my heart is bursting at the thought. I can’t believe he is going through so much trouble to celebrate my birthday. He even included Sarah, and I cannot be happier about that. He knows how much she means to me, and the fact that she gets to be a part of this makes me ecstatic. I start to jump up and down as I pass the note over to her so she can read it. She does so quickly, but I suspect she already knows what Miles has planned today because her smile only grows wider. However, she doesn't seem surprised. The thought of them working together for me has me feeling all kinds of emotions. But mostlyloved!

?"Wait, Lizzie, you only opened the card. There is something else in this box," Sarah points out. I look over my shoulder at the package; I didn't realize there’s something other than the card inside. However, if it was just a card, it could have been sent in an envelope. I mentally face palm my head. I need to finish my coffee, so my brain can catch up with all this craziness that is going on this morning.

?I run back to the kitchen and take a big gulp of my coffee. I seriously could get used to this. My favorite coffee delivered two days in a row. Lucky me. I put the cup down and stare at the package. The gold tissue paper is neatly folded and a circular sticker with the initials BMK in a script font is the holding it together. Benjamin Miles Knight Jr. Of course, he has his own stationary, which would include these beautifully intricately designed stickers.

?I peel off the sticker and place it on the back of the card because I want to keep it as a memento. I’m careful not to ripthe paper; it looks too fancy to mess up.Pulling back the tissue, I choke on my own intake of air when I see what Miles has gotten me. I pick up the brand-new iPhone in disbelief. How did he already get this? We literally just talked about this less than twelve hours ago. Looking up at Sarah, I show her the new phone with my mouth still open wide in disbelief.

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