Exception (66 page)

Nearly snorting with laugher, she thanked him in the foreign language, lacing her fingers through his. The thoughtfulness he put into the day made her fall in love with him even more, something she didn’t think was possible.

The view on the return trip to Manhattan was even prettier. The setting sun added a whole new layer of beauty to the already amazing sight. However, as breathtaking as the scenery was, it wasn’t enough to keep Emily’s mind away from wondering what Taylor had in store for her next.

“Where are we going now?” she asked giddily as they stepped off of the ferry.

“I was thinking about going for a walk. What do you say?”

Snaking her arm around his waist, she kissed his cheek. “Okay,” she consented, just glad to be in his arms.

They walked through Battery Park, admiring the gorgeous view of the bay at dusk and enjoying each other’s company. They talked and played and laughed and kissed, as if they weren’t standing in a crowded park in the beating heart of the world. To them, at that moment, they were the only two people around.

The sky was dark and the city lights twinkled beautifully in the background when Taylor stopped in the middle of a sidewalk and tugged on the hand he was holding, pulling Emily towards his body. Holding both her hands behind her back, he kissed her lips softly. “Do you know how much I love you, Emily?”

Emily’s heart fluttered inside her chest as she shook her head in reply, a smitten smile on her lips. He kissed the tip of her nose before looking up at the gorgeous night sky above them. “There’s more love for you in me than stars up there. You’re my life, my future and my happiness, and you go way beyond my best and wildest dreams, Ems.” Lowering his eyes back to look at her, he offered a small and honest smile.

Tears were stinging Emily’s eyes. Removing her arms from the hold he had on her, she brought her hands up to cup his face. Not trusting words to express her feelings eloquently, she stretched on her tiptoes and, pouting her lips, delivered a soft, loving kiss to the tip of his nose, and another just above the line of his stubble. Those were their kisses, the first ones they’d ever shared, and the ones with sentiment that, even in their simplicity, outweighed even the most passionate of kisses.

“Thanks for giving me the perfect day, Tay. I loved it.”

They stared at each other for a few seconds with similar smiles and loving gazes. The silence between them was loud with all the promises their eyes were making. Finally, Taylor’s voice sounded again. It was low and incredibly sexy. “Well, Watson, I’m pleased to announce that the day is not over yet, and I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. So, if you’ll follow me, I’d like to get you naked in a very large Jacuzzi overlooking the Statue of Liberty and do unspeakable things to you before we go on and continue celebrating your day.”

Knowing that their own Jacuzzi was far away and didn’t have a view of the statue, she followed him through the stone steps that led to guarded entrance of the luxurious hotel.

Riding in the back of a sleek black sedan with Taylor by her side, Emily almost resented her sister for requesting they have dinner together. The two mind-numbing hours spent with Taylor in the lush Jacuzzi surrounded by candles and the most amazing view of the bay had been too short, and as soon as her body left the hot water she wanted back in. However, it was her birthday, and not celebrating with Charlie was unthinkable.

The venue for the celebration dinner was still a mystery. All she knew was that it was somewhere fancy, since Taylor was looking impeccable in a midnight-blue suit and she was wearing all of the gorgeous gifts he’d given her: a mint-green mini-dress, gray pumps and matching clutch.

“We’re here,” Taylor announced as the car came to a stop.

He stepped out of the vehicle and offered his hand to help her. Wide eyed, she took her surroundings in. The Manhattan skyline twinkled on the other side of the Hudson River and a formidable garden, blooming with the colors of spring, led the way to a restaurant nestled under the Brooklyn Bridge. The place looked like it was from a dream.

Holding Taylor’s hand, she followed him inside where a tall blond woman greeted them and wished her a happy birthday before leading the way to their table.

The interior of the restaurant was almost as pretty as the outside with crisp linens, crystal glasses and gorgeous floral arrangements that filled the air with their sugary scent. A gray-haired pianist was playing Pachelbel’s
Canon in D
in the background, adding to the dreamlike quality of the place.

“Your table is right through here,” the woman announced, cracking a door to what looked like a veranda. After a polite “Thank you” from Taylor, the woman turned around with a smile and returned to her position at the front of the house.

Instead of opening the door and heading for their table, Taylor folded an arm around Emily and brought his lips close to her ear. “I think I’ve been a little selfish today, keeping you all to myself.” His words were followed by a kiss to the soft skin under her lobe that made her squirm, as he continued, “Especially when you have so many people who love you.”

Before she could even deliver him a puzzled look, he pushed the door open revealing the assembly of loved ones waiting for them. A mixed chorus of “Surprise” and “Happy birthday” sounded around them, making Emily giggle and clap her hands excitedly.

Along with the familiar and expected faces of Charlotte and her family, Simon and Johanna Webber, her two best friends with their boyfriends, Penelope, Nate, Rick and Tina, Gabe and Tara, Emily’s two bosses—Chelsea and Laura, who brought along her boyfriend, Trey—and even Stanley Parker.

Emily looked from the crowded room to Taylor a few times. “H . . . how?” she stuttered the word at him.

“This is all Charlie’s magic. I’m only making a monetary contribution.” After his good-natured explanation, he guided her inside. They made their way around the room to greet the guests, who overwhelmed Emily with their love.

Catching up with all of them was incredible, and added a new layer of perfection to her already unbelievable day. Having every person she adored together in the same room was the best gift she could have ever gotten, which didn’t prevent the guests from offering her other gifts, as well. Each one warmed her heart a bit more. Stanley’s gift, however, actually made her eyes water.

With Stan’s compulsion for snapping shots of her and Taylor any time the three of them were in the same room, it was no surprise that the present was a framed picture of Taylor holding Emily against his chest and kissing her hair softly. What surprised Emily was the dress she was wearing in the photograph.

“When I took this picture I had just entered the gallery. I didn’t know who you were or what your story was. However, when I saw this scene, these old eyes of mine saw a deep love and I felt compelled to register it as a reminder that true love, like true beauty, is in the little things that go by unnoticed, like a kiss to the shoulder.”

Emily looked at him with confusion flashing like a neon light on her face. His tiny smile grew wider as his long finger pointed to the print, where Emily’s pouted lips delivered a tender peck to Taylor’s shoulder. The love Stanley was talking about was there, flaunted in front of her in bright, beautiful colors.

“Thank you Stan.” Her words were filled with honesty as she draped an arm around his neck and kissed his cheek. “It’s a shame my Nana is not here anymore. She would have been smitten with you.” Her words made the old man laugh loudly.

Once Emily had talked to every guest and opened every gift, the group sat around the large rectangular table to enjoy the delicious dinner. For most of the meal, Emily simply watched the interaction happening between her guests with wonder.

Laura and Trey were in deep conversation with Gabe and Tara. Taylor and Chuck were laughing hysterically over something Charlotte said. Nate seemed quite taken by Chelsea’s fiery personality as she told him about the sisters’ upcoming cook and crafts book, which for some reason was earning the woman eye daggers from Penelope. And, sitting at the head of the table, Stanley was entertaining everyone else with his art history lessons and snarky comments.

Silently, Emily sent out a heartfelt thank you to Nana and Lewis for once more orchestrating such a perfect night.

The celebration continued until the wee hours of the morning when, one by one, the guests hugged Emily and Taylor, showering her with last happy birthday wishes and expressing their excitement at being reunited in a few hours for Stanley’s show. Eventually, only Emily’s two best friends and Taylor’s parents remained at the large table.

After offering their beloved almost-daughter goodbye, the older couple insisted their son accompany them to the door, which he did, leaving his girlfriend alone to continue sharing the delicious and sordid details of her day with her two closest friends.

Rick and Tina were, as always, all praises regarding Emily. That night had been the first time they’d seen his son and girlfriend as a couple since the beginning of their relationship and the sight was awe-inspiring.

“That was some hard work you put into this day, son. Emily was beaming with happiness; it was quite a wonderful sight,” Tina said smiling at Taylor. The shy smile on Taylor’s lips was enough to show his own joy to his parents. Tina brought her chubby hand to cup her son’s cheek and delivered a furtive kiss to the line above his stubble. “I love that girl for making my boy this happy.”

Mother and son stared at each other in some sort of silent communication before she kissed him once more, and turned towards her husband. A knowing smile curved her lips at the sight of the hand tucked inside his jacket pocket. “I believe you have an important conversation you were rehearsing to have with our son, my love. I’ll go wait in the car while you do that.”

Rick bobbed his head lightly and winked at his angel, completely ignoring the frown on Taylor’s forehead. With a kiss to his lips and a wide smile on hers, Tina retreated to the black sedan waiting by the curb, leaving two of her three favorite men alone for a much-needed heart-to-heart.