Incidental Happenstance (38 page)

            He led her around the circle of the platform for another perspective on the city. “But if I wanted to make it even better, you’d be OK with that, right?” he asked mischievously. She was just about to tell him that it couldn’t get any better, but as they rounded the next curve, she saw a table set for two looking out over the Seine. A bottle of champagne rested in a silver chalice, and two glasses were already poured, perched on the edge of the table.

            “Oh my,” she breathed, stopping and staring. “You weren’t kidding. Is this for us?”

            “Happy Birthday, Tia,” Dylan smiled warmly. When she looked at him with confusion in her eyes, he answered, “Lexi told me. Why didn’t you?”

            “I…” she stammered, flustered. “I didn’t want you to feel obligated to… Oh Dylan, you’ve given me so much; this whole summer is more of a gift than I could have ever hoped for…” He laughed at her and handed her a glass of champagne. “It would have been the best birthday I’ve ever had, just being here with you, in Paris of all places! I didn’t need anything else to make it special—this is already as good as it gets!”

            “You are a lady of mystery,” he said. “You always keep me guessing.” He clinked the rim of his glass against hers. “To you,” he said. “I’m so glad to be spending your birthday, and this summer, with you.” They drank, and Tia suddenly giggled and ran to the edge of the platform, yelling out over the city, “I have the most wonderful man up here, Paris! Best birthday ever!”

            Dylan laughed, and removed the domed lid from the silver platter on the table. On it was an assortment of crackers, olives, and nuts—the aperitif, Tia recalled; the first in the long procession of a typical French meal. “Mademoiselle,” he crooned, bowing, pulling out her chair and spreading her napkin on her lap. “Dinner is served, in typical French birthday style.”

            They nibbled on crackers and olives while they talked about their respective days. She gushed about seeing the Mona Lisa—much smaller than she’d ever imagined, and the Venus de Milo and the incredible paintings, sculptures and historical pieces that had filled her day. She showed him pictures of the gardens, and the glass pyramid at the Louvre, and they both agreed that it just looked out of place next to such grand ancient architecture. He told her about his interviews and his meeting with the mayor, where he’d agreed to perform a couple songs at his daughter’s wedding next year in exchange for a private dinner on the top of the tower. “A small price to pay to see the look in your eyes tonight,” he told her, then added, “I hope that you’ll be my date for the wedding, Tia.”

            Her heart jumped in her chest. He still hoped to be seeing her next year! She couldn’t control the smile that took over her entire face when she gladly accepted.

            Dylan hit the button on the device the elevator operator had given him and within a couple minutes, two waiters appeared to whisk away the crackers and bring the entree: warm cheese soufflé, French onion soup, and a carafe of Sauvignon Blanc. The waiters greeted the couple warmly, and then disappeared back to the lift. “Seriously?” she said. “You just hit the button and they come flying up the elevator to take care of your every whim? Must be hard to get used to that kind of treatment,” she added sarcastically.

            “Not so hard,” he replied with a smirk. “There are some perks that come with celebrity that are pretty damn nice.” He took her hands in his and looked at her seriously. “There are sacrifices, though too, Tia, always remember that. Sometimes there’s a pretty big price to pay.”

           “I know,” she whispered. “That part is incredibly hard; I see how you struggle with it.” She kissed his fingers and then picked up her fork. “Tonight, though, we have the easy life.”

            He smiled. “And I’m all for enjoying every minute of it.” He speared some soufflé onto his fork and fed it to Tia across the table. They ate that way, sharing bites and sipping wine, talking about everything and nothing. They’d reached a certain comfort level with each other now, and the silences they shared were as easy as the exchanges. Time passed slowly; the leisurely pace of the French dinner and the quiet of the city view allowing them to relax and enjoy every moment. The waiters appeared after each course and with polite efficiency cleared their table and set up the next round of incredible food paired with just the right French wines.  She sipped slowly, not wanting anything to cloud her mind on this perfect night. They got up and walked around the platform occasionally, taking in the views arm in arm and walking off one course before starting on another. It was a delicious evening, unhurried, elegant, casual, and she didn’t want it to ever end.

            Dessert was mousse au chocolate, complete with a sparkling candle in the center. “Make a wish, Tia,” he whispered, and there was no question in her mind what she would wish for, what she’d been wishing for ever since she’d met Dylan, and she closed her eyes and blew out the flame. His intent gaze met her own as she opened her eyes, and she knew that he could read her wish in them.

            “I’ll be right back,” he said, and went around the curve to the left, coming back with his guitar slung over his shoulder.

            “You’re going to sing happy birthday to me,” she said, touched and amused.

            “Something like that,” he replied and moved his chair out from the table, facing her. He began with the Happy Birthday tune, singing the words slowly, smoothly, turning it into something she never thought it could be. But when it ended, he kept strumming and said to her, “I have something for you, Tia. I’ve been working on it for a while now, and finally I think it’s ready.” He began with a hum, low in his throat, smooth and sensual, that wound around the soft sounds of the guitar, building in intensity and complexity. It was nothing she’d heard before, and when he started to sing, her heart absolutely melted.

           
When you looked into my eyes/and saw through my disguise/no one was more surprised than me…It took a little while/but it was written in your smile/you make me what I want to be…We took a spin around the stars/and now the universe is ours…It’s impossible to hide/the love I have inside/there’s a real kind of magic when our worlds collide.

You amaze me, entertain me, mesmerize me, recognize me… See right through me, how you do me, with you I need no disguise… You elate me, and inflate me make me see what’s there inside… Just like heaven/ all this love /that I find when our worlds collide.

           
As he held out the last note and strummed the final chord on the guitar, he raised his eyes to hers and saw the tears that spilled there. He saw in her tears everything that he felt, everything that he poured into the song, and he leaned the guitar against the wall and pulled her into his lap, wiping her tears and kissing her damp cheeks.

            “You wrote me a song,” she whispered. “I can’t believe that you wrote me a song. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.” More tears slid down her cheeks and she held his face in her hands and looked into him. “You are the most amazing man, Dylan Miller. I still can’t believe I found you. I…” she hesitated, catching herself before she said more than she should. “…don’t know what to say. Words can’t describe what this means to me. What you mean to me.”

            He stood them both up and walked over to the edge, looking over the city of lights. “I have some more words for you, Tia.” He kissed the top of her head and took a deep breath. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so nervous, even though he was quite certain she felt the same way he did. “Every word in that song rings true and it was so easy to sing it. A bit harder to say it.” He cradled her face and met her gaze. “I guess I suspected it right after I met you—that first night. Probably when you made me work so hard at getting you to go out with me.” He smiled, remembering.

            “Sean asked me what you meant to me that night at
Paddy’s
, and at that exact moment you looked over at me and smiled, and without a thought I blurted, ‘I could get lost in her.’” Tia’s eyes melted and a smile touched her lips. “You challenge me, Tia, and you make me a better man, and you…”  he kissed her softly on the lips. “…You take my breath away every time I look at you.” The intensity of his gaze held her. Her mind was reeling, taking in every word. He stared straight into her soul. “I’m in love with you, Tia. Hopelessly, helplessly, completely in love with you.”

            She felt her knees go weak, and her heart seemed to soar out over the city, but somehow she managed to keep her legs. “Oh my God,” she said breathlessly, taking his face in her hands. “I’m in love with you too, Dylan. So incredibly much!”

            He brought his face closer and kissed her, soft, gentle and deep, his gaze never leaving hers. They held each other for what seemed a long time, caressing, kissing, and whispering things they’d waited so long to say. Finally he led her back to the table and they sat. He picked up his wine glass and she raised hers. They touched glasses and he said, “To the woman I love,” and she cried all over again and climbed into his lap. “I can’t believe this,” she whispered, “I’m so happy!”

            He knew she had some hard truths to face before she could commit to a relationship with him, but not tonight, he thought. Tonight was a happy night, and they were in the city of lovers. He intended to make the most of it, for both their sakes.  He pulled a square box from his pocket. “Happy birthday, my love.”

            “Oh Dylan, I can’t possibly accept anything else from you! You’ve just given me the best gift I could ever hope for. You love me, and there’s nothing else in the world I could possibly need!”

            “I do love you—God it feels good to say that!” he said, kissing her again. “But I saw this, and I just couldn’t resist. It’s just a little something to remind you of this night,” he said, pulling the lid off the box to reveal a diamond-crusted Eiffel Tower hanging from a delicate gold chain. “I was hoping it would help you remember how much I love you, even when I’m far away—I want you to remember that you’re always close to my heart.”

            “How could I ever forget this night? It’s been the best ight of my life!” She giggled. “I guess I say that a lot when I’m with you don’t I? But this has most definitely been the best so far.” She turned around so he could fasten the chain behind her neck. “It’s so beautiful, Dylan, thank you. But I don’t need anything to remind me of this night. I’ll be playing it over and over in my head every day and see it in my dreams at night. And my song—you have to record it for me so I can listen to it while I’m missing you and hear your voice singing just for me. Oh God,” she thought aloud. “Are you going to put that on a CD?”

            “That’s the plan,” he mused. “The guys liked it. Bo’s got a rough recording and is working on laying down the beats for it as we speak. We go into the studio after the movie wraps. I was thinking it could be the title track, actually. I like the name, ‘
Worlds Collide
.’ Kind of has a double meaning, you know?”

            “Oh! A song written for me that I’d hear on the radio? That I could put on my iPod? That gives me goose bumps!”

            “So, what do you say we have our traditional after dinner drink and get out of here? I can think of another way to show you how much I love you, and it starts with getting you out of that gorgeous dress.” He looked at her and raised that one eyebrow, and her heart immediately fluttered in her chest.

            “And here I didn’t think this night could get any better,” she smirked, “but I think you just figured out a way.”

            The moment they entered their suite, Dylan swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her down and looking deep into her eyes. “I love you, Tia Hastings,” he whispered.

            “I love you, Dylan Miller,” she breathed back.

            They made love, slow and easy, each feeling the new intensity that came with knowing that they were going to build a future together. The glittering Eiffel Tower around Tia’s neck sparkled in the moonlight that drifted in from the window and they fell asleep in each other’s arms, each dreaming of what that future might bring.

            Tia woke up the next morning curled in Dylan’s embrace and smiled, reliving the incredible night they’d shared. He stirred, and pulled her closer, whispering sleepily in her ear, “No, it wasn’t a dream—I am in love with you.” He kissed her head and she rolled over to face him, smiling sleepily.

            “Oh God, I love you, too,” she said, her smile getting bigger. “I’ve wanted to tell you for so long and it just feels amazing to be able to say it! I don’t think I could ever get tired of saying it--I want to shout it from the balcony and have it tattooed on my arm. I love you, I love you, I love you!” she said, kissing his cheek, his forehead, his nose.

            He wrapped his arms around her and just enjoyed the feeling of her naked body pressed against his own. He glanced at the clock over her shoulder and frowned—he had an interview later this morning, and as much as he didn’t want to do it, he needed to make sure Tia really knew what she was in for with him if they were going to go forward in their relationship. Putting it on the table now would give her some time to think about things while he was out, and she could make an informed decision. He was hoping that she’d decide to give it a go, but it wouldn’t be fair to her not to let her know the harsh realities before it was too late for either of them to go back.

            He pulled back, running his hand down her arm and settling it on her waist and said, “Listen, baby, there are some things you need to know, before you decide if you really want to give us a go. Some of them aren’t easy to say, or to hear, but I have to say them.”