Let Yourself Fall

thirty-five

Noelle

I lean back against the kitchen counter and watch him prepare his breakfast. He looks calm, not bothered at all. He's acting like it's just a normal day for him. Can I dare to say it?

I take a sip from my coffee to keep myself from saying something. He turns to face me and cocks an eyebrow. "Oh, get it over with," he laughs. "It won't kill me."

"Just once, okay? I just have to." I hurry towards him and throw my arms around him. "Happy, happy, happy, happy birthday. I love you so much." I press my lips against his and let them linger there for a second. Then I lean back to grin at him.

"Happy?" he asks, his eyes twinkling with amusement. I nod eagerly.

"Very." "Good. So, the thing we talked about yesterday?" he begins, quickly changing the subject.

I don't mind, though. I was expecting him to be really closed off and moody today, but it's okay for me. "You mean the bodyguard situation? I told you it didn't bother me that he went to work with me. I didn't pick up my phone, so you couldn't tell me that you sent him after me. It's okay. You can stop apologizing now."

"I just don't want to seem like a crazy, protective boyfriend. I just need you to be safe." "And I love you for that. I really felt safe, and I'm glad that—I can't remember his name—was there. It's a good feeling to know that someone can jump in when I need anything."

"Okay." He hugs me tightly to his chest. "This is the best birthday I've had in a long time. Thank you, Noelle," he softly whispers against my hair.

I squeeze him tighter and press a kiss on his chest, right over his heart. "You're very welcome." My voice breaks as silent tears stream down my cheeks. "I'm there for you. Always."

"I know, Baby."

"Hey, Milli, what's up?" I say into my phone as I walk out of my office.

"Are you finished working yet?"

"Mmh, yes. Why?" I ask suspiciously.

"I'm outside waiting for you."

"Ok—" I start, but she has already hung up on me. "Okay," I say again and stare at the black screen. That was... Weird. As I leave the building, she's waiting for me with a coffee in her hand.

 "Hey there," she says cheerfully.

"I'm going to kidnap you now."

"Yo—You're going to—What?" I stutter.

She grabs me by the elbow and drags me to the waiting car. "Milli," I shriek. "Is this a fucking limo?"

"Yup, that's what it is," she says in a singsong voice as I sit down next to her in the back of the car.

"What is going on here?"

"Girls' day. We're going to make you all pretty and shiny. Uh, not that you aren't already pretty. You know what I mean."

"Damien," I mutter. A girls' day? Seriously?

"Come on, this is going to be fun."

"Mmh." I highly doubt it. She turns to face me.

"Chuck and I got married," she blurts out. "What? Oh my God, Milli."

"Yeah, our families are all crazy, so we just wanted to have a private little ceremony. We took off to—"

"Vegas? You two got married in Vegas?"

"What? No, of course not. Bahamas." She grins. "It was so beautiful."