By My Side

CHAPTER 18

A sense of excitement filled the air that night. The house looked absolutely perfect. Green holly boughs dotted with little red berries circled around the stair banisters, while sprigs of pointy mistletoe hung above doorways. Even the door looked festive with its red bow and eternal wreath.

Glad that Jake was already in bed and that she would have one less thing to worry about that night, Phoebe added the last touches to her makeup. Just as she was finishing up with her lip gloss, she heard a light knock at her door. She pulled her knee length blue cotton robe tightly around her body and called, "Come in."

Cole's face appeared on the other side of the door. His eyes immediately took in Phoebe's state of undress and the smile dropped from his face. He found his tongue tied and his hands clammy.

"Wow," he said taking a deep breath. "You look...you look," pausing a moment to clear his throat, he continued, "good. You look good."

"Thank you," Phoebe smiled shyly. "You don't look so bad yourself."

Flashing her one of his charming dimpled smiles, Cole blushed for the first time since she had known him. "I got a little something for you," he said, handing her a large white box wrapped with a red silk ribbon.

Phoebe took the box with a suspicious look at Cole. "What is this?" She asked as she slowly pulled the top of the box open and parted the blue tissue paper that filled the inside of the box. When she finally got through all of the decorative paper, all she could do was stare. Nestled in the middle of the box was the most beautiful ball gown that she had ever seen. A midnight blue cupped sleeve dress with a lace detailed bodice and daring side slit lay inside the cardboard box. Barely daring to take a breath, she slowly lifted it from the box with the tips of her fingers. She looked up at Cole and had to quickly wipe the tears that were starting to slide down her cheeks.

He came over to her and worriedly offered her a clean handkerchief to dry her tears. "Phoebe, if I had known that giving you a gift was going to make you cry..."

Shaking her head, Phoebe put her finger to his lips. "No," she said with a watery smile, "I love your gift more than anything I have received before."

"Then, why are you crying?"

"Because," she laughed at him through glittering eyes, "nobody has ever given me a gift this beautiful before. Thank you." She chastely kissed his cheek.

As she pulled back, she noticed the desiring widening Cole's pupils.

"Phoebe," he groaned reaching for her arms.

"You had better go so that I can fix my face." It was hard for her to deny herself and Cole what they both so obviously wanted, but she was not going to go to that place outside the sacred confines of marriage. IT was too big a risk for her heart.

Cole, fully aware of what had been about to happen, nodded and backed towards the door. "I guess I will see you downstairs." With another quick grin, he was gone.

Phoebe fell back onto the bed tightly clutching the beautiful gown to her chest. She could no longer deny or hide the fact that she was completely in love with Cole Jargen. He was her dream man – kind, considerate, good with Jake and, most importantly, he seemed to feel the same way about her that she felt about him.

After carefully applying her makeup once again, Phoebe slipped on the gown and twirled around in a circle wanting to get the full effect. This was the perfect dress for the perfect party. Not wanting to be late, she checked herself in the mirror one last time and slipped on the black strappy heels frosted with faux diamonds that she had purchased especially for tonight and headed for the door.