“That’s what I was told,” I replied.
“Do you know where?” my mother asked, an excited smile on her face.
“Not yet,” I said. “It’s a surprise.”
“Ah,” my father coughed. “Guy knows what he’s doing,” he said and offered a pointed look towards my mother.
Mom rolled her eyes. “I have never liked surprises.”
“Oh, that’s what they always say,” he said, giving me a wink.
“But that never stopped your father,” my mother finished her sentence, leaving her stare on my dad for a moment before turning to me. I wondered what kind of surprise he could have given her that was creating this kind of reaction.
“You know you liked it,” Dad replied, going back to his paper.
Mom just rolled her eyes again and shook her head. “Have a good time, sweetie.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I grinned at her and headed toward the door. “I have my key, so don't worry about waiting up for me.”
“Of course, dear,” Mom replied, giving me an all too knowing look. I simply shook my head and left the room before my dad could comment. Jacob was on his way to the door as I stepped out.
“Oh, you're not even gonna make me knock?” He smiled and looked me up and down. Twice. “You look absolutely stunning.”
“You said wear something nice,” I said, shrugging. My cheeks flushed in a way that formed a smile without me trying.
“I expected your beautiful self in a nice dress, but you exceeded my expectations,” he said as we embraced in a hug.
My head settled into his shoulder and immediately I could smell his cologne, an aroma of a post-rain-like scent blended with a crisp masculine fragrance. I savored his smell like it was a nearby flower until our hug ended and the scent became lost in the surrounding air.
“You look very, very nice as well,” I said and even allowed myself to look him up and down without feeling pretentious. No, it felt much more like pausing to admire a fine painting.
He had slicked his dark hair back, which made him look sophisticated. It was amazing how his fine suit transformed him into someone worthy of a magazine cover. He grinned, crinkling the corners of his eyes. He wore his glasses this evening, which I thought made him look smart. They accented his eyes and fit his face well.
He led me to his car and opened my passenger side door, gesturing with his hand to invite me in. I felt like a princess, or a celebrity. Those types of people had doors opened for them, not me. It was a wonderful feeling.
“I was kind of hoping to get in a little Monster GO with your brother before we left,” he said, his right hand gripping the top of the leather steering wheel as we sped down the road to the highway. “It's too bad you beat me to the door.”
“Really?” I said, looking over at him. He grinned back at me and immediately I felt foolish for sounding so surprised. I laughed as I realized he was just teasing me.
“No, I’m kidding. No phones, remember?” he said and lifted up the center compartment between us. “I’ve got my mine buried in here, and that’s where it’s going to stay for the night.”
I took my phone out of my small clutch and tossed it into the center compartment with his.
“There,” I announced.
“There,” he echoed, wearing a proud smile as he closed the compartment and rested his elbow on it.
We drove in companionable silence until we reached the highway.
“So where are we going?” I was so curious it had taken everything I had not to ask the second I saw him. I was impressed that I had managed to make it to the highway before asking.
“It's a surprise,” he reminded me.
I put on my biggest pout, pushing out my bottom lip as far as I could and giving him big, sad, puppy-dog eyes.
He laughed. My pout was having no effect on him.
“If I told you now, it wouldn’t be a surprise anymore,” he explained.