Part 12 (1/2)
I take it off and read another clue that leads me to a box in Nicholas's room, which reveals an apple. A fourth box near the living room fireplace contains a block of wood, and a fifth has a bag filled with candy and a note that says: Professor West to the dark tower came, saying fum, fie and fee I smell peaches and cream-is it she?
Amused and intrigued, I climb the spiral staircase to the tower. A box is sitting on the landing, and I open it to reveal a spool of copper wire and a skein of wool. I knock once on the door and push it open.
All the breath stops in my lungs. Tiny white lights glitter around the windows, casting a soft glow on my wife, who is standing in the middle of the room.
I can only stare at her-stunning in a white dress that hugs all her gorgeous curves, her hair adorned with little white flowers. She's smiling that smile that makes my heart fill to breaking every single time.
”Hi,” she says.
”Hi.” I let the doork.n.o.b slide from my grasp and put the box down. ”You look incredible. Isn't that your wedding dress?”
Her smile widens. ”It's a bit tighter now, but yes. Thanks for remembering.”
”I remember everything about that day.” I walk toward her, lifting my hand to touch her thick, s.h.i.+ny hair. ”Every stone in the terrace. The hills covered with grapevines. The way Jean's mother stopped you halfway toward me to straighten the hem of your dress. The flowers you were holding, the golden retriever lying in the sun. The officiant saying, 'Magnifique' when you came closer. Everything. But mostly you.”
”I'd tell you it was the best day of my life, but that wouldn't be true,” Liv says. ”I've had so many best days with you. More than I can count.”
”I haven't had any best days with you.”
A crease appears between her eyebrows. ”Why not?”
”Because you are my best day.”
”Aw.” She smiles. ”Good one.”
I slide my hand under her chin, lifting her face to mine for a kiss, but she puts her hand on my chest to stop me.
”Did you understand the clues?” she asks.
”Paper... you're going to write me a really hot love letter.”
”No.”
”Cotton... uh, we're going to have a naked pillow fight?”
”No.”
”I'm going to tie you up with a leather belt.”
”No.” Intrigue sparks in her pretty eyes. ”But hold that thought for later.”
”The wood... well, one look at you and I get a hard-on, so that's self-evident.”
Liv grins. ”Wrong again.”
”Then I didn't understand any of them.”
”Paper is the traditional gift for a first anniversary,” Liv says. ”Cotton is for the second, leather for the third, fruit for the fourth, wood for the fifth, and sugar for the sixth.”
”Ah. Let me guess. Seventh is copper and wool.”
”I always knew you were brilliant.”
”Our seventh is coming up this year,” I remark, sliding my hands around her waist to pull her closer. ”July twelfth.”
”You remember.”
”Of course.” I frown at her. ”Haven't I brought you flowers and gifts on July twelfth for six years running?”
”Yes, you have.” She smooths her hands over my suit jacket. ”But for this year, I was thinking we should do something extra-special. Seven is considered to be a very lucky number.”
She gestures to another larger box on the coffee-table, this one tied with a red ribbon. Since she's already covered traditional anniversary gifts, this has to be something different. I let go of her and walk over to sit on the sofa.
I open the box and take out the items one by one. A white rose. A University of Wisconsin baseball cap. A postcard printed with one of the distinctive Union Terrace chairs. A Madison, WI keychain, a Bucky Badger stuffed animal, a picture of the Wisconsin State Capitol building.
”Do you get it?” Liv asks.
”If I had to guess, I'd say this has something to do with Madison, Wisconsin,” I remark.
”Excellent guess.”
”Our first year together.” I look at the gifts on the table. ”One of the best years of my life.”
”Mine too.” Liv sits beside me, reaching out to put her hand on my knee. ”With our seventh anniversary coming up, and us not having been away together in so long, I've planned a trip for us back to Madison.”
”Yeah?” Warmth fills my chest. ”Just the two of us?”
”Just the two of us. Kelsey and Archer are going to take care of Nicholas.” She picks up her notebook and opens it to a page filled with notes.
”We're staying in a lakeside suite at the Edgewater,” she says, showing me the page. ”I have dinner reservations at the White Rose and tickets to a show at the Overture Center. We can go to the zoo, the botanical gardens, the farmer's market, and I booked our favorite cabin in Door County for the last night. We'll do all the things we did during our first year together.”
For a second, I can't even speak. The idea of having my wife all to myself for several days, reliving those months when I was falling for her so hard, so fast...
Liv smiles. ”Okay?”
”Yeah.” I clear my throat. ”More than okay.”
”Since the festival is in the summer, I planned it for Memorial Day weekend,” Liv says. ”Sheryl said she would cover my Friday s.h.i.+ft, so we can leave early in the morning and be in Madison by noon, which means we'll have all afternoon and evening.”
My heart begins a slow, heavy descent to the pit of my stomach.
”Memorial Day weekend?” I repeat.
”Yes, since we'll both have Monday off, that gives us a whole extra day.”
Now I can't speak for a different reason. Liv looks up, faint confusion furrowing her brow.