HOW TO BE SINGLE | SIDEMEN

THIRTY NINE

t h i r t y  n i n e
" surprise "
-

-

Adela needed to stop getting comfortable with Lewis. Every time she did, he surprised her again. With a hand on the small of her back, slipped beneath the warmth of her bomber jacket, he led her up countless stairs.

"Elevator's not working," He'd said with a grin.

A lying grin, but she played along willingly, kissing him on the cheek and beginning the long walk up the stairs.

She regretted not calling him on his lie by the end of the first flight.

But took it back when they reached the top and he led her out onto the rooftop where he'd set up a picnic for two.

Adela stopped short in the doorway. Lewis almost ran into the back of her, unable to contain the smile as she whirled around to face him in a flurry of glee. He couldn't even get a word out before she grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him to meet her mouth with an endlessly grateful kiss.

Short but sweet, she pulled back and took his hand.

"So," Lewis began, "you like the surprise then?"

Adela couldn't stop smiling as they walked over to the romantic picnic. No one had ever done anything like this for her before.

"Of course," She replied, adding a nod of her head, so vigorous it made him laugh as they sat down on the blanket. "When did you have time to do all this?" She asked, eyes flicking across the little set up.

"I didn't," He admit. "Alice helped me." Lewis peered into the basket and pulled out a bottle of white wine.

"It's only one o'clock," Adela protested as he poured her a glass and forced it into her hand.

"It's five o'clock somewhere," he said jokingly, "now, drink." 

They clinked their glasses together in a clink that vibrated through the thick air between them, full of wonder and awe. Like gazing up at the stars and revelling in their beauty. They toasted to the future, their future, and drank together. 

Lewis didn't know what he'd done to have this woman walk into his life and decide to stick around for a while, but he knew he never wanted her to leave. 

Of all the dates he'd been on, he'd never known a feeling like this, never known what it was like to genuinely see a future with someone. In fact, he didn't know what his future would even look like without her in it to bring him smiles, accompany him on errands without a complaint, and her to wake up to. 

"Stop it," Adela grumbled as she averted her gaze to the bubbling wine. 

"Stop what?" He asked, the grin slid onto his mouth.