62- Surprises.
After the dance, he scooped her up in his arms and started walking towards the residential block. “Hey, Hunter! Put me down.”
She looked around in embarrassment. People were still celebrating, moreover, she wanted to say hi to Molly and Geena before leaving. And yes Granma and Pa too.
“Let me bid them farewell properly. As a host, I should do it. And all this mess in our lawns. Who would take care of it.”
Her ‘our lawns’ made him smile.
“Don’t worry, honey. They all are grownups. They would survive without their hosts. Leave everything to house help. They would look after it.” He kept walking taking long strides. “You just relax.”
Abigail did. She nuzzled her nose in his chest, entangling her arms around his neck. Her eyes were closed.
Now he was taking stairs, he stopped before a door on the first floor and opened it with great ease, with Abi still in his arms.
Abi was mesmerized. This was the master bedroom with a California King bed in the center. It was a modern contemporary four-piece platform bedroom set. Which was sophisticated and versatile. It had a platform bed, a lighting module. There was also a walk- on platform stand with four LED lights. Its drawers had metal side rails. And the headboard was ultra-wide.
My My!
As a furniture expert, she knew the material used in it. Poplar wood, MDF, Lacquer, and High gloss
“Hunter! Can you please pinch me?” she did not realize that Hunter, instead of putting her down was enjoying every expression crossing her face.
There was a study table in the corner with two chairs and a side lamp. The room also had a sofa set matching with the bedroom set. “God demit! F**k!”
Hunter started laughing.
“No way! It’s a dream! Right? Hunter, I said… pinch me!”
Hunter nuzzled her neck with his nose and bit her lightly. “Ouch.” She frowned at him then realizing he was still holding her, she asked him to put her down.
She walked around with excitement. The door which could be the bathroom when was opened happened to be a walk -in closet. And it was too big.
Even bigger than her apartment. There were two attached, modern bathrooms. fully equipped with God knows how many switches. She went to him excitedly and hugged him tightly.
“Like it?” he grinned
“Like? I am falling in love with it.” She kept walking around, “Hunter, can we have a look at the rest of the house please?”
“No sugar. Not now.’
“Oh? Tomorrow then? Because I won’t be able to sleep with excitement.” “Not tomorrow. After around…” He thought for a minute, “ten days!”
She spun around as he had gone crazy. “What? But why?”
He was taking off his tie and sat on the bed to take off his shoes. “Abigail, go and change first. You need to relax a bit.”
“What do you mean relax a bit? Do I have to relax for ten fu*king days to look around the house? Seriously?”
Suppressing a smile, he came near her, bringing his mouth close to her ear he whispered, “You need to relax because we have a flight to catch early morning.” That got her attention.
“Flight? B.. but… Are we going somewhere, Hunter?”
He nodded his head quietly.
“Where are we going?”
“St Lucia. For our honeymoon. And that is surprise number three!” She was standing there like a statue. Her eyes wide, her expression shocked, her mouth open.
“Abigail!” Hunter tried to shake her a little by holding her shoulders. But she stayed like that. Then very slowly her face broke into the sweetest smile and she lunged at Hunter hugging him tightly and jumping at the same time with excitement.
“Thank you… thank you… thank you, Hunter. You are the best! Really, you are the best! I love you so much. Hunter Levisay! …”
Hunter’s body froze for just a moment, for just a little while but he recovered. Abigail did not mean it literally, he knew that.
After what felt like an eternity, she released him. “I always wanted to… I don’t know how to tell you this. But… I just can’t believe it. It was one on my bucket list…”
Hunter interrupted her. “I know Abigail!”
“Oh, I had been seeing these tempting pictures of St Lucia on the internet and… What? You know about my bucket list? … b… but how?”
His eyes were twinkling.
“Molly? She told you THAT?”
“No, silly. You told me. When you spent the first night at my penthouse.”
“I told you about my favorite places?” She did not remember much of that night except that she shared her past with him.
“Don’t worry. Your every secret is safe with me.” He said while putting his palm, solemnly on his heart, “Now go and change. We need to leave early morning, sweetheart.”
“But what about our packing?” Now she was freaking out. “That is taken care of.” He said while going towards the bathroom, “Now let me go. I need a shower.”
“I still don’t understand. This all is so sudden. There are so many things to do. Moreover, I need to look presentable. Hunter do you think the person packing our suitcases would manage it easily? Or can we postpone our flight?” she was becoming nervous.
“Abi, you ask too many questions. Now go. Shoo away”
That night while in bed she could not sleep but kept talking about her bucket list. Her head was on his arm.
“There are so many things, I wanted to do as a child but my father was very protective about me. After him, my mom took care of me like her own. Even Chloe used to be so caring. I don’t know what went wrong, Hunter.”
Hunter was rubbing his knuckles on her jaw. Abigail realized that he was a very good listener too.
“You are unusually quiet. Is something bothering you?”
“No. Why would you say that? Right now I want you to do all the talking.” He smiled tracing her nose with his forefinger.
“Hunter please be very patient with me. I have never been married in my life. So I don’t know what would be expected of me.” Hunter’s finger stopped midway on the bridge of her nose and then he started laughing.
“Oh, Abigail.” He was still laughing.
“What’s so funny.” She frowned and turned her back towards him and whispered “We should go to sleep, I think.” She did not know how to tell him that she wanted him. But now she guessed she should wait.
“Hey, sugar. This is not fair.” But she did not budge and kept staring at the wall. We have an early morning flight. And here I am eating his brain with my useless childhood stories, and my bucket list. What interest does it hold for him about my childhood or Chloe or… Oops.
She was not ready when two strong arms turned her back towards him. She immediately closed her eyes.
“Sugar, I know you are awake. Open your eyes.” He said in a hushed tone. Then clearing his throat he spoke again “You look cute when you are quiet and when your eyes are fluttering. Which is quite rare. Would love to kiss you passionately…”
Abigail’s eyes snapped open and she gave him a killing look. This time he did not make the mistake to laugh loudly but could not control his shoulders from shaking. Leaning his forehead on her shoulder, he was uncontrollably rippling with laughter.
When he raised his head she did not look mad but she rolled her eyes. Leaning forward again, without any warning he started kissing her passionately. Abigail’s eyes went wide with shock, she held his shoulders and started kissing him back.
Finally, when their kiss broke she said the first thing that came to her mind, ” You have gone nuts.”
“I know sweetheart. Please bear with me. It’s the first time I got married.”
Surprise number 1: Wedding Reception party in the lawns of their big house. Surprise number 2: The big castle was a wedding present for her by her husband, which she knew was supposed to be fake.
Surprise number 3: They were leaving for St Lucia for their honeymoon. Which was there on her bucket list since she was a teenager. Surprise number 4: This one gave her the real shock.
When they reached the airport, it was not even the crack of dawn. They were received by the high officials at the airport. Abigail had traveled by plane. That too in the economy and business class, both. But she never remembered anyone ushering them to the plane.
Maybe I am being too naïve because obviously, it’s Hunter Levisay. Maybe that’s the ritual followed for VIP business class customers.
She stayed quiet but nothing prepared her for the chartered plane which was there before her. She could see the bold letters written on the plane LEVISAY INTERNATIONAL.
“Is it your plane?” she asked him in a hushed tone. He shook his head.
“Then it belongs to any of your friends?” He again shook his head and kept walking holding her hand. When they were seated, a beautiful air hostess welcomed them with a warm professional smile. Hunter took off his jacket and handed it to her.
After the plane took off, they were given drinks. Hunter eyed her gorgeous face. She was looking around, drinking in the interior.
“Abigail. This plane is owned by Levisay International.” He handed her the glass and started pouring the drink into it. “And this is OUR plane, sweetheart! It belongs to both of us.”
