2. Will The Surprises Never End?
I walked out of the bathroom and down the hallway to the bedroom where I found Seth staring out at the ocean from the massive bedroom windows. The moon had risen in the sky casting a faint blue glow on the room and on my amazingly handsome Seth. My breath caught in my chest as I stood there staring at him in his dark suit and dress shoes. He turned hearing my sudden intake of breath and I could see the warm smile spread across his face as his eyes moved up and down me taking in the full measure of my discomfort.
"Wow! You are stunning." He said as he slowly crossed over to me taking both of my hands in his and holding them out away from my sides for another peek. His eyes stopped at my cleavage and he gave me a crooked smile that was a cross between appreciation and knowing that I would be feeling awkward.
"Alice decided to make you step out of your comfort zone didn't she?" I shook my head slowly feeling the heat flood my cheeks. "I don't know why you're so self-conscious. You look amazing and sexy, but not at all inappropriate. I will definitely have the most beautiful woman in the room on my arm tonight."
"Where are we going?"
"Dinner and then," he grimaced slightly, "I'm sorry…since the director knew I was in town he wanted to have a quick meeting for drinks. I hate to do it on your birthday, but..."
I flushed at the knowledge that I was meeting the director tonight looking like this but I quickly pushed it aside, "Oh no honey, it's fine. He's the whole reason why we have this beautiful place to stay in. I don't mind at all." I interrupted, placing my hand on his cheek. He looked down as if he felt guilty but I tipped his eyes back up to me. "It's important, plus it will be nice to have a face to go with the name when you talk about him."
He smiled at me and leaned in being careful not to mess up my hair or makeup and kissed me tenderly. "I love you my Angel."
"I love you too."
He took my hand and led me down the stairs and out the front door to a waiting long back limousine. The driver jumped out to get the door but Seth told him not to worry about it and reached forward to open the door for me. I slid in and he got in after me and I marveled at the extravagance of the car.
"The director insisted that we go out in style. He's really a nice guy. I think you'll like him."
We rode together in relative silence other than to point out landmarks on our way to the restaurant. We slowly pulled in front of a very upscale restaurant called Spago. Seth whispered to me as I looked out the window at the beautiful people going in and out of this extremely upscale establishment, "This restaurant is owned by Wolfgang Puck. According to Joe, Hollywood's finest all dine here." I turned to look back at him with eyes as large as saucers. He's taking me to the place where the Hollywood elite spend their time and he believes I'm going to be the most beautiful girl in the room. The boy has lost his ever-loving mind…or I guess more to the truth he, as usual, is seeing me with imprint colored glasses.
About this time the chauffer reached the door and opened it for us. Seth stepped out and then reached back to offer me his hand. I stepped out into the beautifully comfortable air of the California night with a trembling step, worried that I will fall and embarrass myself in front of the waiting guests. He offered his arm, which I took nervously, and led me to the front desk where he very confidently informed them of our reservations. He was so amazing and self assured, I couldn't help but glow with pride at how easily he stepped into this world without the slightest air of insecurity. Being on his arm gave me a little more confidence and as I held his arm to enter the dining room my step was suddenly more confident as well.
We sat at a table for two out on the patio and looked at the menu choosing from the night's selection and then spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing together.
After dinner we returned to the limo and made our way across town to the Beverly Hills Hotel and made our way into the Polo Lounge to meet the movie director, Joe Scalia and his wife Willow. I was pleasantly surprised at his manners when Joe rose to shake Seth's hand and then reached for my own. His eyes appraised me for a moment as he introduced himself and then he smiled kindly and extended his hand for us to sit. Willow reached over and took my hand in a friendly gesture wishing me a happy birthday and asking what I thought of the condo and California. We spoke quietly for a while about our trip out and the amazing condo and the beautiful California weather as the boys discussed their business. She was a delightful and kind woman and so incredibly beautiful. She was dressed as formally as I in a long black gown that gathered in a cowl neckline. She was slender and blonde and the quintessential California beauty.
After no more than ten minutes of individualized conversation suddenly Joe spoke up from his side of the table addressing us ladies for the first time since our introductions. "So, Angelina, Seth here tells me that you're quite the talented actress."
"Excuse me?" I yelped flustered as the heat returned to my face in a vengeance.
He laughed lightly, "Well you do have the look, sweet demure girl next door is definitely in vogue again. You know Willow, I think we should get her to read for the part of Emily. That little diva Dawson backed out on us last week and we need to find a replacement."
"Oh, Mr. Scalia,"
"Please, call me Joe."
"Ok…Joe…I'm not really an actress at all. I did one high school musical six months ago." I cast a sideways glance at Seth, "He's just a wee bit blinded by love when it comes to me. I could never do anything professionally!"
He laughed lightly, "Sandy in Grease for your very first role is a pretty decent testament to your abilities, and I've seen the video, you're far better than you credit yourself for, but then again the best ones are always the least confident." He lazily stated reaching back and placing his hands behind his head.
I sat there in utter and total shock. I couldn't believe in a million years that an accomplished movie director would ever say anything like this to me. It was a thrill to be sure, but I knew what I had to offer, and it wasn't anything that would even come close to meeting Hollywood standards. I looked dazedly at Seth who was sitting there looking over at me proudly with an expression that said that he always thought that I could fulfill such a role. Then my gaze went to Willow who was appraising me stoically as though she were trying to envision me in the role. Thanks to Seth including me in all of his Non-disclosure agreements in order for me to help him with creative ideas, I was well acquainted with the story. Emily was a fairly major role in the movie, being the orphaned teen who wonders into the life of a couple with a troubled marriage and brings them together again as they try to help her and grow to love her and adopt her. Well, it wouldn't be a particularly hard role to play since she essentially was me minus the marriage healing part. For an instant daydreams of working as an actress in Hollywood, getting to have the joy of pretending to be someone else for a living flitted through my mind and sounded fun, but then I shook myself out of my reverie knowing that it would mean abandoning my family and never getting to see them again. Nothing in this world would be worth that.
I shook my head slowly, "I'm sorry Joe, but Hollywood isn't the place for me. It would be an amazing experience and I'm honored and to be honest, completely stunned that you even suggested it, but I have no desire to have an acting career. I want to go to college and raise a family and have a normal life. Thank you, but no thank you."
Willow smiled widely, obviously it was a rare thing that young ladies turned down such an auspicious opportunity and she was pleased by my unique response. "It's a shame because she is Emily personified," she said smiling, "but I praise you for being mature enough to not be tempted by the lures of this place. It may look glamorous on the outside, but it's not the place for a sweet and gentle girl like you."
I smiled and looked over to see her husband scowl slightly, obviously not happy to be turned down, which I guessed probably didn't happen often, and then looked down at the table a bit dejected before bringing the glass of scotch back to his mouth for a long sip. I then turned slowly to look at Seth afraid I had disappointed him too, but instead I was met with the warmest, widest, most glowing smile that I had seen on his face since the night that I agreed to marry him. He looked so…proud. I smiled back and squeezed his hand which had been holding mine the entire time we had been sitting here and he brought it up to his lips to kiss my engagement ring and then placed another one in the center of the back of my hand.
We sat and talked with Joe and Willow for another half an hour before Seth asked them to please excuse us, but he had one more birthday surprise for me and it was getting late. They both smiled widely again as they shook my hand as they bid me farewell and Seth led me back to the limo taking me into his arms for a passionate kiss as soon as the door was closed behind him.
"I love you so much. God, no words can describe how much I love you!"
I giggled lightly as I ran my fingers through his hair. "I love you too."
"You…you had them completely enchanted!" he let out a small chuckle. "You should have seen your face when he mentioned you reading for the role of Emily! I thought your eyes were going to pop completely out of your head! A part of me wanted you to go for it, to see you finally be recognized for your beauty and talent, and another part was afraid for you to."
I scoffed, "Like I ever would have actually gotten it anyway, please! But why would you be afraid? Afraid of what?"
He smiled at me softly pulling my hair down from it's high twist and running his fingers through it gently. "Afraid that you would become famous and rather have that life than one with me."
"Seth Harrison Clearwater! There is no such thing as a life without you! Don't you ever say such blasphemy again!" I was angry and at the same time sad, sad that he would believe that would ever be possible. I grabbed him and kissed him fiercely, desperate for him to feel that I would never, ever want a life without him. He kissed me back just as passionately, our embrace growing stronger, our hands roaming more freely. It was a bit of a thrill to make out in the back of a Limo and as he kissed along my collarbone I laughed out loud at the ironic cliché.
"Tickles?" He looked up hesitating as I giggled.
"No, just laughing at how cheesy this is…going at it in the back of a limo. It's fun though!" He shot a seductive smile at me as he moved down exploring the flesh that my dress left exposed for the rest of the trip. I wasn't sure where we were going and when the car stopped and we pulled away and tried to straighten ourselves up, I was surprised to see that we were back at the condo.
"I thought I had one more surprise tonight."
"You do…it's inside." He said as he helped me out of the car and then stood behind me kissing my shoulder. He led me with his hands on my waist up to the door and unlocked it with the key from his pocket and pushed open the door for me. I peeked inside the open door before I walked in to see, but I saw nothing but a dark room. He sighed and pushed me forward flipping on the lights as he went and led me to the bedroom. He told me to go ahead and get ready for bed and come back down to the living room when I was done.
I hurriedly washed my face and brushed my teeth and slipped into the silky pink camisole and matching shorts set that Alice had given me for my birthday and slowly tiptoed back downstairs to see what Seth was up to. I descended the stairs to find him laying across the couch with his head propped so he could watch the stairs smiling at me with a hint of hunger in his eyes. I crossed over to stand in front of him curious as to what he was up to. He reached up and tentatively rubbed the side of my leg that was covered with the silky shorts. "Soft" he whispered. I nodded.
Suddenly his smile widened and he sat up pulling me down onto his lap spinning me so that my feet were propped up on the couch where his head had just been and kissed me. "You ready for the last surprise of the night?" I shook my head with a small playful smile on my lips.
"I know you think the trip is your present and it is…partially, but I wanted to get you something else too." He said with a wide smile placing a long narrow velvet box on my legs and then wrapping his arms around my waist and placing a kiss on my shoulder. I reached over and gently opened the lid. Inside there was a rather large heart shaped locket embossed with golden flowers and tiny diamonds. I picked it up and looked closer to see that on the front the letters ACCC were engraved in beautiful script lettering. I looked up at Seth immediately knowing that it stood for Angelina Cecelia Cullen Clearwater.
He smiled gently his lips never leaving my shoulder. "Well go ahead, open it." I gently pushed my fingernail in the seam and pried open the delicate heart. In one side there was a picture of he and I taken by his mother on the day of our engagement. He had chosen my favorite of course of us cuddled up in front of the fire smiling adoringly into each other's eyes. On the other side there was an inscription as well.
You are my sun and my moon, my day and my night, one smile from you chases all of the shadows away. I'll love you forever and beyond. -Yours Always Seth
I turned to look my darling Seth in the eyes, tears brimming my eyelids and rolling over down my cheeks. I turned and took his face in my hands.
"You are the most wonderful, amazing man I have ever known and I love you so much! I wish I didn't have to wait a whole year before I can marry you and be with you. You don't even know how badly I want to show you how very much I love you!"
"Well if it's anything like how badly I want to show you then I have a pretty good idea!" He laughed as he took the locket from my hands and gently slid it around my neck fastening it in the back as I held my hair up. He gently kissed the back of my neck where the clasp lay sending shivers through my body. I turned around again and kissed his lips, deliriously happy and desperate to show him how happy he made me. I stood up and took his hand and slowly led him up the stairs to our waiting bedroom, closing the door behind me.
