I laughed. That didn’t go with the majesty of the dress, but oh, well. I felt like me, once again.
“I will see you later, Simone. Thank you for helping Penelope to prepare. You have outdone yourself in choosing this gown. It is perfect for my darling one. It brings out her well-deserved splendor.”
I bubbled a laugh at Timothy’s remark, sighed because I was really glad about him coming to get me, so I didn’t have to go to the gallery opening by myself, and inserted my hand in his. His smile grew broader, and he kissed my cheek. Simone must have stepped out as the kiss moved to my lips, and we greeted each other properly.
Andrew was downstairs, ready to chauffeur us. The limo sparkled in the night lights of the apartment. Several people on the sidewalk stopped and gawked. Limos weren’t seen that often. This wasn’t Hollywood.
After my grand slam of Timothy praise at the apartment, the big event was almost inconsequential. When I’d seen the praise in Timothy’s eyes and heard the words that flowed out of him like a gushing oil well . . . (Okay, not a good descriptive, since oil is icky, black, and stinky, but, he certainly had gushed, and the flow of his words had been rich with the wonder of his sight of me in this unbelievable dress.)
And then in the car, (yes, the limo,) he’d added to that praise. “I would enfold you in an embrace and kiss you until you were faint with delight, but I dare not mess with your hair or that stunning dress. But afterwards, I promise you . . .?”
Oh, my. Another breathless moment when I needed an old time hand fan to take away the heat of my embarrassment. Well, not exactly embarrassment, I had to admit, but unrequited lust? (Jane Austin would never forgive such an outburst even if unexpressed.)
Timothy groaned and fidgeted in the seat beside me. Was that a case of nerves? I wanted to assure him that everything would be fine, but when I took his hand in mine and tried to soothe away his anxiety, he only smiled at me.
“I was not thinking about the event to come, my darling, but of what comes after. I adore you, my sweetness,” he said, and he lifted up my hand and kissed it.