Chapter 36

"Hey princess. Missed me yet?"

"I literally just met you two days ago. But yeah I did."

Aiyana said laughing in an overdramatic way.

"Good because I am parked in front of your house just waiting to meet you."

"You know what Chris?"

"Yes, princess?"

"Come on in. My mother's back in town and I know she'd like to meet you."

Chris was taken aback for a minute, he did not expect her to invite him to meet his mother.

He knew Aiyana was very close to her mother and that meant he might just mean something more to her. He was not sure why but that made him happy. It meant she was at least considering him.

"Alright baby girl. I'll be inside in a minute."

Chris was taken aback by his beautiful she was the minute she opened the door. He wondered when he would get used to it.

He stepped closer to her, cupped her face with his palm and whispered against her lips,

"You are going to be the death of me, mi amour. I fear each time I am near you, to kiss you, scared that I will wake up to find that this was just a dream. For something as beautiful as you could only exist in my dreams. Or heaven. God, must be jealous of me in the moment because I get to touch your skin. Feel the pulse of your heart under my fingertips. And kiss you right now, like this"

"Mom!" Aiyana called as she made her way into the kitchen.

Despite everything every time her mother was home she would still always cook Aiyana meals. No one else cooked for Aiyana when her mother was home.

Her mother was most of the year that's why Aiyana hated it when she was away. Because she didn’t like anyone else to cook for her.

To some extent Aiyana still held that childlike belief that her mother was the best cook on this earth and that her love was what made the taste magical.

"Chris is here. And I would like you to meet him."

Tracy wiped her hands with a towel and turned to face the couple. Her daughter looked different right now. Her face glowed, her eyes sparkled and her cheeks were slightly flushed. Tracy could tell this man meant a lot to Aiyana. Even if she was unwilling to accept it just yet.

They did not have the we are in love glow but Tracy could see that it was inevitable. They would wear that look soon.

Tracy agreed that Chris was a handsome man. He had light golden hair and beautiful chocolate eyes. He was taller than Aiyana and well dressed.

His face looked familiar but she could not place where she had seen it.

Chris had extended his hand to Tracy before saying, "hello ma'am I am Chris Howard."

"I knew I recognized your face. You're the man who owns the fort chain."

Tracy placed her hand in Chris' extended one. He raised it and kissed it before replying, "yes ma'am that's me."

"I quite liked your island restaurant. Too bad you rarely offer the villa there for a stay. I understand that you privately own it. When I visited the island cave restaurant with my husband and we walked around and I saw the villa I had so wished to stay there one day."

"The thing about it is ma'am. When I rent that villa I have to close the entire restaurant for the privacy of my guests. And that restaurant itself takes bookings three months in advance so juggling that much is a hassle."

"So what's it like to spend time in that villa?"

"I wouldn't know ma'am. I bought under the assumption I would someday take my wife there. It will be a gift to my bride. I neither want to experience its beauty with who would not be making a permanent impact in my life nor do I want to do so alone. That place in my mind is the epitome of love, romance and raw sensuality. I imagine I'll take my wife there. Close off the island. No servants, chefs flying in twice a day to serve us meals and just the two of us free. I know it sounds corny for a 27 year old but that's what I want. To visit that place with the ultimate happiness in my life."

"That sounds awfully romantic. I hope you feel that way for a very long time. Take it from a woman, you'll only be happy if your woman loves you and is happy with you exactly the way you are. Give her your time, your attention and your affection. Remember the little things. It’s easy when it's all new but eventually you forget. You forget to tell her that she's beautiful. You forget to kiss her goodbye. You forget to spontaneously play a sing and sweep her in your arms. Or just watch her. Being happily married doesn't always mean grand gestures, sometimes it's just the way you see her. Want to watch a movie with or simply talk to her all night long. Or just kissing her goodbye before you leave. It makes all the difference."

Chris turned to Aiyana and for just one moment Tracy saw in them herself and Viktor.

He was a different man. A man who loved her.

And for that one moment Chris watched her the same way, leaning down to kiss her forehead as he whispered in Aiyana’s ear, "I'll remember that my princess."