He was there. On my front door holding lavish flowers smiling awkwardly as Rae let him in, she nudged my shoulder hurriedly getting a vase. It was moments like this where I wished he wouldn't let my heart skip a beat, I wished he would just calm this erratic rhythm pounding in my chest.
"Dress up for me." he smiled, the one that could make anyone drop just to appreciate it. Giving him a questioning look as Rachel shook her head furiously at him.
"Uh, no. She will not." Eli looked at her a bit taken back on the unexpected answer. "Besides, where are you taking her?" he walked closer to Rae whispering something in her ear causing the gleam in her eyes to grow brighter, gesturing for me to change into something.
"You better not do something funny Elliot I swear, I will hunt you down." the two of them casually insulting each other and telling stories of their day, the soft sirens and bright light outside cater my mind drifting from the sounds on the other side of the door.
There were many pictures on the wall, in frames across a cabinet and a few lamp tables. Running my fingers along the edge of the wood, eyeing each picture fixated on familiar green eyes and freckled cheeks. A breath hitching my throat staring at the photo picking up the frame, as arms wrapped around my waist the familiar warmth of his chest as I leaned back letting him rest his chin on my shoulder.
"That's such an old picture Lilian." placing a hand on his arm as I shake my head at him.
"It's a nice picture, look at how cute you are." he scoffed taking the picture away from my hand and twirling me around to meet his eyes, hand caressing my cheek as I lean to his touch.
"You didn't tell me about this whole party." he heaved a sigh rolling his eyes as well, hands coming to intertwine with mine playing with my fingers as he gazed into my eyes.
"Old man's going to get married again, even I don't want to be here."
"Well, I think it's nice of you to come." letting go of his hand fixing his shirt as his hands find my hips, a smile etching on his face. Lacing his fingers with mine as he gave a tour of their family house, greeting a few guests as we pass by.
"Elliot, so nice of you to come." Eli went in for a brief hug circling an arm around my waist, looking up at him curiously.
"It's grander that I thought," he muttered. "I'd like you to meet Lilian, she's simply amazing. Lilian, this is my dad Thomas Harper."
"It's so nice to finally meet you, just Tom is fine." shaking his hands was like shaking a bear's paw, it was big, warm, and tight smile reaching up to his eyes earning a shine as the lights hit them.
"It's a pleasure Tom."
"I've heard much about you from Ezra," my eyebrows scrunched as I choked out a laugh.
"I'm flattered about that, he's one of our best authors at the moment." Eli tugging at my hip as we walked along with his dad, reaching the courtyard where a ton of people were roaming and chatting away. Standing in front of this beautiful lady in an elegant white jumpsuit, my eyes fixate on her eyes they were happy, I felt my own lips curving into a smile as we glanced at each other.
"You must be Lilian, I'm Ezra's mom Stella, you're very pretty." she looked at Eli who was smiling. "She's very pretty Elliot, I can't believe it." she pulled me into a hug an embrace that I can tell was full of glee and so welcoming.
"I could say the same you look amazing," she shook her head as Tom placed a kiss on her temple, turning around looking for Eli he wasn't there. Stella and Tom walked me around the courtyard telling tales of when Eli was young, when they met and how they ended up here.
"You were the surrogate for Eli?" Stella nodded her head handing me a glass of champagne.
"His mom was gorgeous, but she couldn't take the risk of being pregnant," she sighed the gleam in her eyes fading a bit as she looked down on the grass. "She was my best friend, we practically grew up together and she had a high chance of having cervical cancer and when we knew it she was married then, it was just too late." stepping closer wrapping my arm on her waist as she rested her shoulder against mine.
"She couldn't take the risk and asked me for that favor, at first I didn't want to because I wanted her to have a family of her own. I wanted her to be happy, she was." the wind gentle caressing my cheeks as it passed I rubbed her shoulders as she gave me a hug.
"I'm pretty sure she's happy now where she is Stella, and I think that you'll be happy too." she stifled a laugh as Tom came back with Eli and Ezra, Eli wrapping an arm around my waist placing a kiss on my nose.
"Where were you?" I asked.
"Talking, with dad and an ass." giggling at his words and hitting his chest lightly, the night wind brushing against the tree branches letting them sway as if dancing. Resting my head against his chest as we rocked from side to side, letting the jazzy music engulf the silence the bright fairy lights dimly lighten the courtyard.
"Eli?" he hummed in response placing a kiss on top of my head.
"There was so much I wanted to say," I sighed gripping on his shirt. "but my mind gets all fuzzy so I forget the words." smiling at him as I pull away, he leaned in placing a kiss at the edge of my lips. My eyes widen as he pulled away.
"Other than your lack of words Lilian, the only thing more incredible than your smile," Eli inched closer lips hovering over mine, foreheads touching each other. "is when you smile at me. Believe me I love your smile." letting out a giggle as the silence begin to envelope the surroundings, as my arms wrap around his neck eyes fluttering open to meet his green ones.
"Hey, Eli?" he hummed.
"I think I-I love you."