The Fairbourne Family

I should've known the night was going to feel like something straight out of a romance novel the second Valentina showed up at our door.

She'd been gone all afternoon because like she insisted that earlier, we need to have an actual date night. Like we used to.

Her come pick me up and the initial spark of seeing her at the door. Something only Valentina could come up with.

Only my Valentina.

She was breathtaking, like always, but tonight? She was on another level.

She wore a black dress that hugged her perfectly, the slit at the side showing off just enough leg to leave me speechless. Her dark curls were pinned back in a way that felt both elegant and effortless, and when she smiled at me, all I could do was stand there like an idiot, gripping onto the door handle like it was a lifeline.

"Hi baby," she smiled at me but I was still speechless. "Are you just going to stare, or are you coming?" she teased, holding out her hand.

I rolled my eyes, trying to act cool even though my cheeks were already burning. "You're insufferable, you know that?"

"And yet, here you are." She smirked. "It's why you married me."

Touché.

The girls quickly came to say goodbye and we gave them goodnight kisses. Colton told us to have a good night and he's got the girls so we could take as long as we needed.

On the drive to the restaurant, I wasn't exactly sure where we were going since Val had planned this whole night but like always, her hand found mine over the console so our fingers stayed intertwined as we talked and shared soft kisses at every red light.

Once we got to the place, I was in awe. The restaurant she took me to was like something out of a dream.

Crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead, and every table was decorated with fresh flowers and candles. The waiters floated around like they weren't real people, and the whole place smelled like roses and expensive wine.

I probably should've been intimidated, but with my wife next to me, I wasn't. She made everything feel less daunting, like the place wasn't as scary as it sometimes seemed.

We got seated and after a moment a waiter came over to serve us. "Bienvenu to Le Papillon Doré, I'm Sara and I'll be your waitress for the night. Is there anything I can get you for tonight?" She asked us in a soft voice.

"Two glasses of white wine please," Val said.

"Of course and I'll give you a few moments to look over to order." She smiled and walked away.

"This place is a dream Val, it's reminding me of paris." I said to my wife.

She intertwined our fingers over the console and smiled. "I know my love, it's why I brought us here. We deserve to reminisce a little—especially during the holiday."

I blushed at her words for a moment into the waitress came back out. We ordered our food and it didn't take us long to come out.

Nor was it long before Val and I were giggling like school girls again as was talked over the very expensive food we had.

Dinner passed in a blur.

Valentina always had this way of making me laugh, of saying the exact thing I needed to hear to relax.

When dessert came, our chocolate lava cake—some ridiculous chocolate creation that melted in your mouth—I thought the night couldn't get any better. I was wrong.

The string quartet in the corner started playing this slow, romantic song, and before I could even think about what was happening, Valentina was standing up and holding out her hand.

"Come dance with me, darling." she said, her eyes sparkling in that way that always made my heart skip.

I stared at her. "Here? Are you serious?"

No one else was dancing so if we were to go, it'd just be us up there.

She raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a smirk. "Since when have I not been serious about you?"

I rolled my eyes, but my hand was already in hers. How did she always do this to me? Not that I was complaining though.

Valentina led me to a small open space near the quartet. I could feel people watching, but she didn't seem to care. She pulled me close, her hands resting lightly on my waist, and suddenly, it didn't matter that everyone was looking.

"You know," I said, trying to keep my voice steady as we started to sway, "This is insane. Normal people don't just slow dance in the middle of restaurants."

"Good thing we're not normal," she whispered back, her breath warm against my ear.

I hated how easily she made me melt.

The music wrapped around us, soft and intimate, and for a moment, it felt like we were the only two people in the world. Valentina's touch was steady and sure, her movements smooth, like she'd done this a million times before. I, on the other hand, was a mess.

No matter how many times I seemed to dance with my wife, she was always better than me and well, I was always horrible at it.

But she always made me feel like I was the best dancer in the room.

"Relax," she murmured, her lips curving into a small smile. "I've got you, darling."

I looked up at her, and for this specific moment, I tried my hardest not to get lost in her soft emerald eyes.

The way she was looking at me, like I was something precious, something worth holding on to—it knocked all the air out of my lungs.

"You're so annoying," I whispered, but it came out softer than I intended.

She chuckled, her fingers brushing against my back. "And you love it. It's why we're married my love."

I didn't respond, but the way my chest felt like it was about to burst said enough.

When the song ended, Valentina didn't let go right away. She just stood there, her hands still on me, her green eyes holding my brown ones.

"I love you, Collette," she said, her voice quiet, like it was a secret meant just for me.

And just like that, I was gone.

"I love you too, Valentina." I said and she pressed a kiss to my lips.

We eventually made our way back to the table, my face still warm and my heart still racing. Valentina pulled out my chair for me like always.

"Thank you," I said softly, glancing at her as I sat down.

"For what?" she asked, leaning back in her seat, looking way too smug for her own good.

"For...tonight, every night we get to spend together and every day that goes by that I get to love you and hold you and call you mine. Thank you for that," I admitted, even though it made me feel vulnerable.

Her smile softened, and for a second, she wasn't the confident, teasing Valentina I was used to. She was just a girl looking at me like I was her entire world.

"For you?" she said, her voice low and serious. "Always."