afoot, because the kids jumped off the school bus just before three, and while Jack disappeared inside to flick on the TV, Eliza could barely contain her excitement.
“You don’t need anything, right, Mom?”
“Apparently not.”
“But you don’t know where you’re going?”
“No, but I have a feeling that you do.” Callie leaned forward conspiratorially. “Can you tell me? Pinky swear I won’t tell anyone.”
“Mom!” Eliza said in disgust. “I’m too old to pinky swear.”
“Cross my heart and hope to die?”
“No! I’m not allowed to tell you. You’re gonna be happy, though.” And she skipped up the stairs to phone her friend.
At three p.m. precisely a limo cruised down the driveway, crunching the gravel as it pulled to a gracious halt outside the door of their antique farmhouse.
The door opened and out jumped their babysitter with a huge grin on her face.
“Jenn? Is there any reason why you’re turning up at our house in a huge limo?” Callie asked, trying not to laugh. Oh the lengths Reece has gone to.
“Isn’t it awesome? It picked me up and I made sure all the kids on the street saw me! Now it’s your turn. I’m going to look after the kids and you have a great time. There’s champagne in there and everything!”
“I hope you didn’t drink any?” Callie teased her. “You may be in college but you’re still underage.”
“No! Of course not!”
With a hug for Jack and Eliza, and a wave for Jenn, Callie climbed in the car.
And it was only when the car finally pulled out of the driveway that Jenn took out her mobile phone and hit redial.
“It’s Jenn, the babysitter,” she said. “She just left. Coast is all clear.”
The limo dropped Callie off at a luxury hotel and spa, one she had been longing to see, and she was led to a light, bright suite, where there were more flowers and a box of her favorite chocolates.
Hanging in the wardrobe was a dress she had bought last year but never actually worn, because she’d caught the flu and they hadn’t gone to the party. She was still waiting for an occasion to wear the dress, but nobody seemed to have parties anymore and it had been hanging, miserably, in her wardrobe ever since.
Her strappy sandals were there, and her makeup bag. Even her hairdryer and brushes. Bless her husband. He had truly thought of everything.
First a facial, and then the most blissful massage she has ever had.
She wraps herself up in her robe and staggers back to the bedroom, fumbling with the key card until the door opens and Reece is standing there, a huge grin on his face.
“Baby!” Callie squeals, flinging her arms around him.
“Happy birthday, baby!” He squeezes her, nuzzling her neck, then draws back to drop a small box in her hands.
Callie grins. “I love surprises. But it’d better be jewelry.”
“I know, I know,” Reece mutters. “All girls should get jewelry on their birthdays.”
Like a little girl, Callie rips off the paper and opens the box, gasping when she sees the earrings. Huge delicate gold hoops, speckled with tiny sparkling diamonds.
“You spoke to Lila!” she says, her eyes wide with delight.
“Of course! You think I wouldn’t seek expert advice?”
She and Lila had been shopping in the city when they passed a jewelry store.
“Let’s just go in and have a look,” Lila said. “Maybe I can try on engagement rings.”
“Engagement rings? Really?” Callie’s face lit up. “Is there something you need to tell me?”
“Not yet,” Lila said happily. “But I’m pretty sure this is it.”
Once in the shop, while Lila was happily lining up enormous diamonds on the third finger on her left hand, Callie stopped short when she saw these earrings; she had fallen in love.
“Maybe Reece would get them for you for your birthday?” Lila barely looked up from the enormous pear sparkling away.
“He’d never spend this sort of money,” Callie grumbled, reluctantly handing them
“You don’t need anything, right, Mom?”
“Apparently not.”
“But you don’t know where you’re going?”
“No, but I have a feeling that you do.” Callie leaned forward conspiratorially. “Can you tell me? Pinky swear I won’t tell anyone.”
“Mom!” Eliza said in disgust. “I’m too old to pinky swear.”
“Cross my heart and hope to die?”
“No! I’m not allowed to tell you. You’re gonna be happy, though.” And she skipped up the stairs to phone her friend.
At three p.m. precisely a limo cruised down the driveway, crunching the gravel as it pulled to a gracious halt outside the door of their antique farmhouse.
The door opened and out jumped their babysitter with a huge grin on her face.
“Jenn? Is there any reason why you’re turning up at our house in a huge limo?” Callie asked, trying not to laugh. Oh the lengths Reece has gone to.
“Isn’t it awesome? It picked me up and I made sure all the kids on the street saw me! Now it’s your turn. I’m going to look after the kids and you have a great time. There’s champagne in there and everything!”
“I hope you didn’t drink any?” Callie teased her. “You may be in college but you’re still underage.”
“No! Of course not!”
With a hug for Jack and Eliza, and a wave for Jenn, Callie climbed in the car.
And it was only when the car finally pulled out of the driveway that Jenn took out her mobile phone and hit redial.
“It’s Jenn, the babysitter,” she said. “She just left. Coast is all clear.”
The limo dropped Callie off at a luxury hotel and spa, one she had been longing to see, and she was led to a light, bright suite, where there were more flowers and a box of her favorite chocolates.
Hanging in the wardrobe was a dress she had bought last year but never actually worn, because she’d caught the flu and they hadn’t gone to the party. She was still waiting for an occasion to wear the dress, but nobody seemed to have parties anymore and it had been hanging, miserably, in her wardrobe ever since.
Her strappy sandals were there, and her makeup bag. Even her hairdryer and brushes. Bless her husband. He had truly thought of everything.
First a facial, and then the most blissful massage she has ever had.
She wraps herself up in her robe and staggers back to the bedroom, fumbling with the key card until the door opens and Reece is standing there, a huge grin on his face.
“Baby!” Callie squeals, flinging her arms around him.
“Happy birthday, baby!” He squeezes her, nuzzling her neck, then draws back to drop a small box in her hands.
Callie grins. “I love surprises. But it’d better be jewelry.”
“I know, I know,” Reece mutters. “All girls should get jewelry on their birthdays.”
Like a little girl, Callie rips off the paper and opens the box, gasping when she sees the earrings. Huge delicate gold hoops, speckled with tiny sparkling diamonds.
“You spoke to Lila!” she says, her eyes wide with delight.
“Of course! You think I wouldn’t seek expert advice?”
She and Lila had been shopping in the city when they passed a jewelry store.
“Let’s just go in and have a look,” Lila said. “Maybe I can try on engagement rings.”
“Engagement rings? Really?” Callie’s face lit up. “Is there something you need to tell me?”
“Not yet,” Lila said happily. “But I’m pretty sure this is it.”
Once in the shop, while Lila was happily lining up enormous diamonds on the third finger on her left hand, Callie stopped short when she saw these earrings; she had fallen in love.
“Maybe Reece would get them for you for your birthday?” Lila barely looked up from the enormous pear sparkling away.
“He’d never spend this sort of money,” Callie grumbled, reluctantly handing them
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