She put the finishing touches on the tree and turned on the lights. "It looks beautiful," Andy said, watching the lights reflecting in her eyes. Christmas was just a week away, their first without their parents, but their first with Eamon. "You did a great job decorating it, love."
Danae adjusted a few ornaments and fussed with the light strands, trying to get everything perfect. "There's a lot of decorating left to do, and my heart isn't in it this year. But, we have two little ones waiting for Santa to come. They are who this holiday is for anyway." He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You don't have to do the outside lights, though. It's a lot of work, and it's been bitterly cold outside."
"Are you sure?" He kissed her neck. "I don't mind."
"Yes, I'm sure. I have things to do inside. You can help me with that. Plus, I want to get a sitter so we can go shopping together. Time is growing short."
"Why don't we do that tonight? I could call ahead and get a table at The Tower, and we could go shopping afterward," Andy suggested.
"I know you love that place, but I'd rather go to the place Mama and Daddy loved. It's casual, it's comfortable. No snooty waiters, no celebrities."
"That would be okay, too. As long as we're together, it doesn't matter where we go."
Danae dialed the sitter and arranged for her to come within the hour. "I need to pump, so the baby will have dinner," she chucked. "He will be a disappointed little man if Mama doesn't leave milk for him."
"I'll go shower. Do we need reservations at this place, Nae?"
"I don't think so, but it probably wouldn't hurt."
"I'll call after I'm done upstairs." Andy padded upstairs and blew her a kiss.
Danae was able to fill a bottle for Eamon, and she was happy with her output. The sitter showed up early, and she took notes on where things wereโtheir cell phone numbers and the kids' routine. "My husband will be down shortly, the kids are in the nursery. I need to go shower, and we'll be ready to leave after that."
"No problem, Mrs. Murphy." The girl, named Leslie, was the daughter of Andy's co-worker.
Andy walked down the stairs wearing a business casual outfit. His collar-length, pin-straight, silky jet black hair shone in the dim lights of the Christmas tree. Tall, dark, and handsome with a large, muscular build, Andy filled out his tailored pants and shirt nicely.
"You're wearing the musk I gave you," Danae noticed. "It smells amazing." She stared into his caramel brown eyes and pushed a length of hair behind his ear. How she loved it like that.
"All for you, my darling."
"I'll be down soon, love." Danae showered and dried her long, brown hair, putting it up in her favorite updo, and dressed in a warm sweater with jeans. As she walked down the steps, Andy's eyes were drawn to her.
"Wow, my darling. You look amazing."
Danae blushed. "You need glasses, sir." Her blue jeans fit her like a glove and accentuated her shapely figure. Her youthful, nearly perfect breasts swelled within her chunky-knit peach sweater. With eyes the color of cut amethysts, ruby red lips, and cute-as-a-button freckles, she was every man's definition of a knockout, but her heart belonged solely to Anduin Murphy.
"Let's go." He held his arm out for her. "Thanks again, Leslie, for watching our children. We shouldn't be out late."
They drove to the off-strip restaurant, and valet parked the car. In Starlight Shores, most restaurants, save for the smallest in town, offered valet parking, a service which the Murphy's frequently used. Andy took the ticket, and he led Danae inside. "Murphy," Andy told the host.
"Ah yes, Mr. Murphy! A pleasure to see you, sir!" He took two menus and led them back to a secluded room with only three tables in it. There was no one else in the room but them. Immediately after they were seated, a waiter appeared to greet them.
"May I get you something from the bar? Wine? Spirits?"
"How about some wine? Dry for me, please, and semi-sweet for my lovely wife." Andy requested.
"Certainly, Mr. Murphy!" The waiter recognized the celebrity couple immediately. Andy was the team manager to the city's champion soccer team. Danae was a celebrity in her own right, the daughter of late soccer legend, Travis Jones.
"So, my darling, what is good here?" He perused the menu, impressed with the selection.
"Mama always used to get the scampi, but I've heard the filet mignon is their specialty. Daddy loved it."
"Hmm," Andy thought. "What looks good to
you,
honey?"
"Well, I'm always partial to lobster, but anything looks good. Be creative." She winked at him. "You're good at choosing for me."
"How about liver and onions?" he suggested playfully and laughed when she made a face. "Okay, not the liver." His eyes widened as he spotted the perfect entree, and he knew immediately what he would order for her.
"I know that look," she said slyly. "You found something good."
"Oh, I did, love. We'll share like we usually do. Don't worry, I know what you like."
"I'm not worried in the least."
He took her hand and kissed it. "You look so beautiful tonight, my darling. Your freckles are just too cute."
She shook her head. "Not my best feature, but okay."
"I beg to differ," he countered. "I love your freckles. I know where you got them from. Frances, I don't know how many greats she was... she had freckles."
"How do you know that?" Danae was amazed. "Babe, not many pictures of Grandma Frances survived."
"I have my ways. Besides, don't you have red hair in your ancestry? Wasn't Nana Destiny a redhead? And your uncle Chris? Your Nana Bella? Naturally, freckles would be in your family."
"I love that you know my family better than I do." She blushed fiercely.