Lorelei Wentworth 🍦 Alice Longbottom (harmonize) wrote in dunhavenic, @ 2019-04-29 10:44:00 |
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Entry tags: | !log, * jeanne, * terri, c: foster wentworth, c: lorelei wentworth |
WHO: Lorelei Waters & Foster Wentworth
WHEN: Sunday, April 28, 2019
WHERE: Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens - Richmond, VA
SUMMARY: Foster has found a wedding venue!
WARNINGS: Kissing & flirting. The usual.
SPRINGO: Prompt: The Past, Prompt: The Future
The calendar had really worked out in Lorelei's favor this year, because her anniversary with Foster also landed on her last free Sunday before summertime. (Well, Sunday and Monday.) Which meant that she'd been able to convince (or maybe bribe) Foster into also taking that Monday off, giving them a full two days to celebrate together, uninterrupted. Next year, presumably, they'd be celebrating a wedding anniversary instead- April would continue to be marked by birthdays, and that would be more than sufficient. They'd gotten out of bed that morning perhaps a bit earlier than Lorelei might have expected, but any protestations were silenced when Foster brought his motorcycle's saddlebags inside- which indicated, if nothing else, that they had some sort of adventure ahead of them. She was accustomed to packing light when such things happened, and- as Foster told her it was just one overnight- she was able to do so in relatively short order. On the road shortly after, Lorelei didn't even pay much attention to where they were going. She had her arms wrapped around Foster's middle- even if it wasn't strictly necessary- and she could just sort of… zone out and enjoy the ride, as it were. Eventually, she did notice signs for Richmond, which indicated that they'd been heading south, but even once they exited the highway she still didn't really know what he had in store. They passed a large glass conservatory on their way to park, and once they'd stopped Lorelei removed her helmet and ran her fingers through her hair to help 'fix' her look. Glancing around, she could tell they were at some kind of garden complex, but she still looked back to Foster with a curious and hopeful smile. "Well, wherever we are, it's beautiful." -- Foster had thrown together the idea for this trip rather quickly, truth be told. The reservations had been easy enough to make after guaranteeing that this would be the spot. Foster hadn't been to the gardens in the last few years, but they were as beautiful as he remembered, even at the front entrance. What better way to spend their dating anniversary than to visit the place where they would become husband and wife? He ruffled his own hair, likely making it stick up a few different directions, and hung the helmet over one of the grips of the motorcycle. He slipped his protective sunglasses down his nose and then off, squinting a little as his eyes adjusted to the brighter view, "I really hope you continue to feel that way about it when you see the rest." His grin was crooked, cheeks dimpled, and he reached out his hand to her, "There's a walking path just through here. It's nice and shaded, and will lead us to where we're really going." -- She was admittedly distracted for just a moment when he ran his fingers through his hair, but then Foster had reached for her hand and Lorelei slipped her grip into his and fell into step beside him. "I can't imagine I won't," she offered, hopefully reassuringly. "If I've learned anything about you this last year, Foster, it's that you have astoundingly good taste." The pathway led them toward something called a Woodland Walk, and Foster had been right- the temperature around them cooled significantly once they were out of the sunlight. Lorelei slipped her own sunglasses up to rest on the top of her head, holding her hair back just slightly now. She had worn jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt for the ride, just for the sake of safety, regardless of the nearly-summertime weather. "You've been here before, then?" -- "I really do. I pick out amazing weekend vacation spots, and I chose a pretty perfect fiancĂ©e," Foster grinned over at her, squeezing her hand gently. They had both taught one another a lot over the last year. They had tried new experiences because of and with one another. He actually really enjoyed kayaking now that he felt he could do so with some confidence. Foster wore a light, vented jacket overtop of a t-shirt and jeans, but he didn't bother taking it off now. The walk wouldn't be that far and they would take it at a leisurely pace in the shade, "It's been a few years, but yeah. Back when I was first starting my business, I came here just to look around. They have beautiful blooms, and it didn't seem a bad way to do some research and spend an off afternoon. It really stuck with me, though, as someplace I could happily come back to." -- "Great coincidence, because my fiance is pretty damn perfect, too." Flattery, maybe, but she didn't care. This last year had been Lorelei's best one yet, and most of that had to do with the man right there at her side. If she had to guess, Lorelei would likely say that Foster had been to most every professional garden facility within 200 miles from Dunhaven. Not that she begrudged him that- it was always good to understand what else was out there in your field of expertise. She spent plenty of time looking up other shops and seeing what new trends were happening in the food business, whether with ice cream or otherwise. Still, she glanced over him again and gave another little smile. "So is this a reconnaissance mission, then?" she asked. "Are we scoping out competition or searching for inspiration?" Or maybe it was some combination of the two. -- He hadn’t been fishing for a return compliment, but he didn’t deny it either. He didn’t really think himself perfect, but he knew that they both had flaws and somehow complimented one another just right. When her question came, he gave a mock gasp, his free hand raising to clutch at his heart with no small amount of dramatic flare, “Lorelei. Would I spend our anniversary working?” He dropped his hand and resumed his normal walking pace a moment later. “It is reconnaissance of a sort, but there’s no competition and really isn’t work related.” They had made their way down the trail with decent efficiency, and when they emerged the trail in front of them was clear. The cobblestone path was lined by flowers that were tempted to bloom. It led directly to a large, beautiful gazebo. Foster pointed toward it, “That’s what we came here for. Want to go check it out?” -- "I mean, I'd hope not, but if you had to at least you brought me along for the ride?" She laughed at his playful dramatics, nudging a shoulder to his arm as they resumed walking. "You're being secretive, Wentworth. Don't think I don't know you're up to something." Which didn't mean he had to tell her, of course. It would all come out eventually. As they emerged from the wooded trail and back into another part of the gardens, Lorelei blinked against the sunlight but didn't move to put her sunglasses back on. It wasn't quite so bad on this side, anyway, since they didn't have to worry about the expanses of pavement. She saw the gazebo- and the (presumably) historic house beyond it- and Lorelei stepped forward again with a bit of a skip. "Of course I do," she assured him, though she paused to hold her hand back for him so they could walk (or skip) there together. -- “I know, I know, but it will be very worth it. I promise,” Foster squeezed her hand, though from her tone he could tell that she didn’t really mind. Besides that, it would all be out in the open in a few minutes anyway. He hoped that she would approve, at least. If not, at least the trip had been a fun one, but her gift would be somewhat lacking. When she gave a small, excited skip toward the gazebo, Foster grinned and took her hand again. He didn’t skip, but he wouldn’t prevent her from doing so as they strolled their way towards the gazebo. As they got closer, the ornate cut outs in the arches became clearer, and it was even more beautiful than he had remembered it being. Once there, standing right in the middle of the gazebo, he couldn’t resist tugging her closer at the waist and pressing a long kiss to her lips, “Ready to know what I’m up to?” He murmured the query against her lips, drawing out the moment, but he was counting on her curiosity getting the best of her...sooner or later. -- Even if he wouldn't skip with her, Lorelei still did, though she didn't pull him along quite so fast as her pace might have otherwise been. Standing under the gazebo, the white arches and lattice bringing them both into a dappled sort of sunlight, Lorelei gave a gasp of surprise when Foster pulled her closer and kissed her, soundly. Her hands moved to his chest and then to his shoulders even as she leaned up on her toes into him. Lorelei's eyes were still closed when she heard the question, though she kissed him again as soon as he'd spoken the words- then adding, "Is it not just making out in public? Because, I mean, that'd be fine, too." -- He could have ignored the rest of the plans that he had for the day just to stand there with her, sharing breath and touch until they forgot that they were two people instead of one. Foster chuckled a little against her lips when she presumed maybe he’d just brought her here to kiss her. He was thankful that no one else was around at that moment because that meant they had time. “While I really hope that there will be a lot of making out on this trip, that is not all that I have planned,” Foster smirked, though he did kiss her again for a long moment before he finally pulled back just a little. He reached into the chest pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small cloth pouch that had the drawstring pulled tight. “Happy Anniversary, Lorelei,” Foster put the little bag into her hands, and waited for her to open it. Inside, there was a gold bracelet engraved on the outside with the coordinates: 37°37'19.6"N 77°28'10.1"W. On the inner portion of the bracelet, where it would lay against her wrist, delicate script had been inscribed as August 10, 2019. -- "And honeymoon practice," Lorelei supplied, helpfully, before she'd been swept up into another kiss. Taking the offered present, she stepped back just enough to free her hands and give her room to look, to investigate. The drawstring pulled open easily enough, and she overturned the bag into an open palm. The bracelet was delicate, but she held it up to inspect the engravings. Lorelei recognized the format of GPS coordinates, though she couldn't have even begun to guess where those particular ones led without pulling out her phone to punch it in. Turning the bracelet over, however, she read the date, her lips moving along with the words as she did. August 10, 2019. That... wasn't a date she recognized. No one's birthday, no particular milestone that she knew of... Looking back up to Foster, Lorelei drew her lower lip between her teeth, then asked, "Where is this? And- I mean- I suppose I know the when, but... Can I have a clue?" -- There was certain to be lots of honeymoon practice as well, Foster was certain of that. They would have a whole afternoon together at the pool house that he’d rented for the evening, and they didn’t have to leave until the next afternoon. A full day swept away would do them some good. He wasn’t going to let her struggle over guessing where the coordinates led or what the date might be, but it was no less amusing to watch her take in the information and try to puzzle it out for a moment. She was too damn alluring with her lip drawn between her teeth, but he wasn’t about to complain either. “The coordinates are for just about where you’re standing right now,” Foster revealed with a slow grin, “and August 10th...well, that seemed like a pretty great day to marry you, considering I booked this place for that whole day. Today seemed like a good day to check it out before then. It’s the when and where that we become husband and wife.” He paused a second and playfully added, “Is that too much of a clue? Should I start over?” -- His clue was more of a revelation, but Lorelei was far from complaining. As that realization dawned over her, she could barely contain her bright smile, though she did try- biting down on her lower lip again. It worked for just a moment before she gave a bubbly, delighted laugh. She slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, and gave a little spin in place, still laughing even as she more or less then threw herself into Foster's arms. "You mean it? Really really mean it?" -- His smile only grew brighter as her joy broke over. She laughed and spun around even as that bracelet found a home upon her wrist. It might not be something she wore every day like her ring, and he knew that, but he had wanted her to have something else to commemorate the time and place that was physical. He caught her up in his arms, holding onto her tight with his face buried in her hair at the crook of her neck for a moment. “I mean it,” he promised, squeezing just a little around her middle, “I called in a few favors and there was a party cancellation for that date. August 10th is ours, and I couldn’t shake the image of marrying you right here at this gazebo. If that date doesn’t rush you on preparing...then we have a wedding date,” he promised, knowing that there were still other things that needed to be done before now and then. She needed a dress and so would her bridesmaids. They needed invitations and to sort out the catering. Lots of little details would have to come together somewhat quickly, but he thought it would be worth it. -- She had held herself close to him, savoring that embrace. This place he'd found was perfect. The details- though many- would come together. Or maybe they wouldn't, but whatever did happen would lead them to right back here on the 10th of August when she'd finally get to call him her husband. "Don't shake it," Lorelei insisted, when she finally shifted slightly from the embrace- enough to meet his gaze. "Because you will. Marry me, that is. Right here. We have a wedding date!" Another giddy laugh, and her hands moved to his cheeks as she drew him into a kiss. "I have a dress appointment next Sunday at this adorable little boutique in DC. I've been... sort of stalking their Instagram ever since we got engaged." But not before then. Definitely not before then. That would have been weird. -- His smile pulled at his muscles, his cheeks aching a little from the brilliance of it. Foster had wanted to marry her for the greater part of the last year, but he had waited to ask...waited to take those steps. He had never wanted her to question his reasons for asking because of their dreams. He’d wanted her to be certain that he was asking because of her, and not because of Alice. That kiss warmed his heart, “Pretty decent anniversary present, right?” Foster didn’t really know how he was going to be patient enough to not see that dress until August, but he would somehow manage. She would go have a great day with her sisters and anyone else she wanted to bring, and he would envision her in white, “Have some ideas already, then? Maybe it will be your lucky day.” -- "Yeah, pretty decent, Wentworth." Though the tone was playfully deadpan, Lorelei couldn't keep it up for long. "I think I'll keep you." The dress, once she found it, would probably need to be given to Tallulah to hide away somewhere until August to prevent Foster from looking for it and Lorelei from trying it on every other afternoon. "My Instagram saves are full of ideas," she admitted, cheeks flushing. "I'll have my sisters go through it all to weed out the ugly and ridiculous, don't worry." She held up two crossed fingers. "It'll be past our month of all the celebrations and all the luck, but hopefully there will be a bit of residual." -- "I'm holding you to that on the 10th of August," Foster smirked again, his dimples indenting his cheeks. He was relieved to have this revelation out in the open, actually. It had been difficult for him not to tell her immediately. "So what you're saying is don't snoop around on your Instagram trying to figure out ideas of what it might look like. Got it," Foster gave her a little squeeze, "I'm sure none of them are ugly. You're going to look stunning, no matter which dress you pick." Foster laughed just slightly and offered, "I kept with A months for the wedding date, so maybe that means all the planning we have crammed between will be in a protective bubble of luck." Any day that they'd been able to get married would have been one that he had taken happily. He was really just relieved that it was still going to be that summer, "Just under 15 weeks." --- "Good. Do." Lorelei might not stop smiling the whole rest of the day, but at this point? She didn't care. Even if he had snooped around in her Instagram- and even she did pick out one of the dresses she'd already seen and saved- it was bound to look different on her than it did on the perfectly posed and filtered and photoshopped models. But the element of surprise, such as they could get, was part of the excitement of the day, right? "I always feel stunning, with you." How could she not? Though she hadn't quite made the 'months that start with A' connection until he mentioned it, Lorelei nodded, eagerly accepting this new theory. "Yes. I like that idea." Fifteen weeks. Just over three months, and they'd be right back in this spot. "I have a present for you, too, but I feel like it's going to fall pretty short after all of this," she gestured around them. But it wasn't as if- falling short or not- she wouldn't give it to him. Lorelei had worn a small purse- really just big enough to keep her phone and some lipstick in- and it was this that she now unzipped to pull out a little drawstring bag that looked… fairly similar to the one he'd given her earlier, actually. Inside was a brass compass, with a sketched design etched into the cover. In Lorelei's own handwriting it read, you are my true north. Inside, when he opened it up, would be coordinates of another place- 38°41'02.5"N 77°15'37.7"W- as well as (still in her handwriting) the inscription, thank you for finding me and ♥ lorelei. -- Foster wanted her to feel stunning when she was in his view, so he was glad for her assurance. She was beautiful and smart and a thousand other things that he admired, but he wanted her to feel those things even when they weren’t always said. Foster loved every little piece of her, and felt that it was important that she knew that. He gave a small shrug of his shoulders, “I’m going to love anything that you got for me because I know you put thought into it, and it’s from you. The timing just worked out for this particular revelation.” He definitely wasn’t going to start stacking up and comparing whether or not they were competing with one another. Still, he took the pouch that she handed him, and pulled out the compass that was inside. The sketched etchings on the outside brought a grin to his lips. He recognized her writing immediately. When he flipped it open, he noticed another inscription and chuckled a little when he saw that she, too, had included coordinates inside, “Now that I’ve got this, I’ll always be able to find you.” It was a playful remark, though he thought his heart would lead him just as well as the compass, “This is really fantastic, Lorelei. It’s beautiful. Where do the coordinates lead, though?” -- She hadn't meant to really downplay her gift, per se. But it was their first anniversary, and she wanted to do well. Maybe he wasn't as concerned over what it was as she had let herself be. That was probably for the best. "It's maybe a bit old fashioned for our hiking needs," at least, until they went somewhere that GPS couldn't find them, "but I… liked the sentiment." True north, the point of guidance and surety that never changed. Constant and true. "Where you found me that first time. Where we first kissed and where I first told you that I loved you." That all of those things had happened in the same place was a nice bit of kismet, perhaps, and they were memories that Lorelei thought of every time she walked through the doors of The Dreamery. -- “The sentiment is perfect,” Foster assured her. His true north had been her for as long as he’d known her. Even before they had begun dating, he’d gravitated towards her. He’d never been more grateful for Frank’s memories and the idle chit-chat that had made him mention chocolate chili ice cream. It had changed everything. Before she had even finished with the revelation, Foster knew. He had considered using the coordinates for the Dreamery on the bracelet before he had received confirmation that they would be able to get the botanical gardens for their wedding. He had never looked them up, but now that she dropped those clues, there was no doubt in his mind, “The Dreamery. Your bracelet would have had those exact same coordinates if I hadn’t found out about the gardens, honestly.” He slipped his compass back into the pouch for safe keeping after a few more moments of examination, not wanting the surface to get scratched, “I’ll find the perfect place for it when we get home, and who knows? It might actually be put to use for its intended purpose, too. Next time we go hiking, we can use good old fashioned maps and this compass.” He patted the pocket where he stored the gift, right there next to his heart. Foster held his hand out to her and offered, “Do you want to take a further look around? Even if we get lost, thanks to your forethought, we now have a way to find our way back.” -- She could still remember the surprise and- admittedly- confusion she'd had when he first mentioned chocolate chili ice cream. Lorelei had dreamt of it for the first time the night before he suggested it, and she hadn't yet told a soul. While it could have been coincidence, her curiosity had gotten the better of her. He'd eventually said the name, Frank, and they'd both spoken the surname together. Longbottom. Though Lorelei had every confidence that Foster knew the location she'd been referring to, she still grinned when he spoke the name aloud. "We both chose good places, though," she offered. "Past and future." She brought a hand up to rest over his heart- over the compass there, too- and smiled back up at him. "Maybe on our honeymoon," Lorelei suggested. "If- and this is a very big if, mind you- I decide to put on pants." She turned, though didn't really step away from him, and took another glance around. There were cobblestone pathways cutting through this section of the gardens, each one lined by different almost-there blooms. "If you don't mind? You can show me all your favorite plants. Or we can just go find a bench to cuddle up on. Either way." -- “The Dreamery spot will continue to be our present, as well,” Foster pointed out, doubting that she planned to move the location of it any time soon, if ever. Even though this spot was the one where they would get married, The Dreamery would remain their past, present, and future, all wrapped into one. Foster laughed at her concession about their honeymoon, his grin pulling those dimples into his cheeks once more, “I mean, while hiking is a worthwhile activity, I will not complain about a week of us secluding ourselves with little to no clothing.” He wanted to clarify, just in case that hadn’t previously been clear. He figured that at some point they would emerge for a meal or two or maybe to restock on provisions, but spending the majority of their time unplugged and enjoying just one another sounded like paradise. “How about both?” he suggested, wanting her to be able to see more of this place where they were going to speak their vows to one another, “It’ll look a little different by August, but some of the blooms will still be on. They make sure that they blend the types of plants here so that there’s always something beautiful to see.” -- "True enough," Lorelei conceded the point. She certainly had no plans to move the Dreamery, not unless they wound up leaving Dunhaven altogether- and that, if it ever happened, was certainly a long way down the road. "I won't, either," she agreed, easily. "After all, we've been so diligent in our honeymoon practice, it would be a shame to waste that opportunity." There was no real risk of that happening, of course, but Lorelei liked their plan all the same. "Both. I like both." Lorelei linked her arm with Foster's, looking back toward the historic house. They were at one end of an even-armed cobblestone cross. A sundial sat in the middle, and the two other cross-ends had smaller lattice-covered archways. "This'll be the aisle, right? With seats on either side, and the flowers leading the way." Maybe they'd rig up some sort of curtain by the sundial, because otherwise the walk from the historic house felt awfully long, at least from this vantage. And Lorelei knew she probably shouldn't run, at least not in that situation. -- “I have every faith that we will be prepared for our honeymoon,” Foster assured her, knowing that no matter what they wanted to call it, they would enjoy and share in one another. It was something that that they both enjoyed, and sharing in that physical connection with her often felt vital. Foster nodded along when she surmised that where the aisle would be in relation to their guests, “That’s what I was figuring. They have chairs that we can set up for the ceremony so we don’t have to worry about packing all of that in. We pretty much have freedom to decorate however we want as long as we don’t destroy any plants or cut up their lawn.” He grinned a little and added, “I figured we could have the reception here, too. If we wanted it in one of the buildings we could probably do that, or we could fix up one of those tents with all the lights.” -- "I wouldn't dream of hurting any plants," she assured him. And that would have been true even before she'd met him. Lorelei's parents had both passed on a respect for the natural world, in one way or another. Though the buildings were no doubt gorgeous in their own right, if they were getting married in August and were going to have good weather (she refused to consider any other option), Lorelei wanted to take full advantage of that. "Tent and lights, please," she requested, smiling. "With a little dance floor set up for us, right?" She turned to face him, setting one hand on his shoulder and holding his other out in something like a formal dance pose. -- “I know you wouldn’t,” Foster agreed easily, a grin on his lips. He wasn’t, by any means, offended over people who didn’t have a green thumb struggling to keep their plants alive. Some of them were finicky, and like people, some of them just...struggled. However, he didn’t see the sense in upending the otherwise healthy lives of perfectly mature and thriving plants in order to change the aesthetic of their venue, either. No, these flowers were perfectly arranged just as they were meant to be. They would be able to find the perfect spot for the tent, and he was certain that the directors of the gardens would have some ideas for them about best places to have the reception and the best places for photos as well, “Definitely with a dance floor. We couldn’t miss our first dance as husband and wife.” The promise came easily even as he turned more towards her, slipping his hand to her waist and squeezing their joined hands even as he walked them gently around in a little circle despite the lack of music, “We can make a music mix for the evening.” -- "Or our second or third or fourth dance as husband and wife," Lorelei added, smiling back up to him as Foster took the lead in their impromptu dance. "Did you have first dance song ideas?" A thought occurred to her, and she added- with an almost-warning glare- "If you're even considering serenading me, Wentworth, just know that I will be a sobbing mess on the middle of the dance floor in front of all of our family and friends if you do it." Whether that was encouragement or the exact opposite remained to be seen. -- Foster smiled as she tallied up more dances, though he would gladly dance with her as much as she wanted, at the reception or otherwise, “All of those and then some, probably.” Before he could even give her his suggestion for their first song, Lorelei warned him not to sing to her unless he wanted to severely compromise her emotions and perhaps her make-up, too. They often joked about his decent singing voice, but he didn’t want to do anything that might make her sob. “What if I just whisper parts of it to you while we dance?” Foster grinned and pressed a kiss to her hair, humming a small bar of a tune as they turned, “I heard a song that I liked, but I’m not sure if you’d know it.” He paused their turning just long enough to fish his phone out of his pocket and cue up the song I Belong to You. He turned the volume of the song up and slipped it into the chest pocket of his jacket so they would both be able to hear it, even as he returned his hand to her waist, swaying again a little as the lyrics and tune began to fill the air. -- Though it was probably a foregone conclusion that she'd cry at some point during that day, Lorelei was at peace with this fact. It was an emotional thing, marriage. Even if they were happy tears- as they assuredly would be- just the idea of promising her whole life to Foster (and vice-versa) already left her a little choked up. "Whispering is allowed," Lorelei replied, watching him with some interest as Foster queued up a song and then eased them both back into a slow dance. Yes they can hear us, but they don't understand. I have said all of my vows behind the curtains. That much, at least, was true- in its own way. Nothing they were going to promise to one another on August 10th hadn't already been discussed well in depth ahead of time. Their connection was unlike anything Lorelei had ever experienced before, and saying those vows aloud may have been nerve-wracking for the fact that they'd have an audience, but not for what she'd say. -- If I could be honest, here at the altar, I refuse to grow older unless it's with you. The words fit perfectly as far as he was concerned, but Foster knew that the decision about this song would need to be mutual. Even if it was a beautiful song for a slow dance, if she didn’t feel like it was right for their first, Foster was more than willing to listen to her suggestions. “Did you have any other options?” he asked this even as they danced and the music continued to play from his pocket. It would take just a moment to change the song if that was true. I belong with you. When they let us choose. I will say I do. -- Though she'd never heard the song before this moment, Lorelei suddenly couldn't imagine any other songs had ever existed. She shook her head, then leaned up on her toes to press a brief kiss just at the corner of Foster's lips. "I don't need other options. This one is perfect." While they would no doubt put together a playlist of any number of other romantic songs to dance to, this new (to her) tune seemed nothing short of that perfect measure from the very first bars that Foster had hummed. Sometimes things just came out of nowhere and surprised you like that- and Lorelei knew better than to ignore those kinds of hints anymore. "You're a very good dancer," she added, after a moment more. Grinning, then, "I think I'd follow you anywhere." So far as dance-related puns went, that one was… pretty terrible. -- Foster smiled and leaned in to kiss her more properly as they turned, glad that she liked the song that he’d suggested. That one could go at the top of their track list, then. He was sure that some of the other songs they’d both grown to love over time would make an appearance as well, but it was particularly fitting for the wedding and he thought as time went along, that song would stand out amongst others. “I’m a good swayer,” Foster laughed, though he knew that he didn’t have any real dance moves. Maybe this was all he really needed, though. He smiled wider, leading her just as easily as ever, “Oh, would you now?” He laughed and couldn’t resist kissing her again. He noted that there was a bench not that far away, but he suggested, “I think we’ve got two options. There’s a bench over there and we can take a bit of time to relax and bask in all of this nature, or...we can go back to the bike and head on down to the pool house that I rented for us for the evening. Which would you rather do?” -- "Swaying, dancing. You're good at it." Not that she really thought he was denying the compliment outright, of course- though the kisses were, admittedly, a nice reassurance all the same. "I would." But Lorelei wriggled her nose as she looked back up to him, very nearly sticking her tongue out in playful defiance. The suggestions were offered, and though Lorelei had known- from Foster's instructions that morning in packing the saddlebags- that they'd be staying somewhere overnight, she hadn't imagined she'd hear the words pool house pass his lips. Her eyes widened, and she stumbled over repeating the words back to him. "The- the pool house?" She blinked several times in succession before a bright laugh finally overtook her. "God, Foster. Can I marry you? Because you're fucking perfect." -- “You absolutely can marry me. On August 10th, in fact. It just so happens I’ve got the perfect place,” Foster grinned at her assessment, not denying his perfection though he didn’t know that he really felt that strongly about it. He had planned all of this once he knew that the venue would be theirs, and he had wanted it to be a nice surprise for her...a little getaway before the busy season picked up at work for both of them. “Queen bed, heated outdoor kitchen, private, and we don’t have to stop anywhere else to pick up a key. There’s a pool and a hot tub. I packed a swimsuit for you. You know, the one you got at the end of last summer, but only got to wear once before the weather turned,” Foster had partially picked that one because it was new and partially because it had become his new favorite during the one weekend out on the boats that she’d worn it. -- Lorelei laughed, delightedly, when he agreed to her impromptu proposal and just repeated their wedding date. "I'll be there." She leaned up on her toes to kiss him again, but when she stepped back she deliberately took a step further so as to… maybe be less tempted. But she hadn't let go of his hand. "I love that one!" For as much time as she spent on the water, there were any number of choices he could have made, but this was a good one. The blue bikini was… slightly impractical, all told, but since she wasn't going to be kayaking in it, then it was the perfect choice for this little getaway. "And you've said two of my favorite words. Pool and private." -- “I love it, too. It might have been a partially selfish choice on my part,” Foster admitted, though he honestly didn’t think that she would mind the confession. It wasn’t as though she didn’t also sometimes purposefully wear just knickers and one of his shirts because she knew that he enjoyed the way that it looked on her. He grinned, his dimples appearing, as he took another step with her, “So I guess the pool house is your choice then?” Foster didn’t want to rush her if she wanted to look around a little more at the gardens, but they could possibly take another trip down between now and the wedding date if they really wanted to, and they’d likely be down here at least a day or two early to make certain that everything was prepared as they wanted it to be. -- "It's our anniversary. You're allowed to be selfish. At least where that selfishness is including me, anyway." Which… that might have been against the actual definition of the word, but still. While she had no doubt that they could have spent hours wandering the gardens and houses- and she would have enjoyed every minute, especially knowing the delight that Foster would have for all of it- Lorelei knew they could come back a dozen times or more. The pool house was, presumably, just for today. "The pool house and you are my choice," she amended. "Not in that order." -- “Everything today includes you,” Foster promised, even going so far as to cross his heart. He thought she wouldn’t have minded any of the swimsuits that he’d packed for her because they were all ones she had bought and had chosen to wear at some point or another. That he just so happened to pick his favorite was a small thing, in the end. He leaned back in for another short kiss, “I love being your choice.” He started down the path, side by side with her, “Alright, Future-Mrs. Wentworth, onward to the next part of our anniversary.” |