Page 24 of Dangerous Curves

After breakfast, I told Kenndrix to dress comfortably. I have our day completely planned out. Eventually she appears with her hair down, light makeup, jeans, a shirt that falls off her shoulders and a pair of Converse. She looks stunning to say the least. “Okay, I’m ready. Do you think this is comfortable enough?” she asks. I nod my head in appreciation. “I wish you would tell me what we’re doing.”

I chuckle. “I forgot how bad you are at surprises.”

“I have great patience, but this is just too exciting to be patient.”

Crossing the room I pull her into my arms. “Just a little bit longer my little butterfly,” I tell her, as I lean forward and lightly kiss the tip of her nose. She giggles as I take her hand and lead her to the elevators. Once we’re outside, we grab a taxi and I tell him where to drop us off at before climbing inside. “You suck. You could have told him once you were in the car. All this secrecy makes me that more anxious.”

I have no clue how the taxi drivers of New York City do it. I would never make it driving people around all day in this traffic. Finally we reach our destination. Once we’re on the sidewalk and the taxi is leaving, I turn to see the awe on Kenndrix’s face. “Central Park?” she asks quietly.

“Yeah, to be exact though we’re going to walk The Mall first or probably better known as Literary Walk.” Kenndrix squeals with delight. I knew the writer and bookworm in her would love this part of the park first.

The first time I ever visited New York City I came here. I made the mistake of coming to Literary Walk first. When I had been planning out my day, I had never considered just how difficult coming to an area that would remind me so much of Kenndrix would bring up so many memories. At that point, we had only been broken up for a few months so everything was just so fresh. Even with my saddened look on the world at that time I still saw the beauty of the walk. I just missed the girl’s hand I should have been holding during it.

The night before had been my first big red-carpet event. A movie premiere for the first job I had landed a stuntman and the one that had ultimately destroyed my relationship with Kenndrix. Up until that point, I had been so busy with work and what not that I hadn’t had a lot of time to dwell on what was missing from my life. However, the night before on the red carpet when one of the reporters had asked about a special lady in my life, I knew I couldn’t avoid it anymore. Everything hit me at one time. The rest of the night I had walked around in a bittersweet, foggy mindset. Everything going on around me seemed less spectacular without Kenndrix.

That night at the after party someone told me that I had to see Central Park before I left the city, yet another memory of what was missing hit me but I did end up going to the park. At first, it felt like a mistake but after a while it almost felt like she was here and that was something I could embrace. I never thought I’d get a chance to actually experience this park with her beside me.

“Do you remember that time that we planned how we would spend our first Christmas in New York City once we hit the big time?” she asks, awe still in her voice.

I chuckle. That memory is one of my favorites, but also hardest to think back to. We had been so happy and in love. It was before Kenndrix’s insecurity and anxiety set in and put us through the ringer. “Of course.”

****

It’s the first night in the house, our house. Those two words make me so happy. The idea of Kenndrix and I living together, sharing our life together has been in the forefront of my mind since I realized I loved her. She’s been working so hard in college that I knew she needed a surprise. I showed her the house on the internet and she loved it, I could tell by the way her eyes lit up as we took a virtual tour. At the time, she believed the house was just for me though. She had no idea my plans. Once I got the keys and what furniture I had into the house, I brought her in. As she walked around and pointed out all the details she loved, I dropped to my knee in the living room. When she finally turned around and saw me her eyes bugged out. I think she thought I was proposing and to be honest that’s probably how it looked. Instead, the box held a key to the house. Once we got past the part of it not being a proposal, she agreed to move in.

It’s been a long two weeks, but the house is finally all set up. Kenndrix is fully moved in and I get to go to bed and wake up to the girl I love every damn day. I’m so lucky it’s ridiculous. Tonight when I came out of the bathroom into our bedroom and saw Kenndrix lying on her back, kindle in hand, lost in the world of a book, it hit me. This is real. This is my life. I climb into bed and Kenndrix lays her kindle down on her nightstand. “This is strange, right?”

“In a good way.” At least, I hope she thinks it's a good thing.

She smiles. “In a perfectly good way.” Kenndrix sighs. “I can’t believe I moved in right before finals and Christmas.”

I laugh. “I can’t believe I got you to either. What’s your dream Christmas look like?”

“You know that,” she tells me, as she blushes.

She’s right, of course. We’ve discussed how she wants to spend Christmas in New York City but I want the details. “I want the actual plan. What are the things you want to see and do.”

Kenndrix shakes her head. “Oh, this is going to be a long night if we start that.”

I pull her into me and kiss her forehead. “I’ve got all night.”

****

We had spent a good two hours talking about all the sites she wanted to see. She talked and I listened until she was so tired, she fell asleep mid-sentence. “This was the first stop on your list.”

“Yeah, it was. Could you imagine this place during Christmas? It must feel so magical.” She looks around in awe and all I can think is how I’d bring her right back here in a few months if I’m lucky enough.

Twenty-Three

Kenndrix

When we reach the statues of William Shakespeare, Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Fitz-Greene Halleck as well as Christopher Columbus, I have to take a moment to appreciate the history of all this. I make my mind commit this moment to memory. I’m living a dream right now. The feel of Jaxx’s hand in mine, the smell in the air and the sounds of the people and animals around us. This is how I always pictured my life. After a good amount of time, Jaxx asks, “Are you ready for our next destination?” I nod my head excitedly. Along the way, we stop to purchase a bottle of water and a large, soft pretzel from one of the food carts. I don’t know what it is about these pretzels, but they are addicting. Jaxx leads us as if he knows exactly where he’s going which isn’t possible because I’m pretty sure there are some New Yorkers that still get lost in this massive park.

Jaxx and I stop to pet some dogs that a lady is walking. Then he releases my hand to chase down a ball for a little boy who smiles up at him as if he saved the entire world and I guess in his little world he did. He might have even saved mine. When he reaches my side again, he takes my hand in his once more. When we come up to the Shakespeare Garden, I can’t believe it. There’s no way he’s actually doing everything on my dream bucket list. “Here we are. The next stop on the tour.”

“Shakespeare’s Garden?” I have to ask, because surely, I’m mistaken. There’s no way.

His smile deepens, his dimples appear and the next thing I know he’s pulling me into the garden. The floral smell that I love so much engulfs me. The garden is well known for only having flowers and plants mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays present. As I look around, I can easily spot themcolumbine, primrose, wormwood, quince, lark's heel, rue, eglantine, flax and cowslip. It’s beautiful, quiet and peaceful. If there is one place, I wish we could stay...it’s here. “Do you like it?” Jaxx asks.

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