“Me? Approve?” she looked at me skeptically as the car eased into a parking space in front of the boutique.
“Yes, you,” I chuckled, leaning forward to let my driver know not to disturb us as we walked through her new space. Sliding out of the car, I held out my hand and guided her to the entrance of her store.
I had a whole day planned for us, but this was at the top of my list. Her approval meant everything to me.
Inside, the space was a blank canvas. Just like the home I wanted her to make ours. This wasn’t any different. It was important to me that my wife felt at home here.
In any space.
I wanted her to feel settled, and not like she had uprooted her whole life just to start over somewhere that didn’t feel like her.
When we walked in, she didn’t say anything right away. Just stood there, taking it all in. The high ceilings, the extravagant light fixtures, and the floor-to-ceiling windows that let in streams of natural light. I watched her instead of the room — every motion of her brow and twitch of her mouth.
Was I nervous? A little. Which was new for me.
“You bought it?” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“For you. Yes.”
She shook her head and began moving through the empty space.
“I had the cleaners come in yesterday for a deep clean,” I explained, watching as she ran her hand along the freshly polished surfaces. “And I’ve got a contractor on standby, ready to start any renovations you want.” Her eyes softened as she glanced back at me, and I knew I had made the right decision.
“Do you... approve?”
I expected a simple nod or smile, but instead, she shrieked and damn near tackled me, wrapping her arms around my neck, and placing tiny kisses all over my face.
“Oh my God, Teo. This is perfect.” she said between tiny pecks to my face and cheeks. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, gorgeous.” My arms instinctively curled around her midsection. I didn’t have to pull her closer since her body was already pressed firmly against mine. “As long as you’re happy with it, that’s all I need.”
Yanna could’ve easily purchased this storefront for herself. Built it from the ground up just as she did in Atlanta. Paid for the renovations with her own savings, purchased new inventory. All of that. But I wanted to give her this... as her husband.
Eventually, she released her grip, stepping back and fully taking in the unopened inventory, then admiring the delicate silk gowns, sparkling headpieces, and rows of designer shoes neatly arranged near the fitting rooms. Her eyes roamed the space with awe, but suddenly froze at the sight of another surprise, from me. I followed her gaze to the large antique wood full-length floor mirror near the fitting room. She walked a few feet until she was standing in front of it.
“You like?” I asked, a small grin tugging at my lips.
“This is the most gorgeous mirror I’ve ever seen.” She ran a hand along the intricately carved frame, admiring the craftsmanship. “It has so much character. Where did you find this? It’s almost like the one back home.”
“I know.”
Over the years, I’d seen how she admired vintage pieces making them fit into her store’s aesthetic. When I saw this almost six months ago, I knew I would gift it to her. I just didn’t realize it would be for a new store in Manhattan instead of her Atlanta boutique. Didn’t know I’d be marrying her a year earlier than planned, either. But here we were.
“I found it in a little antique shop, in Brooklyn. It didn’t look like that when I got it though.” I chuckled. “I had to clean it up quite a bit.”
“Oh... You restored it, too?”
I nodded, biting back a grin at her widened eyes and disbelief.
“Teo…” she started, blinking rapidly. “This is... this is huge. When did you even have time to work on something this big?”
“Made time. Late nights mostly, when I couldn’t sleep.” I shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal, because to me, it wasn’t. “Been working on it since I bought it. Just finished it a few weeks ago.”
Her eyes went even wider. “Weeks? You’ve been restoring this while we’ve been dealing with everything else?”
“Yeah. Helped me think and gave me something to focus on besides wanting to put a bullet in Orlando’s head. Anyway, this is for you.” I produced the keys to her new property. Effectively switching subjects. I didn’t want to think about the Moccasins today. She was my only priority. “Now,” I smiled. “If it pleases you all the same, I’d like to be your personal tour guide.”
“A personal tour guide?” She tucked the keys into her purse, unable to hide her smile. “And what exactly does this tour include?”
