♠ ♥ ♦ ♠28th September, 2018
"I'm so sorry," Joe mumbled. "I know this isn't your ideal date night for our anniversary."
"Stop apologizing, Joseph," Taylor sighed. "I don't mind tagging along to your work events. And you can make it up to me later if you really want."
Taylor glanced up from her fingers which were currently trying out rings. Looking up and seeing Joe's forlorn face, she immediately walked up to him and put her hands on his cheeks.
"Love. Look at me," Taylor said. "I really love coming to these things with you. Free drinks, right?" she giggled. "I really don't mind, okay?"
"Okay," Joe finally agreed, placing his hands on her waist. "Love you."
:::
"Thank you, Brandon, have a good night," Taylor waved, signaling to her bodyguard that his services were not needed for the rest of the night.
Stumbling slightly, they both made their way to their front doorstep. They had evidently had a few too many of those "free drinks", and now were extremely tipsy and smiley.
"Lovie, you're trampling all over my toes," Joe complained.
Taylor burst into another fit of giggles. "Do you want to..." she trailed off, suddenly forgetting what she was about to say.
"You're absolutely pissed," Joe rolled his eyes. "We can go take a bath, okay?"
"Okay," Taylor whispered meekly.
"Can I give you your gift before we go do that?"
"You didn't have to."
"Let me spoil my girl, Taylor."
"Then let me spoil you too," she replied, already taking her heels off and making her way to the master bedroom.
"Here," Joe handed her a black velvet box.
"Oh my, are you proposing to me?" Taylor feigned a shocked look drunkenly. "You could at least open the box for me and get down on one knee, this is unbelievably unromantic." She frowned.
"One day, my love," Joe smiled, gently opening the box for her. Inside was a gorgeous stacked opal ring with two gold bands and smaller diamonds that framed the tear-shaped opal.
"Oh baby," Taylor exhaled softly, taking the ring from the box. "It's gorgeous. Thank you so much."
"Let me put it on for you?" Joe said, gently taking the ring from her hands and slipping it onto her finger.
"I love you," she said truthfully— a raw moment in the midst of their drunken antics. "Okay, my turn!" she exclaimed.
"Oh love," Joe said, reaching out to receive the flat black box. Opening it, the box revealed a leather Patek Phillippe watch, extremely fitting for his tastes.