The next day itself, I got to work. I assumed it would take me at least two days to set things up.
I was going to throw a surprise party for Keith where I would invite his whole family.
I decided that the best venue for that would be the Jenson’s huge garden. No one actually visited the garden a lot aside from Keith and I and the gardeners who took care of it.
I told my dad about my plan, telling him all the reasons about why we should throw this party. To make him say yes, I told them that it was also like a little appreciation party for all the cooks and the kitchen staff, although it was mainly for Keith’s birthday but he didn’t need to know that. To my happiness, he said that he couldn’t make time for this appreciation party and I told him that I’d replace him and be the host. No one was actually interested in hosting the ‘appreciation party’ which made me a little upset because I had expected something better from them. But I told myself that I was not in their shoes and that they genuinely didn’t have time for it owing to their packed schedules and the party I decided to throw last minute.
So the only people who could attend were the kitchen staff, Keith’s whole family and I. Olivia refused saying she had to talk to Heather about something about her college. I didn’t have high hopes of her joining the party anyway.
I was relieved that there weren’t many people that were going to attend which meant no media attention would be drawn to us. I would make sure that the party was secure so that no one could try to sneak in or get the gist because that meant the whole world would know about me, most probably including Juliet.
I sent out invites to his family and arranged for their transportation. They got in contact with me and told me how horrible they felt for forgetting his birthday and that they would make sure that they were present at the party with loads of gifts for Keith.
I gave out orders for party decorations and told them that they had a two day deadline. The garden was cleaned of fallen leaves, the grass trimmed and watered. It didn’t require much prepping as the garden was beautiful even before that.
I placed an order for a big cake with Keith’s name on it. I also insisted on making swirly birthday hangings. I could have just made someone else do it but I really wanted to do something for him and this was the least I could do. I also had to buy him a gift but I put that on the back burner because it needed thinking as to what I should get him and I had no idea.
In the evening, after I had looked after all the activities and progress and kept Keith from venturing into the garden which was a tough task when I was acting a bit suspicious, I finally got the materials I needed for making birthday hangings.
It was bought and delivered the next day by two helpers in the house who volunteered to get them for me. They had offered to bring it up to my room but I refused because I could obviously do this much and thanked them for the help.
Taking the box from them, I started for my room, keeping an eye on my surroundings for any sign of Keith.
As I reached the staircase that led to my room, I froze in my steps as I peered up to see Ethan descending down. I panicked, not wanting to face him right now and backtracked my steps. I turned around to leave but saw Keith in the distance with his back to me, talking to Samara who caught sight of the materials in my hand which would easily give away our plans. She motioned for me to leave as she tried to act normal. There was nowhere else to go that would hide me and the humongous box in my hands.
I had no other choice but to take the stairs. I chanted in my head to keep my head straight and pretend as if no one was around.
I made it a few steps, hearing Ethan’s footsteps getting closer by the second.
For one split second I made the mistake of looking at him and saw that he looked at me at that exact moment too.
I couldn’t look away after our eyes connected. I tightened the hold on my box and quickened my steps.
He sighed as if he was tired of something. “I don’t have time right now to talk to you so-”
I was confused as to what he was saying but I didn’t say anything and my feet carried me past him and up the stairs. He cut himself off when he saw I didn’t stop to talk to him. He probably realized that I wasn’t even there to talk to him in the first place. I let out a quiet laugh at that. I had completely ignored him and he didn’t see that coming.
I was sure he was expecting me to still be after him, even after what happened but looked like I disappointed him.
But I didn’t have time to think over it because I had a lot to do.
The rest of the day was spent on the preparations. I made the birthday hangings for him because that was all I could do. I couldn’t bake a cake for him because I didn’t know how to and it wouldn’t be edible even if I tried to make one. Plus, that would require me to be in the kitchen where Keith practically lives so he would’ve known what I was up to.
By nighttime I had finished making it. It was then I realized that I completely forgot about Keith’s gift.
I had until seven in the evening of the next day but I wanted to get it today. I didn’t want to risk Keith seeing the gift if I go out to get it in broad daylight. I had barely managed to get the materials for the hangings without him knowing, a gift would be much harder to bring and hide until the party.
I wanted to personally choose a gift for him. I didn’t know if anyone would be around to drive me to a gift shop. It was? ten o’clock at night. It had been hours since we had dinner and everyone must be in their rooms or office. The drivers must have gone home and nobody would be around.
So I did the only thing I could think of that could help me in a situation like this.
I knocked on Ethan’s door.
He opened it a few seconds later. I didn’t expect him to be in his room but one glance at his bed told me that he had been working, as he always seemed to do.
He looked surprised upon seeing me.
“What’re you doing here?”
“I need you to drive me somewhere.”
“Why me?”
“Because no one is around to drive me and no one would let me drive on my own.”
He took a look at his wrist watch. “Where do you have to go this late at night?”
“It’s really important. You’ll know when we get there.”
Ethan stretched, his shirt riding up a little giving me a peek of his abdomen. I diverted my gaze elsewhere.
He yawned and moved his neck from side to side. Clearly he was very tired.
I felt guilty for making him drive me to a gift shop and I was about to tell him to forget it and go to sleep but he agreed to it before that.
“Okay give me a minute to change.”
I nodded. “Thanks.”
I waited in the hallway for him. Less than a minute later, he swung open his door revealing that he had changed into something warmer.
“You should wear a scarf. We don’t want anyone seeing your face.”
“It’s so late at night. Not many people will be around to recognize me. Besides it won’t take too long. I just have to buy something.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s cold out there.”
Without saying anything, he walked into my room and opened my wardrobe. I protested a little at his intrusion but he quickly pulled out a knitted scarf and wrapped it around me.
“Let’s go.”