Chapter Fifty-Six
Fernando smiled. “Sophie, I love you. As long as you go in there with me and pick out what you want or will wear, I will be happy with whatever you choose. Can I kiss you now?” he chuckled when her eyes narrowed even further. He had never seen her this upset with him before. “You are adorable when you’re angry. Can we please kiss and make up? I want this to be a good experience for us. Right now, it feels a little like emotional blackmail.”
Rubbing his hands up and down her arms to help loosen her muscles, he pleaded, “Please, Sophie? You know how important these watches were to my brothers, and our shopping trip brought us together. Rolex played a huge part in why we’re standing here today. I know you think they are an extravagance, which is why I’m asking you to go in and help me pick one you will feel comfortable wearing. If I had my way, you would be wearing the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 in platinum, with a diamond-paved dial, diamond-set bezel, rainbow-colored gem hour markers, and a President bracelet.”
“Are you out of your mind, Andy? That watch is every bit of a hundred and ten thousand dollars, not on your life . Let’s go before I change my mind. If I find my good humor by the time this shopping spree is over, then I’ll consider letting you kiss me to makeup.”
By the time she made it to the double glass doors hung on brass hinges, she had composed herself and entered the store with a smile gracing her lips. Only Fernando knew it wasn’t genuine; every male in the room melted before her radiance.
It didn’t take long, and she was impressing the salesmen with her vast knowledge of Rolex watches. They picked up on her hesitancy to spend a great deal of money on a timepiece even though she understood the quality of what was in front of her, so they pulled out all the stops to show her watches she was willing to look at in hopes of making a sale. The Swiss salesmen weren’t like the piranhas that worked in US stores, but they still knew their job was to make sure this stunning woman left their store with a Rolex on her wrist.
Soon, Sophie was asking Fernando’s opinion about three watches. All of them were pretty. None belonged on her wrist, though. He gave his opinion and then walked to the other side of the store with a gangly young man who watched the efforts of his peers from a safe distance. He and Fernando put their heads together, and before long, Fernando was approaching Sophie with a couple watches he hoped she would like.
“Hey, Soph, I know you’re looking at those, and they’re nice, but will you look at what Christian and I found and tell me what you think? I promise it isn’t the outrageous Day-Date 36 I wanted to get.”
Sophie turned, her body language open as she looked at the tray placed before her. She couldn’t hide the little gasp that escaped when she saw the two watches he had chosen .
She picked up the first one with a stunning aubergine dial, her favorite color of purple, but it was set with diamonds, and she wasn’t doing that. “This one is gorgeous, no arguing that, but you know why I can’t do it,” she said, glancing at Fernando, who simply nodded his understanding.
“It was the only one they had in that color. I knew the diamonds would be a sticking point but wanted you to at least see it,” he confessed.
“Thank you. I appreciate the thought. Now, this one might just be perfect,” she admitted, lifting the Datejust 31 in Oystersteel and Everose gold with a silver floral motif, diamond-set dial, and an Oyster bracelet. Trying it on, she turned to Fernando with a questioning look.
“I think it’s perfect. If I remember correctly, you wear a lot of white gold or silver. I was thinking that the rose gold would go nicely with the purple you prefer. It’s your choice; I just thought it looked like you and wanted you to see it. It’s not the cheapest watch in the house, but it is pretty close. Although, they do have the exact same style over in that case with a diamond bezel and bracelet,” he said teasingly.
She swatted his arm playfully, her mood much improved, and agreed to purchase the watch. While she finished her discussion with two of the other salesmen, Fernando arranged to have the watch engraved and delivered to them as they ate dinner at a nearby restaurant. He then collected Sophie and headed her out the door in the direction of food.
They stopped at a cozy, traditional Swiss restaurant just off the square. Inside, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with wooden beams overhead and flickering candlelight casting a soft glow on the tables. Fernando and Sophie settled into a corner booth, the menu offering an array of Swiss specialties .
They decided to indulge in a classic Swiss meal, starting with a rich, bubbling pot of fondue. The melted cheese, fragrant with hints of garlic and white wine, was served with chunks of rustic bread and an assortment of vegetables. They savored each bite, enjoying the experience of dipping their food into the warm, creamy cheese.
Next came the raclette, with its slices of melted cheese served over boiled potatoes, pickles, and onions. The dish was hearty and satisfying, the flavors perfectly balanced. Sophie marveled at the simplicity and richness of the meal, her taste buds dancing with delight.
For the main course, they shared a plate of r?sti, crispy and golden-brown potato pancakes served with a side of smoked sausages and fresh greens. The r?sti was perfectly cooked, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, complementing the savory sausages.
As they enjoyed their meal, Fernando and Sophie relaxed, the day’s emotional exhaustion giving way to contentment. The traditional Swiss cuisine was comforting and delicious, a perfect end to their evening.
The plates were being taken away when Christian stopped by their table with the watch. “Thank you again for the sale. I hope you enjoy your watch and have safe travels.”
Fernando pushed the watch across the table to Sophie, who sat and stared at the box, making no attempt to open it. He could see tears filling her eyelids and reached for her hand under the table.
“Sophie, it’s been a long day. Put everything that happened behind you, and just enjoy this moment with me, please.”
Tears rolled down her face as she finally raised her eyes to his. “I’m sorry, Andy. I don’t know what got into me. I can’t remember the last time I allowed myself to get that angry, and the thing is, I don’t know why it happened. It was such an unreasonable response to the situation. ”
Scooting closer to her, Fernando took her in his arms and held her as her tears once more wet the front of his shirt. “Sophie, today was hard for both of us. You are carrying extra weight on your shoulders now, worrying that others will be hurt because of the danger that is tailing you. We had a long day of travel, walked several miles in the warm sun, and we didn’t eat lunch. You feel strongly about spending large sums of money and are still adjusting to having access to my wealth. Part of you seems to also be struggling with the boss/employee relationship, which makes this gift somewhat ill-timed. I bet if it came after the engagement ring, you would have had less of an upset even though you would have had the same opinion on the style.” Using his finger to lift her chin so he could look into her eyes, he continued, “I knew where the anger was stemming from and never took it personally. I’m okay with what happened. I understand it. If there is something I should have done differently, aside from giving in and walking away, tell me, and I will add it to the list of things to do better in the future.”
“No, I know this was important to you. I knew this day would come, and I was prepared to compromise; that is why I don’t understand the outburst. Maybe you’re right, and I just need this day to end. Thank you for being patient and understanding. I appreciate the gift even though it may not seem like it. If you don’t mind, I would like to wait until after the engagement to wear it, though. We have a lot to figure out, and I’m not ready to face office rumors right now.”
“Of course. If you only pull it out on special occasions, that is fine with me too. I just want you to have it, and I really wanted us to get it today while we were here, together, in Switzerland. If I had thought further ahead, we could have headed over the mountains a day early and toured the Rolex factory; now that would have been a great memory. Will you at least open it and look at the inscription before we go? ”
“Oh, is that why Christian delivered it? I was wondering why you left it behind. That seemed kind of strange.” Opening the box, Sophie lifted the watch from its packaging and turned it over to read the inscription on the back: Our love, timeless and true. Yours Forever, FK
Throwing her arms around Fernando’s neck, Sophie whispered, “It’s perfect. Thank you. I love you. Forever and always.”
They spent several minutes lost in a sweet kiss until the buzzing of Fernando’s phone distracted both of them.
“Ah, I missed a call from Anthony. Let’s head to the hotel, and I’ll call him back there,” Fernando said, gathering their shopping bags and escorting Sophie out of the restaurant with his hand resting protectively on her lower back.
As they reached the sidewalk outside and began the short walk to the hotel, Fernando’s phone pinged with a string of text messages being delivered in quick succession. He stopped to read them, and Sophie watched as the color drained from his face.
“Fernando, what is it? What’s wrong?” she asked urgently, her stomach twisting with fear. Whatever it was, it had to be serious. She immediately began praying for their loved ones’ safety.
Fernando looked up at her, a steely calmness settling over him that she had never seen before. “There’s been an explosion. Vacation’s over. We’re heading home. Tonight .”