Chapter 266: Make the Best of It
** Eli **
The smile that slowly bloomed over Harper’s face was mesmerizing, curving her sweet lips before crinkling the corners of her eyes, making them gleam even more prettily in the soft evening light.
"Yes, you may," she chuckled. "It’s a lovely evening for a stroll, isn’t it? The moon is so perfect and bright."
They both looked up. A full moon was hanging high in the deep blue sky, its silver light falling on the treetops like a sheer layer of snow dusting over the tip of the tallest branches. The radiant luminance dimmed the stars on the dark expanse above, but brightened up the whole world beneath in a serene shade of pale blue, and the sight of the crisp midsummer night was such a stark contrast to the lively chaos at the restaurant mere moments ago.
"It is lovely," Eli agreed. With a flourish, he made a bow and lifted Harper’s hand, pressing a gentle kiss onto its back. "And it makes you look all the more so as well, cloaked in its glowing halo."
Harper tilted her head and chuckled again, apparently entertained by his knightly gesture and praise, though she probably had no idea that he absolutely meant what he said. She took his hand, laced his fingers through hers, and the two made their way together through the stony park gate.
"So I guess dinner was a reasonable success today," the girl mused as they followed the cobblestone walkway winding across a gentle hill, lined by birches and oak trees. "Don’t you think so? Tyler was even making fun of you a couple of times. That’s his sign of treating you as a good friend again. He seemed to be in a pretty good mood in general, too, and we probably have Chelsea’s clever jokes to thank for that."
"Mmm." Eli agreed, though he wasn’t particularly focused on thinking about their dinner guests anymore. It was a bit too distracting, when the moonlight was draping over Harper’s slender figure like a flowing, shimmering veil, turning the vibrant color of her hair into a soft blur and the white summer dress she wore into a silky, glowing charm out of a fairytale.
Who ever said that a goddess needed a regal gown and crown to look breathtaking? Even under this plain light, she still looked so dreamy and ethereal, dazzling with a holy light that made him lose all his thoughts when he looked upon her.
"I think we should do this again," she continued. "The four of us on a double date, I mean. I have a feeling that we’re going to get along together really well that way! Though I’ll have to make sure it’s not a date involving tequilas, I really can’t stand the taste of that thing."
She grimaced, wrinkling her nose.
Even that silly expression didn’t affect her fairytale-like image. On the contrary, it only added a spark of vividness to her enchanting figure, and Eli couldn’t help but smile at the cute way she pursed her lips in dislike.