Love Unscripted
Page 216
Ryan carried his cup of coffee out to the living room and sat with his legs crossed on the floor by the tree. He was so eager to open Christmas gifts, the anticipation was getting to him.
“I hope you model those later.” He raised his eyebrows devilishly. I tore open the small box that contained a few pairs of red plaid undies.
“Only if you promise to model these.” I tossed a wrapped package in his direction, knowing that I got him several pairs of new boxers.
“I think that can be arranged!” He winked at me.
He opened up the computer software I got for his laptop next. “What’s this?” he asked, reading the front of the box.
“It’s for writing and recording your own music. Open that one.” I pointed to another package.
“You plug the microphone into the USB port and you can play your guitar and record it. I was sort of hoping you’d finish our song that we started up at the cabin.”
He grinned.
“Something for you to mess with while you have a few minutes of down time?” I suggested.
I opened the thin, flimsy package he handed to me next. Inside were brochures and worn pictures cut from magazines. I looked at him, completely puzzled.
“I’ve been saving those pictures for a long time now,” he told me. “Those are all the places in the world that I want to see. I thought maybe you could pick one and we could take a nice vacation.”
I flipped through pictures of the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, and several other well-known wonders of the world, only to stop at a picture where the water was a beautiful shade of teal blue and the sky was deep azure. I didn’t need to go further than that. I showed him the photo.
“Bora Bora!” He beamed happily. “Is that where you want to go?”
I nodded and grinned widely, imagining the two of us on the beach in the picture.
“Done! Tahiti here we come!” he announced joyfully. “I was actually hoping you’d pick that one. We can stay in one of those huts that are out over the water.” He tore open the wrapping on a new bottle of his favorite cologne.
I opened up the box that was shipped from California. Inside was a chocolate brown Dior leather handbag. I smirked at Ryan.
“Kelly said you really liked it, so…” He shrugged.
We were surrounded by shreds of Christmas wrapping paper, like two little children on Christmas morning. He had plenty of new toys, video games, and software to keep him occupied.
“Last two.” He grinned as he trotted back to the living room from the bedroom. The two gifts he had in his hand were not under the tree. He handed me another flat package and a small box. I felt the adrenaline when it released into my bloodstream.
“I’m really surprised you didn’t ask any questions when I took your car the other day.” His eyes narrowed on me. “Most women would have nagged until they got an acceptable answer, but then again, you’re not like most women, are you?”
“You told me you had some business to take care of. I just assumed you were going shopping.”
“I did have business to take care of and I guess you could consider that shopping.” He nodded at the items in my hand. “Open the flat one first.”
I peeled the tape back on the paper, taking my time to breathe. My heart was pounding for some reason. He placed his hand on mine to stop me for a moment.
“This is a gift for both of us,” he informed specifically, waiting for my confirmation. Once I acknowledged his message, he withdrew his hand so I could continue.
I looked at the words printed on the paper, only to flash my eyes quickly back on him.
“Ryan, what…?” I tried to absorb what I was looking at.
“That’s the property deed to the twelve acres of land right next to your grandfather’s cabin. It’s officially ours.”
“How? When?” I was so shocked I couldn’t form a complete sentence. “Twelve?”
“I have people,” he said comically. “Besides, you’re not the only one in this house that is sneaky. I can plot behind your back too, you know!”
I smirked at him. “What? Did you buy the whole lake?”
“No!” He laughed. “Just most of the East side of it. I tried to buy the whole thing.” He shrugged innocently. “I’m currently in negotiations to buy the five acres after ours down by your dad’s lucky fishing spot. We’ll see if they sell or not. If they do, we’ll own half of the property that surrounds the East side of the lake.”
“Well I guess it’s a good thing that I got you that 3-D architect software. At least I know you’ll have the motivation to use it now. No wonder you laughed when you opened it!” I nudged him.
“I hope you model those later.” He raised his eyebrows devilishly. I tore open the small box that contained a few pairs of red plaid undies.
“Only if you promise to model these.” I tossed a wrapped package in his direction, knowing that I got him several pairs of new boxers.
“I think that can be arranged!” He winked at me.
He opened up the computer software I got for his laptop next. “What’s this?” he asked, reading the front of the box.
“It’s for writing and recording your own music. Open that one.” I pointed to another package.
“You plug the microphone into the USB port and you can play your guitar and record it. I was sort of hoping you’d finish our song that we started up at the cabin.”
He grinned.
“Something for you to mess with while you have a few minutes of down time?” I suggested.
I opened the thin, flimsy package he handed to me next. Inside were brochures and worn pictures cut from magazines. I looked at him, completely puzzled.
“I’ve been saving those pictures for a long time now,” he told me. “Those are all the places in the world that I want to see. I thought maybe you could pick one and we could take a nice vacation.”
I flipped through pictures of the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, and several other well-known wonders of the world, only to stop at a picture where the water was a beautiful shade of teal blue and the sky was deep azure. I didn’t need to go further than that. I showed him the photo.
“Bora Bora!” He beamed happily. “Is that where you want to go?”
I nodded and grinned widely, imagining the two of us on the beach in the picture.
“Done! Tahiti here we come!” he announced joyfully. “I was actually hoping you’d pick that one. We can stay in one of those huts that are out over the water.” He tore open the wrapping on a new bottle of his favorite cologne.
I opened up the box that was shipped from California. Inside was a chocolate brown Dior leather handbag. I smirked at Ryan.
“Kelly said you really liked it, so…” He shrugged.
We were surrounded by shreds of Christmas wrapping paper, like two little children on Christmas morning. He had plenty of new toys, video games, and software to keep him occupied.
“Last two.” He grinned as he trotted back to the living room from the bedroom. The two gifts he had in his hand were not under the tree. He handed me another flat package and a small box. I felt the adrenaline when it released into my bloodstream.
“I’m really surprised you didn’t ask any questions when I took your car the other day.” His eyes narrowed on me. “Most women would have nagged until they got an acceptable answer, but then again, you’re not like most women, are you?”
“You told me you had some business to take care of. I just assumed you were going shopping.”
“I did have business to take care of and I guess you could consider that shopping.” He nodded at the items in my hand. “Open the flat one first.”
I peeled the tape back on the paper, taking my time to breathe. My heart was pounding for some reason. He placed his hand on mine to stop me for a moment.
“This is a gift for both of us,” he informed specifically, waiting for my confirmation. Once I acknowledged his message, he withdrew his hand so I could continue.
I looked at the words printed on the paper, only to flash my eyes quickly back on him.
“Ryan, what…?” I tried to absorb what I was looking at.
“That’s the property deed to the twelve acres of land right next to your grandfather’s cabin. It’s officially ours.”
“How? When?” I was so shocked I couldn’t form a complete sentence. “Twelve?”
“I have people,” he said comically. “Besides, you’re not the only one in this house that is sneaky. I can plot behind your back too, you know!”
I smirked at him. “What? Did you buy the whole lake?”
“No!” He laughed. “Just most of the East side of it. I tried to buy the whole thing.” He shrugged innocently. “I’m currently in negotiations to buy the five acres after ours down by your dad’s lucky fishing spot. We’ll see if they sell or not. If they do, we’ll own half of the property that surrounds the East side of the lake.”
“Well I guess it’s a good thing that I got you that 3-D architect software. At least I know you’ll have the motivation to use it now. No wonder you laughed when you opened it!” I nudged him.
