Notes: Mari and Sammy – Thank you for the EEEEEs and the ideas. I was thrilled to write our SECOND Valentine's Day in the REAL World!
Readers and REAL McRollers – Thank you for your overwhelming support. I continue to be honored and amazed by the love you show us.
Happy Valentine's Day, and I hope you enjoy!
Our Kind of Valentine's Day (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
Sunday, February 14
Steve and Catherine came home from a late brunch to find a white envelope leaning at the base of the front door.
He bent to pick it up. "You got another valentine I should know about, Rollins?" he asked with a smirk. He handed it to Catherine, indicating her name on the front.
She opened the envelope as he unlocked the door and stepped back so she could precede him into the house.
"Oh, it's a thank you card from Samantha," Catherine said, smiling as she read the message.
Steve looked up from greeting Cammie.
"For doing the Career Day assembly and for the lunch and spa day yesterday," she continued.
He straightened to face her. "I'm sure she wasn't the only one who appreciated you doing that assembly on Friday. It sent a powerful message. And I said yesterday, I thought it was great you two spent the afternoon together relaxing."
"Yeah, so often we're focused on her homework when we get together, which is important, but I thought after Friday, a spa day was in order. Gave us a chance to talk more."
He nodded, then smiled wryly, nodding toward her feet. "Plus now you have red toenails for Valentine's Day."
She glanced down at the red nails peeking out from her sandals and grinned. "Samantha's idea. Though hers also match her dress for her big dinner date with Carter tonight."
"Carter?" he repeated, confused. "What happened to Trey?"
"Where have you been, Commander?" she teased as she walked toward the dining room. "She broke up with Trey months ago."
He put his hands on his hips. "Huh."
"Yeah, but I get the feeling she's regretting it," she said, putting the card on the sideboard alongside a few valentines from the younger Allen children. "Wouldn't be surprised if she got back together with him soon."
"Too bad for Carter," he observed.
"Yeah." She stepped back into the living room. "What'd Cody and Jess end up doing?"
"He took her to the annual Ukulele Picnic at Kakaako Makai Park."
She smiled. "Yeah?"
"Yeah, I guess she'd mentioned wanting to learn how to play, but she'd never been to the event. He made up a picnic lunch and everything. I think Kaitlyn was going to help with dessert."
"Very sweet idea," she said approvingly. "Well done, Cody. I'm sure she was very touched. And he took your excellent advice," she added, leaning up to kiss him.
He shrugged. "I just told him it was more important to enjoy being together."
"Exactly. Excellent advice," she said and kissed him again.
"That's 'cause I got it from you," he said, smiling at her.
She tilted her head, touched.
"Speaking of together," he said, trailing his fingers down her arm and taking her hand. "What do you say to a walk on the beach?"
At their feet, Cammie started wagging her tail excitedly as she recognized one of her favorite words.
"Sounds great," Catherine said with a smile. "Though later I have to go through a very long email from Grace with dress ideas. She's been doing a lot of research in preparation for our trip to LA next weekend."
"Wonder where she picked up that habit," he said, grinning at her.
"Haven't the slightest," she said, returning his grin. "But you definitely can't see that."
"Okay," he agreed. "I'm sure I can keep myself busy for a little while."
"I'm sure you can," she said with an amused smile.
After dinner, Catherine had gone upstairs to put laundry away while Steve took Cammie outside.
As she came back down the stairs several minutes later, she heard the door open and the sound of Cammie's paws padding on the floor. A moment later the dog appeared in the living room and gave a woof upon seeing Catherine. She turned toward the door then back again to face Catherine.
"Where's Steve, Cammie?" Catherine asked.
Cammie woofed again and moved forward to nudge Catherine's leg. She took a few steps toward the door, then looked back expectantly.
"Okay, I'm coming," Catherine agreed, her brow slightly creased.
She walked through the dining room and opened the back door.
Cammie trotted out into the yard, then turned to make sure Catherine was still following.
Shutting the door behind her, Catherine stepped onto the deck and stopped in surprise.
Steve stood down on the beach next, a blanket at his feet. He faced the house, hands on his hips, and waited. Catherine could see a wine bottle and glasses propped in the sand, and as she walked closer, she noticed a large heart-shaped box on top of the blanket.
Smiling broadly, she asked, "What is this?"
Steve shrugged, a satisfied smile on his face at her reaction. "Our kind of Valentine's Day."
He took a step to meet her, his arms slipping around her waist, and leaned down for a kiss.
She smiled as they parted, her hands drifting from his cheeks to his shoulders. "Can't argue with that."
"Mm," he hummed his agreement and kissed her again.
"That was a nice touch having Cammie come get me," she said.
Cammie gave a soft woof at her name and wagged her tail happily.
Steve smiled. "Thought you'd like that."
Taking her hand, he stepped back to the blanket, indicating she should sit.
"And what do we have here?" she asked knowingly, picking up the red box.
He grinned as he sat beside her. "Go on," he said, nodding that she should open it.
She pulled off the lid and smiled eagerly. "Ooh, Steve, these look amazing. Are they all . . ."
"Cherry, yep," he said with a nod. "Half cherry cordials and half double-dipped cherries."
"Double-dipped? Now you're talking," she said, plucking one of the chocolates by the stem. She bit into it and closed her eyes in bliss. "Ohh, that's even better than I thought."
He smiled happily and picked up the bottle of wine in one hand and the two glasses in the other. He poured half a glass into each and set the bottle down.
"Here," he said, holding out one of the glasses to her.
She swallowed the rest of the cherry and dabbed a finger at the corner of her mouth where a bit of chocolate lingered. "Mm, thank you," she said and took the glass.
"Happy Valentine's Day," he said, clinking his glass with hers.
She smiled. "Happy Valentine's Day," she said and leaned over to kiss him.
They both took a drink, and then put their glasses down to shift more comfortably on the blanket. He moved a little behind her so she could lean back against his shoulder.
"This is nice," she said, settling against him.
"Yeah." He gave her squinting look. "Though I don't know if it's exactly fair that you're getting to enjoy your Valentine's gift, and I have yet to see mine."
She glanced up at him with a saucy smile. "Yours isn't exactly . . . beach appropriate."
"It's getting dark," he attempted.
"Patience, Commander . . ." she said, thoroughly amused. She offered him the box. "This is a lot of chocolate." She gave him a teasing look. "What? Did you get so many to make sure I'd share?"
He shrugged and picked up one of the cordials, popping it into his mouth. "I was just looking for cherry cordials," he said after he'd swallowed. "The guy at the store suggested the other ones."
"Well, thank you," she said and ate another chocolate. "Mm, they really are amazing."
"Yeah," he agreed and nodded to the box. "I should have thought of this years ago."
She shook her head. "I've loved all the chocolates over the years."
"Even the melted ones?"
She licked her lips. "Especially the melted ones."
He grinned and picked his glass up to take another drink.
"You remember the first Valentine's?" she asked.
He glanced down at her. "First one we were actually together for? Yeah. 2002. We both managed to get leave and met up in Naples."
Steve woke in the unfamiliar hotel bed and rolled over, pressing against the warm body beside him. As Catherine stirred, he drew a hand up languidly along her side and curled his arm around her abdomen to pull her closer.
"Mmm," she murmured, leaning back into him. She turned her head over her shoulder, seeking a kiss.
He indulged her for a long moment before pulling back. "Morning."
"Is it?"
He chuckled lightly. "Doesn't have to be," he said, his voice still rough with sleep. He dropped a kiss to her bare shoulder. "We can stay right here."
"Sounds like a plan," she said with a smile, laying her head back down.
His head settled on the pillow again, and he nuzzled at the back of her neck. She smiled delightedly in response and squeezed his forearm before lacing their fingers together on her stomach.
After a moment of contented silence, she turned her head in his direction. "Hey," she said.
"Hmm?" He raised his head, an eyebrow lifting in question as he tightened his arm around her.
"Happy Valentine's Day." She eyed him with a grin. "Or did you not realize just when our leave happened to fall?"
"I did actually realize that."
She gave him a suspicious look.
He winced slightly. "After half the unit busted me about it."
She laughed. "Ha! I can imagine. 'Oooh, McGarrett's gettin' a Valentine's present,' " she imitated, shifting to her back. With a grin, she added, "I got the same."
He chuckled. "So I went out before you arrived yesterday." He released her and rolled to the edge of the bed, leaning over to dig in his bag until he found a small box. He turned back to her and set the box between them. "I got chocolates. That's right, isn't it?"
She had rolled to her other side to face him and now looked at him fondly, leaning up on an elbow. "There's no 'right,' Steve. You didn't have to get me anything. I'm just happy we're together." She reached over and touched his arm. "That's what's important to me."
He smiled softly and leaned over to press his lips to hers.
After the kiss ended, she looked down at the small box of individually wrapped chocolate balls, each coated in a different ingredient. She picked it up and examined the contents with a smile.
"Though the chocolate was an excellent idea . . ." she added.
He smirked and nodded. "I'll remember that."
She moved closer, lifting the box and putting it behind her as she kissed him deeply.
He laughed into the kiss, rolling her to her back and hovering over her.
"Putting those on your side of the bed, huh?" he asked.
She grinned, nodding. "Uh huh," she said and captured his lips again.
"Mm, those were some good chocolates, too," Catherine said, turning to face him on the blanket. "But I meant the very first Valentine's Day we spent together. Walking around Annapolis, remember?"
He nodded. "I remember. 1998. Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday. Kelly had moved to town so Freddie was with her."
"Carrie and John were officially dating by then."
"And we walked downtown. Split that little box of chocolates."
"Yeah," she said, smiling at the memory.
"That counts?"
"Yeah, that counts."
"Even though they were covered with pecans and you didn't really like 'em?" he asked with a grin.
"It was the thought," she said, laughing lightly. "Plus I had much easier time sharing those." She started to move the box away from him, but he snagged a cherry cordial.
He chuckled. "I think I've learned your tastes by now, Lieutenant," he said and fed her the chocolate.
She smiled around the bite and swallowed. "Mm, and I think I've learned yours," she said with a quick eyebrow waggle.
"I'm happy to test that particular theory," he said, glancing back at the house.
"Patience, Commander," she repeated.
He gave an exaggerated sigh, but was smiling when she leaned back against him again.
After a moment, he took her hand, brushing his thumb over her ring. "Next Valentine's Day, we'll be married."
"Yeah," she said, her smile bright as she followed the motion of his thumb.
"Next New Year's. Next Christmas . . ."
She chuckled, glancing over her shoulder at him. "There's a lot of 'nexts' we'll be married for. You gonna name all of 'em?"
"Maybe." His grin turned to a soft smile. "I like the thought."
"Me, too," she said and tilted her head back to kiss him. She sat up and turned. "But for now, this Valentine's Day isn't quite over."
He raised his eyebrows. "Does that mean . . ."
She stood, but put a hand on his shoulder to keep him in place when he tried to do the same. "Give me a couple minutes," she said.
He gaped at her. "If you think I'm waitin', Lieuten–"
"Patience, Commander," she said, walking backward toward the house with a saucy smile. "By the time you get the blanket and everything picked up, I'll be ready."
He groaned, but remained on the blanket.
She turned and took a few steps, then looked back at him. "Oh, and Commander . . ."
He raised his eyebrows in question.
"Bring the chocolates."
He grinned. "Wouldn't be our kind of Valentine's Day without 'em."
Happy Valentine's Day, REAL McRollers! Hope you enjoyed!
Keep track of all the REAL World stories on our Tumblr page - mcrollintherealworld at tumblr dot com - including a chronological list!
You can still join our mailing list by emailing us realmcroll at yahoo dot com with Add me, please! in the subject line.
And find Mari on Twitter asking your opinions on all things McRoll in the REAL World! Mari21763 and add #REALMcRoller