Shane awaited Oliver's arrival sitting on her porch swing. As he made his way up her walk, she smiled. He was impossibly handsome, early, and…nervous.
He carried a bouquet of flowers, wrapped in paper and ribbon adorned with stars. He'd been to Blooms and hugs, and Ellie had prepared the flowers. She hoped they were yellow roses.
"Good evening, Shane," he nodded. Hearing him say her name still made chills go up her spine. For so long he had held her at arms' length, calling her Ms. McInerney.
She nodded back at him. "Good evening, Oliver." He will always be a gentleman, she thought.
He handed her the flowers, and retreat a bit into himself. He seemed uncertain again. She peered at the flowers, heart soaring. Yellow roses. To her, they were more an act of love on Valentine's Day—or any other day—than red roses were. "I was hoping they'd be yellow," she told him as she peered into the bouquet. She noticed him relax a bit.
She spied the card and the small box in his hand. Her heart quickened.
"These are for you," he said, almost solemnly, offering up the card and the box. As he handed them to her, their hands touched, and she felt the chemistry, the awareness arching between them. She held on a moment longer, treasuring he sensation.
Shane opened the card. It was homemade again this year. She smiled, taking in the imperfect perfection it offered, speaking the words he'd written at barely a whisper. The card was beautiful. The message deeply personal. He'd crafted it for her. A tear escaped her eye, and before she could brush it away, his hand gently caressed her face, and he wiped that tear with his thumb.
He had no idea what that did to her, and she could barely find her voice as she whispered his name. He closed his eyes for the briefest moment as she said his name, and he quietly implored "Open the gift, Shane."
He opened his eyes and looked at her. She looked at the bow. He'd undoubtedly tied and retied it, trying for perfection. She unwrapped the paper and the box and let out a gasp. This changed everything. Without thinking, she launched herself toward him, hugging him with all her might. She knew what this meant. An iPhone. He was putting her wants above his own discomfort.
She reluctantly let go, and looked at him sheepishly. "What made you…" she began, overcome with emotion.
"It occurred to me that my lack of…connectivity…caused you pain. Had I had a cell phone with me in El Dorado Canyon, I could have avoided causing you pain. I never want to bring you pain."
It was the truest act of love. The tears ran freely now, and she couldn't speak. She reached up, cradling that handsome, considerate face in her hands and kissed him.