Chapter 2

"Here ya' go muscles." Riley stacked the trays of food in his arms and smiled. "Thank you for coming with me."

"Absolutely, i'm excited." He stared at her and smiled, remembering the words 'people change people' that Cory uttered at dinner.

"Got it!" She climbed out of the back seat with a present, beautifully wrapped as usual, and an envelope. "Alright, let's go. It's almost 8. Deanna is out by 9." Lucas laughed and followed her to the front door.

"Riley." A woman Lucas assumed was Bonnie hugged her. "I was wondering if you'd stop by this year."

"Of course I would. I need to see DEANNA!" The brunette crept into her home and after dropping the gifts chased an adorable blue eyed girl around the house. "Oh, Bonnie. This is my fiancee Lucas." The officer smirked at the sound of the word 'fiancee'.

"Nice to meet you, come on in."

"Bonnie, where's Nathan?" She looked towards the ground.

"He picked up an extra shift." The brunette slowly nodded and hugged her again. The mother exhaled and whispered in her ear, "he wanted to get her a few more gifts."

"I understand." The woman continued to talk a little bit more when they heard a squeal behind them. Riley turned around to find Lucas pretending to be a dinosaur chasing Deanna around the coffee table.

"I'M GONNA GET YOU! RAWR!"

"NO! RILEY! MOMMY! HELP!" Deanna clutched to her mom's leg and laughed. "You can't get me."

"It's true, I can't. Mommy's are a dinosaurs weakness." He stood up and wrapped his arm around Riley's shoulder. The principal smiled, she had never found him more attractive than just then, that was probably the cutest thing he's ever done.

"So, how did y'all meet?"

Lucas cleared his throat. "We went to high school together. I was just too dumb to not date her then." She blushed but covered it with an eye roll.

"I wasn't the most appealing in high school and we were re-introduced at the reunion. Ever since then we've been pretty much inseperable."

"Well congratulations Riley. I'm very happy for you two. You're a lucky man this woman changed our lives." Bonnie took a deep breath and looked away. "By the way, thank you for the interview. I should hear back once y'all go back to school."

"I put in a good recommendation. Fingers crossed."

They all 3 talked and laughed, occasionally would play with Deanna. "Alright sweet girl, time for bed."

"No."

Riley smiled and took a deep breath before she replied. "But, if you don't go to bed then how would Santa come?" Her eyes widened and she took off down the hall. Bonnie mouthed the word thank you. "We're going to head out, I was hoping to catch Nathan, but y'alls gift is under the tree with Deanna's." Bonnie stood up and hugged them goodbye, Lucas didn't know how but he fell in love with her even more.

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Riley was in the bathroom putting on lotion and brushing her hair, Lucas laid in bed and with his jade eyes stared at her. "How can I help you Mr. Friar?"

"Thank you baby." She flipped off the bathroom light and walked to his bed.

"For what?"

"This is the first Christmas of my life that I felt like I made a difference." The brunette chuckled.

"But, you are a police officer."

"That's my job, yeah. But, I never willingly went to soup kitchens, and did the angels off the angel tree, or cooked dinner and brought presents over to a family that needed it. I loved it."

"I'm so glad babe." She laid on his chest and held his hand. "I thought I was overwhelming you at first, but i'm fortunate enough to not have to worry about a roof over my head, or money. So I like to spread the joy."

"You didn't overwhelm me at all! You've changed me."

"I didn't mean to." The officer snickered. "I thought you were pretty amazing before."

"No, for the better sweetheart." He held her left hand and played with her ring. "It's still crazy thinking we're getting married." Lucas divulged.

"Yeah it is, but i'm extremely elated." Her grin turned to a smile. "It was adorable seeing you play 'dinosaur' with Deanna." The jade eyed man chuckled and his hand landed on his eyes. "You're gonna be a great dad."

"Thank you sweetheart, you're going to be a wonderful mom." Lucas gently scratched her back.

"It's decided, i'll start looking for venues soon so we can set a date."

"Well, have you decided on a honeymoon or a home? Or both, hint, hint!"

"I don't want to choose." The brown eyed girl pulled the blankets over her forehead.

"Why not baby?"

"If I say a home that's thousands upon thousands of dollars, if I say a honeymoon that's still a lot. If I say both that's really a lot."

"You lost me at the first a lot." Riley knew he was smiling as he pulled the blankets off of her. "I told you not to worry about money. And, we'd sell this house so we could put that money towards a new one."

"I can't worry about money my entire life and then after a few hours stop worrying completely." He laughed. Riley loved moments like this, they made a rule where they wouldn't watch TV when they go to bed, they'd talk instead and they got a lot resolved in these moonlit conversations. "We aren't even married yet and you want me to spend your money like it's not a big deal."

"It isn't a big deal." He heard his fiancee scoff. "I'm serious, if you don't choose then I will."

"Please do. I don't know which one."

"One? I'm choosing both."

"I had a feeling you'd say that." His strong hands raised her chin and they kissed. "I love you so much. I'm very blessed."

"We both are."

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Riley woke up when she heard the knock on the front door. She'd completely forgot about the delivery of Lucas' Christmas present. The brunette hurriedly crept out of bed and ran to the front door. "Hi, i'm so sorry. I completely forgot, there's been a lot going on."

"It's no problem. I'm glad I could help." The gentleman picked up a crate off the front porch and generously dropped it off in the living room. Lucas woke up at the sound of a man's voice and grabbed his gun out of the gun safe.

"He's going to love him. Thank you." The principal pushed him out the door when she heard footsteps from the hallway.

"Who's that?" Riley dropped her head, realizing she wasn't as sneaky as she had hoped. "Not your other boyfriend is it?" She turned around at the sound of his gun cocking.

"Alright, before I tell you," The brown eyed girl dead bolted the door, "you need to put the gun away." The brunette glanced at her fiancee as he was unloading the gun, he looked so sexy. Shirtless, abs, messy bed hair and that smile. Lucas unloaded the magazine, emptied the chamber and set it down on the table. "That guy was delivering your Christmas present." Lucas' vacant expression turned to a smile. "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

"Come here to me." Riley skipped to him with a smile. His pointer finger grazed her chin and she was pulled into his lips. They continued to kiss until there was a small bark from the dining room. "What'd you do?" There was a smirk on her face and the officer sauntered into the dining room. Coal was laying on the floor with his nose in one of the holes of the crate. "Alright boy, back it up." Riley leaned against the wall and watched him open the box. "Oh my God! Hi little guy, what are you doing in there?" The brunette snickered at his puppy voice and saw his hands holding the fluffiest chocolate lab. His eyes were halfway closed, apparently the puppy wasn't ready to wake up yet. She snapped a picture with her phone while Lucas loved all over him, scratching his ears and petting his head. "He's perfect."

"Yeah, full bred, both of his parents are hunting dogs and his paws are a pretty good size, so he should be big." His green eyes locked on hers. "I figured, that we should have a dog that's ours, if something happens to us Coal is coming with me." He chuckled.

"Nothing is going to happen to us. But, I love him thank you." They kissed again.

"You open your presents and i'll cook us breakfast." The puppy started licking his nose. "That one has strong puppy breath. So, you've been warned." Lucas laughed.

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The officer didn't open his presents, he played with the puppy, Coal got extremely jealous and was rubbing all over the jade eyed man. The dancer walked out of the kitchen with 2 plates in her hands. She smiled and leaned up against the door frame. "Did you pick out a name?"

"I thought that was something we'd do together."

"Nope, he's yours. You choose." Riley set the plates down on the coffee table, and began playing with the puppy.

"How about Hoss?"

"Hoss the boss, I like it." She divulged a smile and her fiancee touched her lips again. "Now, open your presents!"

"Presents? Plural?"

"They go hand in hand with Hoss." Her brown eyes shifted to Hoss. "Don't they, don't they pretty boy." Coal crawled into Riley's lap. Lucas opened up 3 seperate presents; a dog bed, leash, and collar, and a 12 gauge shotgun.

"NO WAY!" Riley laughed.

"Way! Did you think I was going to get you a hunting dog and not get you a shotgun? Tsk, tsk." He placed it in his shoulder pocket and aimed. "I figured we could take Hoss to the gun range on a nice day, and Coal of course."

"You're absolutely incredible!" Lucas' phone started to ring and once he realized it was his mom the green eyed man answered.

Hey momma. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas Laura! Merry Christmas Rodney!
Lucas Friar, I never received a phone call. Am I getting a daughter in law? Riley's mouth opened and slapped his arm.
Yes m'am. You're getting a wonderful daughter in law.
YAAAAAAAAAAAYYY! Lucas and Riley chuckled. Oh, i'm so excited! Have y'all set a date? Riley can I please help? I know i'm far away but we can drive up.
Of course you can! Especially when I pick out a dress, I wasn't going to do that without you! I need both of my mom's there.
Her brown eyes widened when she heard Laura crying. I'm so happy for y'all! Ugh, alright Laura dry it up!
Did you like your gifts?
That's why we were calling! The note said to call you when we opened them. I'm gonna put you on speaker, ah there we go. Your father is on the line too. Rodney, they're getting married! They heard his father clear his throat. I figured from all that screamin' you did. Congratulations son, you are a lucky man.
Thank you dad, I know I am.
Alright, we're gonna open the presents. Stay on the line. There was silence for a few minutes, they heard paper rustling and his mother gasp. Oh my gosh! Riley, I know this was you. The brunette blushed. It's gorgeous, oh my goodness gracious! Honey, look at this. It's a blanket and it has an old picture of us on it. That's so, wow! I don't have any words.
I'm so happy you like it. Also, the picture I stole from you is in the box, don't throw it away.
Oh okay! Laura started laughing and the jade eyed man grabbed the phone.
Hey mom, i'm going to give Riley her gift so we'll talk later okay? Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas y'all!

"My gift? I thought this past weekend was my gift. You didn't need to get me anything else." His beautiful eyes rolled.

"I splurge on you, remember? So, yes you have a gift to open on Christmas." The officer walked to the bedroom and opened his gun safe, where he keeps everything he's trying to hide. "Here you go. Merry Christmas baby." The brunette furrowed her brows and took the present out of his grasp.

"Is this going to put my gift to shame?"

"No, that's an amazing gift. Best one ever, besides the whole you agreeing to marry me." His smile melted her heart. The new addition to the family was laying in her lap as she slowly opened her gift.

"I'm very impressed at your wrapping skills." He rolled his eyes at the crumpled up paper she pulled off of a white box. "Okay, let's see." She pulled the lid off. "Oh my God! LUCAS!"

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