Chapter 7

Christmas came and went and Lisa realized she never gave Jack his gift. Even though it was after the holiday she didn't want to just give it to him. She wanted it to be special.

"Hey Lou, I wanted to ask you, can I book the big cabin for New Year's?"

"Well, dad already asked, he wanted to go with Jessica."

"Oh ok, I'll figure something else out."

"You know what Lisa, don't worry about it. I hadn't given him an answer yet and they have the loft to themselves. You and grandpa need the space more than they do."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely, I'll just tell him we had already talked about you and grandpa using it. I'll have Peter make sure there's plenty of wood for a fire too."

"Thank you Lou, thank you."

Lisa wanted to come up with something special. Jack was always surprising her with thoughtful gestures. Christmas Eve for example, their time by the pond, just the two of them. It wasn't anything extravagant or expensive, it was thoughtful and romantic. First she needed to head to the mall. She had mentioned on Christmas Eve something about only wearing a red ribbon, while it was funny at the time, it really left nothing to the imagination. She was on the hunt for a seductive but tasteful red negligée.

Jack was out chopping wood, when he had an idea. He should talk to Lou about using the cabin at the dude ranch on New Year's Eve. This way him and Lisa could head over there after supper with the family and still have some time to themselves. He chopped some extra wood to take down there. He would talk to Lou before dinner.

Lisa returned home from shopping and saw Jack by the driveway chopping wood. She didn't want him to see her packages so she left them in the car for the time being, hoping she would get a chance later to get them.

Jack walked over to kiss Lisa hello. He was hoping to have had a chance to talk to Lou before Lisa came home. Now he would have to pull Lou off to the side and hope Lisa doesn't overhear him, he was planning to surprise her. They walked into the house hand in hand secretly wishing their surprise wouldn't get ruined. Jack goes to the bathroom to get washed up while Lisa stays in the kitchen to help Lou with dinner. When Jack realizes he's not going to be able to get Lou alone, he sends her a text message.

"Wanted to see if me and Lisa could stay in the big cabin on New Year's? Keep it quiet. It would be a surprise."

Lou felt the vibration of her phone in her pocket, luckily when she pulled it out she didn't react to getting a text from Jack. That would have been hard to play off. She quickly responded "no problem." Not mentioning that Lisa already booked it. She never gave it a thought, but wasn't sure if Lisa wanted it to be a surprise.

Later Lou and Lisa were in the kitchen discussing the family dinner for New Year's, Lou asked Lisa if Jack knew her plans for the night. Lisa said she wanted it to be a surprise, that she was still working out the details. She mentioned that some of the details were in her car because Jack hadn't left the ranch and Lisa didn't want him to see the bag.

"What kind of bag?"

Lisa gave Lou a look.

"I can help you get it in, I can distract grandpa with something while you run out and get it."

"Oh Lou, that would be great, thank you."

Lisa ran to the food store to get the stuff for dinner that her and Lou discussed and she went to get some champagne. She wanted some bubbly to celebrate with. She had a bag in the trunk of her car with stuff to take over to the cabin. When she got there, she saw that Peter stacked the wood like Lou said he would. She went in and made up the bed. She put a couple candles around. She was excited, it would be a beautiful romantic evening for them to share and a wonderful way to end one year and begin another.

Jack pulled out Lisa's present while she wasn't around. They hadn't exchanged on Christmas because she had fallen asleep. She liked wide banded bracelets and he found one that had a horseshoe. Now that he talked to Lou about the cabin, he just needed to take some stuff down there. He was excited to surprise Lisa, they hadn't been away alone in a while. It would be nice to have the whole evening and next morning to themselves. He loved having the family under one roof, but sometimes you just want to lay in bed with your wife and drink your coffee in your pajamas. Sometimes you want to take all night to please your wife or all morning. Jack was pretty healthy and felt good but he knew his age wasn't on his side, after being shot he realized he wanted to give Lisa as much of himself as he could, while he could. There are no guarantees. It was an honor to be her husband, she could have picked anyone, she was wealthy, beautiful and intelligent, but she chose him.

Lisa gave the room a quick once over to make a mental note of anything else she may need to bring. As she looked around the room, she remembered their wedding night. It was absolutely beautiful, and Jack planned everything himself. She had told Lou their wedding was the definition of a low key event, but for her it was perfect, because of how she felt. She felt amazing that day. She knew Jack loved her and he knew she loved him, but declaring their love for each other in front of the preacher and getting married meant the world would acknowledge their love for each other. The night they spent in the cabin, well that was beautiful too. Jack was such a caring, thoughtful lover. The night was something they both will never forget.

"Good morning you, Lisa leaned over to kiss Jack good morning. He playfully rolled her over onto her back with himself above her.

"Good morning, beautiful. Happy New Year's Eve. Are you ready to end this year and start a new one?"

"I am, as long as you're by my side."

Jack kissed her, "can't imagine any place I'd rather be."

Neither knowing what the other was thinking, both wondering how their night together will unfold. Anticipation running through them.

Lisa and Jack go into the kitchen for coffee, Lou is already at the table. Jack drinks a cup quickly then heads out to the barn. Lisa sits with Lou before starting breakfast.

"Wow, you look rather happy this morning."

"I'm just excited for tonight, I really want to surprise Jack and have a nice romantic evening."

"I'm sure it will be perfect and he will love it.

"I think it's really nice the way you guys do special things for each other. I need to do more stuff like that for Peter and I."

"Well just let me know, I can watch Katie, uh, you know what I mean, she basically watches herself these days. But if you and Peter want to get away."

"I may just take you up on that. Now back to tonight, do you have everything you need?"

"I think so. I need to put the champagne on ice, but otherwise I think I'm good. I've made up the bed, added a few candles, I can't think of anything else."

"How are you going to get him there?"

"I'll just tell him at the last minute to pack a bag, it's the best I can come up with."

"Right and how you get him there isn't as important as being there."

As the family sat around the table eating, drinking and laughing, Jack would look at Lisa, then Lisa would look at Jack, they would smile lovingly at one another. Neither of them knew what the other had planned. Everyone started to clear the table, Lisa started to wash the dishes. Lou stopped her and told her to go enjoy her evening. Lisa found Jack and asked him to come into the bedroom.

"Is everything alright Lise?"

"Yes, it's fine, I just wanted to talk to you for a minute."

Once they were in the bedroom Lisa pulled out her overnight bag and told him she had a surprise for him to get a bag together.

Jack looked at her worried

"What's the matter Jack?""

"I um, I was going to surprise you, I have a night away planned."

"You what…and just where were you going to take me."

"I thought we could spend the night at the dude ranch."

She walked over to Jack and wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned up to kiss him.

"Great minds think alike, I talked to Lou about us going to the dude ranch."

Jack kissed Lisa back before turning to his bag, "well what are we waiting for, a whole night of just me and you."

"And I still have to give you your Christmas present." She winked at him.

They walked out of their room together, Lisa stopping at the fridge to grab the champagne.

"Have fun you two." Lou called.

Lou had asked Peter to sneak away after dinner to start the fire in the fireplace. The cabin was nice and warm when Lisa and Jack arrived. They put their bags down and got settled. Jack asked Lisa if she wanted champagne now or later.

"I'll have some now please."

As Jack handed her the glass, she handed him his Christmas present. "Since we never exchanged on Christmas."

He opened the package, it was a beautiful dark wood collage frame filled with pictures of them from over the years. Pictures from Lou and Peter's wedding, Caleb's first wedding, Katie's birth, their trip to France, their wedding celebration, Amy's wedding, Lyndy's birth and naming ceremony. It was a representation of all the years they were together and Jack loved it. It was something he could hang proudly on the wall. Lisa knew he didn't like the digital frame, she thought he would like this much better.

"I love it, Lise, thank you."

He reached in his bag and pulled out her gift. She unwrapped the box and opened it to find a beautiful white gold bracelet with 18 baguette diamonds in the shape of a horseshoe.

"Oh Jack, it's stunning. I love it."

Jack picked up their glasses and handed Lisa's back to her.

"To love."

Lisa looked up at Jack, "to love."

He pulled her in close for a kiss. "You are the most beautiful woman."

Her blue eyes looked deeply into his, "and you are the most romantic amazing husband."

Jack broke away from their embrace. Lou had downloaded the song they danced to at their wedding celebration on his phone. As the song started to play, he extended his hand.

"May I"

"Oh Jack."

Jack held Lisa in his arms as they swayed to the music gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. Jack leans down and softly kisses her lips, the anticipation she felt earlier growing. Knowing where this was leading, Lisa mentioned she had another gift for him. She gave him a quick kiss before grabbing her bag and heading into the bathroom. Jack poked around at the fire, the room was completely lit by the glow of the fire and the candles giving it a feeling of warmth.

"Hey Lise, it's almost midnight."

Lisa emerged from the bathroom.

"I have an idea on how we can ring in the new year."

The sound of her voice made Jack look up from the fire. He stood up, standing before him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Lisa had taken the clip out of her hair letting it fall around her shoulders. She had on a red silk negligée, low cut in the front with a plunging back, it hung to just about her knee and swirled about her when she moved.

"I never thought you could look more beautiful, but you do."

He kissed her with all of the passion inside him and she returned the kiss. Soon they were ending one year and starting the next wrapped up in each other's arms, loving one another the only care they had.