Hi folks, how's it going? hope you're all well! I'm currently sat enjoying the rare Floridian breeze I've got going on. I have a sneaky feeling it might not last though. I'm so glad you guys enjoyed the beginning of this story. It's coming along nicely actually and it is more or less all planned out so we will see if I stick to my plan. I hope I do! it will make a nice change, huh? Thanks for all of the love from the previous chapter I posted. you guys were super kind and I really enjoyed reading all of your reviews! I definitely need to keep up to posting more regularly. but anyway, I digress. I have a new chapter all good to go for you guys! I hope you like it! :)
You'll always be a part of me; I'm part of you indefinitely.
-David Cook, Always Be My Baby.
He opened up his door and Lindsay just managed to spy a look on his face that told her that there probably wasn't ever a change of plan; this had clearly been the plan all along. As he rounded the car to open her door, she shook her head and glared at her husband.
"This is way above what you had told me you'd done, Danny."
"Well we saved on plane tickets, Linds; I figured we could splurge; you know live a little."
"Danny, we're about to become parents again!" she cried. "This is… this is amazing, honey, but I didn't need this. The hotel you had told me we were going to was enough."
"Linds, it was a Holiday Inn for cryin' out loud. I think you deserve more than the Holiday Inn for your honeymoon. Hell, we both do."
"Danny, this is a log cabin though. This is… it's gorgeous." She said, her eyes falling the expansive and grand log cabin in front of them. It wasn't like anything she had seen in a long time. She could feel her insides tightening with excitement. It was easily two storeys tall, with huge windows letting in the early spring sunshine. When she was younger she had once gone on vacation with Lucy to her parent's log cabin in the foothills of some mountain that Lucy's father had tried to get them to walk up. Although both she and Lucy had hated it at the time, looking back now left her with fond memories. Looking at the cabin, she could feel all those happy feelings come flooding back to her. Then her eyes fell on his face. She could see that he was excited about what he'd planned and she was dampening the mood. What he'd done was sweet, impressive and wonderful… and she should just appreciate it. He was right, this was their honeymoon. They'd got this far together and it was a celebration of their marriage – they deserved a weekend to themselves in a beautiful log cabin. When else would they get the opportunity to do this again?
"Thank you." She said in a soft whisper. "It's amazing; you're amazing. I love it."
"Really?" he asked, his frown doing nothing to mask his disappointment to her reaction. "Because I'm getting the feeling I probably should have asked- or just stuck with the Holiday Inn-"
"Danny, baby… no, no I didn't mean it like that," She shook her head and cupped his cheeks with her hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of that... I just, you surprised me."
"Was it at least a good surprise?"
"It's definitely a good surprise," She nodded, "It just wasn't what I was expecting," she said softly. "I mean, when you said the Holiday Inn, I looked online and it looked nice enough. I figured it was just us spending the weekend away… this is in a whole different category. This is serious honeymoon getaway stuff; you did good, honey."
"I did?" he asked, his frown now gone, replaced with a beaming smile. "Seriously?"
Lindsay nodded. "You gonna give me the grand tour?"
After Danny had given her the grand tour, they had quickly dropped their bags into the log cabin and smartly decided that they needed to get out and experience their surroundings outside of the little town they had ventured to before their honeymoon festivities took over. In short, they both knew that after a certain point, they were going be taking full advantage of the uninterrupted time together.
While they had braved the chilly winds on their way in, the March air was something that they couldn't brave in just jackets on a leisurely stroll around the town. Lindsay was currently wrapped up in her coat, scarf and a hat while Danny stuck with his coat and scarf. They'd decided against gloves; figuring that their hands would keep the other's warm as they clasped them tightly as they
wandered through the little streets.
It was strange bypassing the child orientated stores in the small town; quite simply, they didn't need to go into the toy stores, ice cream parlours and play places. They were both were positive that at some point during their trip they would venture into the toy store at the very least– just to get Lucy a little something – but they took great joy in browsing through anything other than toys.
Their conversations had been flowing steadily, as they always did when they were together. They started on something which soon ventured off course into something completely different. It was something that Danny loved about them and their relationship; he could spend countless hours with Lindsay and would still have things to say. Lindsay was more than just his wife; she was his best friend. He smiled as he squeezed her hand softly and pressed a kiss to the hat that covered her temple.
"It's freezing," she said quietly as she snuggled herself into his side. "It feels like it could snow."
"I love that," he smirked. "How could it feel like it's gonna snow? It's like when people are talkin' on a Thursday and are all, 'how can it be Thursday already? It only feels like Tuesday.' I don't get it… how can something feel like Tuesday?"
Lindsay rolled her eyes as she decided against taking him on. He chuckled at her lack of interest and cleared his throat. "Alright, Moody Montana, wanna go get a drink?"
She shrugged. "We could get one to go, keep exploring?"
"Alright," he shrugged, tugging her into a little coffee shop off the street. As soon as they stepped inside, Lindsay felt her face and fingers tingling from the heater that was pumping warm air through the small coffee shop.
"What do you want, babe? Tea?"
She pursed her lips together. "No, I think I'll have a hot cocoa."
"Oh wow, we're breakin' the usual trend. I'm shocked." He smirked as he positioned himself in the line. "You sure you want it to go?"
She nodded as she laid her hands on her stomach as she watched him thoughtfully. She shifted her weight from one foot to another and felt a tightening in the pit of her stomach. She and Danny were on their honeymoon. Their honeymoon. After all these years, they were finally here. It was like realisation had just struck her in the chest. It had been the first time that they'd ever taken a trip together. Sure, they'd gone to Montana, but those circumstances had never really been the best. It had always been impromptu trips – and sometimes they hadn't even travelled together. No, Montana, as wonderful as some of those memories were – didn't count. Neither did their first family vacation. And that was something that cut Lindsay deep. She struggled to even look at the photographs she'd taken while on their short trip. She was okay with them to a certain point, but the picture she'd taken outside of the lighthouse of Danny and Lucy, as much as she loved it at the time – she'd had to throw it away. It hurt her too much, knowing now what she knew was waiting for them once they had reached the top. They'd take another trip eventually as a family– and it would be ten times better. She would make sure of that… but for now; this trip with Danny was going to be utterly perfect; of that she was already sure of.
"A hot cocoa for my girl," Danny's voice sounded in her ear. "You ready?"
She nodded and offered him a smile as she accepted the to go cup he was handing her. "Thanks baby."
He held the door open for her as they exited the coffee shop and she offered a smile in thanks before hooking her arm through his as he kept her close. As they re-established their stroll in time to one-another, Lindsay giggled as she watched a group of teenagers muttering to one another as they walked past them on the edge of the sidewalk.
"What you gigglin' at?" Danny smirked as he sipped his drink.
"I can't take you anywhere." She laughed.
"What do you mean by that?" he scoffed indignantly.
"Didn't you see their giggles and smiles?" Lindsay asked with raised brows.
He shrugged nonchalantly and turned to look over his shoulder. "I was too busy lookin' at you to notice them."
Lindsay turned to look at him with a look of love shining in her eyes. "That was sweet," she informed him.
"It's true," he shrugged. "They can look all they want; I'm always gonna be yours."
"Good," she squeezed his hand tightly. "Can you remember right when we first started flirting?" she paused to get his attention. "You used to absolutely hate me teasing you."
"Just like you hated me teasin' you." He reminded her In his most feminine voice he mimicked Lindsay's early protests against him teasing her. "Danny, stop calling me that. My name is Lindsay, Lindsay Monroe."
"Shut up, I never said that."
"Yes you did!" Danny implored. "I swear to god, that's a direct quote, Montana. And anyway," he paused, "you never used to tease me."
"I used to tease you about the girls you used to date. You'd tease me about anything and everything. But I always used to get your back up with those girls. Why did you always get so angry about it?"
"I didn't get angry," he scoffed.
"Oh come on Danny, play fair… you'd get so pissed off with me. One time, I remember you didn't speak to me for the entire shift."
"You were talkin' crap, Montana." He shrugged. "I wasn't havin' a good day and you didn't make it any better."
"Why did you get so pissed about the girls though? I was only teasing you," she squeezed his arm playfully. "Come on, don't get mad."
"I ain't gettin' mad," he shrugged. "I just… all those other girls were just a decoy."
A giggle bubbled out of her. "What the hell are you talking about?" she implored. "That doesn't even make sense!"
"Doesn't it?" Danny questioned. "Makes sense to me."
"How does it make sense to you? I am so from what your type used to be. I saw the ones you used to date, Danny. You used to willingly screw anything that walked past you… and anyway, I saw the ones you walked to the subway station near your apartment when I was waiting for you in the Avalanche to give you a ride to work. They were blondes, tall, leggy blondes. I'm a short brunette. That's a distinct pattern you followed… not!"
"You are my type, Lindsay. You're my only type."
"I'm not buying it," she grinned, shaking her head.
"Well, I wasn't exactly going to go for someone who looked exactly like you Montana, was I? I was doin' everythin' I could to stop myself from thinkin' about you. The last thing I needed was to wake up in a mornin' and envision I was wakin' up next to you, only to realise it was someone who could have been you… but would never measure up to be you. I was torturin' myself enough at work… I didn't need it in my personal life too... You have no idea how badly I wanted you. That day when I wouldn't talk to you was because I'd had enough. I hadn't felt like I had about you… ever. I didn't know how to deal with it. And talkin' to you was only makin' it worse, so I figured if I stopped talkin' to you, it'd make it better."
"And did it?"
"No." He sighed heavily. "I realised then that I hadn't ever wanted anything or anyone as much as I wanted you. I figured I had two options…"
"Which were?"
"Well, I either had to get over you… or get under you."
"So you went for getting under me then?" Lindsay concluded.
"Yep," he smirked, "but in all seriousness, I couldn't deal with how I felt about you, Linds. I had it bad for you; I had it real bad."
Lindsay blinked in response. "You've never told me that."
"You never asked." He shrugged.
Lindsay licked her lips and stopped in her tracks, making Danny stumble as he carried on. "Linds?"
"Let's go back to the cabin." She said; her voice low.
"Why?"
"We need to go back," she said softly, her eyebrows rising suggestively.
"Why, do you need somethin'?" he asked, still not understanding what she was insinuating.
She nodded boldly, gripping his hand tightly.
"What do you need?" he asked. "I can always go pick it up… they're bound to sell it in one of these little places."
"They don't sell what I need." Lindsay stood on her tiptoes and whispered into his ear. "I need you, Danny."
Danny's eyebrows raised instantly as it registered exactly what she wanted to go back for. He fought the smirk on his face but failed miserably.
"What are you smirking at?" she implored as they made their way back down the quiet street.
"Nothin'," he shook his head, "I'm just wondering whether it'll be quicker for me to pick you up and fling you over my shoulder before you change your mind."
"I definitely won't be changing my mind about this, Mr. Messer."
Danny licked his lips and picked up the pace. He could tell in the tone of her voice that she was being serious but... he just didn't want to take any chances. He motioned to pick her up and fling her over his shoulder but before he could, she shoved him away with a giggle that was music to his ears. She reached for his hand as he stumbled backwards, laughing himself at the brutality behind her shove.
"Jesus, Linds!" he smirked playfully. "You tryin' to shove my shoulder out of it's joint, because I think you did a good job then." he said, rubbing the offended area.
"Don't even think about it." She smirked as she watched him eyeing her up again. "I can walk just fine by myself. You better hurry though; you never know I might change my mind..."
Rather than providing her with a smart remark in response, he took hold of her hand tightly and led her down the street in the direction of where their log cabin lay on the outskirts of town. He glanced at her and based on the look in her eyes; he couldn't get her home quick enough. If he had known she would have had this reaction, he would have probably told her a lot earlier; that was definitely for sure.
And there we have it... another chapter! :) Hope you guys liked it. I made a few last minute changes that I haven't read over properly so if there are any spelling mistakes or it doesn't make a lot of sense, please accept my apologies! thanks for checking in and reading! Until next time! Laura.
