"Hey!" Ashley said opening the door for Ryan. "Glad you could come." She smiled at him as he stepped in and pulled her into a hug giving her a quick kiss. "Ohh flowers? Pulling out the big guns are you?"
"I didn't wanna show up empty handed."
"They're really pretty, mom will love them." She reassured him.
"So remember how I kept telling you to not be nervous?" He chuckled a little. "Well I've been telling myself that the whole way here and it's not working very well."
"Relax." she laughed. "My brother likes you and believe me he's the hardest one to win over. My mom is just excited to meet you and praying you'll like her food."
"From what you've told me I will be very stuffed by the end of the night." He laughed as AJ walked by the room. "Hey man."
"Flowers, for me? You shouldn't have!" AJ teased. "What's up man? What are you guys doing standing around here?"
"I'm trying to get this clunk to get enough courage to move." Ashley laughed. "He's a little nervous."
"About mom?" AJ said with a chuckle. "I don't think my mom has ever not liked a single person in her life. You have nothing to worry about."
"Told you, now come on I can smell the food and I'm starving."
"Lasagna time." AJ grinned and made his way towards the kitchen.
"Just relax and breathe and be yourself. Everything will be just fine." Ashley smiled at him taking his hand and following AJ into the kitchen.
"Hey mom." Ashley smiled as they entered.
"I thought I heard the doorbell ring." She smiled wiping her hands on a towel and stepping away from the sink and walking over to them. "You must me Ryan."
"Hi Ms. McLean, it's really nice to me you." He smiled and stuck out his hand to greet her.
"No need to be so formal, call me Denise." She smiled back. "And here we don't shake, we hug." She said giving him a quick hug.
I brought these for you." He said handing her the bouquet of flowers.
Well thank you very much, that was so thoughtful of you. They're just beautiful." She smiled taking the flowers from him. "Alex why don't you grab something to put these in and set them on the table."
"No problem mom." He said taking the flowers from her and getting to work.
"Dinner's almost ready, why don't we go sit in the living room and chat a little." Denise said leading the way. Ashley and Ryan followed behind soon joined by AJ. "Tony, here you are. Ryan, this is my fiancé Tony."
"Nice to meet you." He smiled as they took a seat around the couches.
"So Ashley tells me you play football for your school?" Denise said.
"Yeah, and basketball. I'm hoping to get picked up by UCLA or USC. They've been scouting me since summer training, I'm not sure if they'll pick me up though. It'd be great to get some soft of scholarship next year."
"So do you see yourself trying to play professionally?" Tony asked.
"Not really. I'd just rather go to school on a scholarship then have to rely on my parents for the money. They're more then willing to pay my way, but the less dependent I am on them the better."
"So what are you thinking about going to school for?" AJ chimed in.
"Not really sure yet.I still have a year to decide. My dad wants me to be pre law and my mom wants me to be pre med. I?m thinking more into physical therapy or maybe sports medicine."
"Well you seem to have a very good head on your shoulders." Denise smiled at him.
"Thanks."
"Well dinner should be ready, what do you say we move this conversation to the dining room?" Denise smiled and she got up and everyone followed.
They all took a seat around the dinner table as Denise placed the tray of Lasagna, salad and garlic bread on the table.
"Everything smells so good mom, I've missed your cooking so much. I needed a good home cooked meal." Ashley smiled as she spooned some pasta onto her plate.
"Hey I've cooked you dinner!" AJ defended himself.
"I said a good home cooked meal." Ashley teased. "Emphasis on good."
"You said you loved my chicken."
"I was being nice." She laughed.
"See if I cook for you anymore."
"Relax, she laughed. You make good breakfast does that count for something?"
"Yea, stop trying to kiss up now. It's too late, I see how it really is." He pouted.
"Oh build a bridge and get over it." She laughed as she began to eat her salad. As she thought it was over a piece of bread smacked her in the head from across the table. She looked up from her plate to see AJ chuckling and Ryan trying to stifle a laugh.
"Way to be mature." She said taking a bite of the bread and sticking her tongue out at him.
"We have a guest, let's keep the manners in check." Denise said to the two who were still teasing each other from across the table.
"He's ate here before, believe me he's seen worse." AJ defended.
"How reassuring." Denise shoot her head laughing at the two who finally settled down continuing to eat.
"This lasagna is really good." Ryan spoke up a little while later.
"I'm glad you like it. Don't be shy take more if you want." She smiled.
"I think I just mite." He said spooning some more onto his plate.
"So Ryan, are you looking forward to the holidays?" Tony asked.
"Yea, it's the one holiday I actually like celebrating."
"What does your family do to celebrate?" Denise asked.
"My whole family actually comes and stays at our house on Christmas Eve so that we're all together and we have a big dinner and an even bigger breakfast. I have a lot of cousins so its fun."
"Speaking of Christmas, I have your present upstairs. I probably won't see you until after so I want to give it to you now."
"I have yours in the car, I forgot to bring it in when I came in. Remind me to get it after we done eating." He smiled at her.
Dinner finished and Ashley and Ryan offered to clear the table. She smiled over at him once the room was theirs.
"Told you they'd love you."
"They're really nice, very welcoming, and man did I fill up on that food. It was so good."
"I know, I feel like I'm gonna burst." Ashley laughed as she handed him the last plate to go into the dishwasher. "So present time?" She said with a grin anxious to see what he had got her.
"Hmm, I dunno. How long can I draw it out to build the anticipation?" He smirked wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning in to kiss her.
"Please can I have my present?" She said in between kisses wrapping her arms loosely around his neck.
"Ok present number one." He said as he deepened the kiss pushing her back against the kitchen cabinet.
"I liked that present." She smirked trying to catch her breath a few moments later. "Funny really great minds must think alike, I got you the same thing." She grinned, hoping up so she was sitting on the counter and eye level with him. She pulled him close and into another passionate kiss.
"Is that what they call cleaning the dishes these days." AJ laughed from the entrance to the kitchen.
"I...Uhh...Uhhh...we..." Ashley stumbled for her words flustered for a moment.
"Relax, I'm just kidding...as long as it stays to that, and only that for a long, long time. Understand?" His smile quickly turning serious before reappearing. "Now if you two love birds would so kindly pull yourselves away from each other, mom would like you to join us in the living room."
"Be right there." Ashley said looking at him until he was out of sight.
"Real presents later I guess." She smiled kissing him once more before hopping off the counter and taking his hand to head towards the living room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Well sorry to cut this night short, but it's been a very long day." Denise said stifling a yawn a few hours later. "We really enjoyed having you over and we must do it again next time I'm in town."
"Definitely, it was a lot of fun. Thanks for having me." Ryan said standing from the couch to say good bye to her.
"Alex, don't forget we have a meeting tomorrow at eleven." Denise said heading for the stairs.
"I know, good night." He waved as they retreated towards their rooms. Once they were gone he turned his attention back towards Ryan and Ashley. "So who's up for a game of Scategories?" He said in a comedic tone with a chuckle.
"How's about we play hide and seek? You go hide and we'll come find you when hell freezes over." Ashley laughed back.
"You're so mean to me. I'm telling mom." He jokingly pouted and crossed his arms.
"Act your age, not your shoe size."
"I don't have to take this anymore, I'm going home." He said with his best Steve Erkel voice getting up and making his way out of the room.
"Good night dork face." Ashley called to him.
"You guys crack me up." Ryan said as AJ left. "Your brothers really cool."
"Ehh I guess he's a keeper." She laughed. "So is it present time now?" She said wide eyes and hopeful.
"I was kinda hoping for more of present one." He teased kissing her quick.
"After present two." She smiled and got up from the couch."Yours is under the tree." she said.
"I'm gonna go get yours." He said getting up to retrieve it from his car. "Close your eyes." He said as he came back in. Ashley did as was told and waited as he rejoined her on the couch. "Ok open."
She opened her eyes and automatically recognized the Build A Bear box. She grinned as she opened the box to pull out a teddy bear dressed like Santa.
"Aww this is so cute!" She smiled hugging him.
"There's more, take a closer look." He smiled pointing to the bear.
Around its neck was a gold necklace with a beautiful rose pendant that had a pink stone in the middle.
"Oh my gosh, its so beautiful!" She exclaimed removing it from the bear and studying it in her hand.
"One more thing. Santa always carries something special in his bag." He said pointing to the small red fleece bag tied to the bears arm.
"More?" Ashley said excitedly as she untied the bag and opened it to find a small jewelry box. Inside was a gold double heart ring. On each heart was one of their initials. "Oh my...wow. I love it!" She pulled him into a hug, kissing him.
"Good, I was nervous you would think it was cheesy." He admitted.
"No absolutely not. It's perfect. Thank you." She kissed him once more. "Ok, your turn. I hope you like it." She said handing him the gifts. Open this one first.
He unwrapped the first gift to find a framed picture of them from Angel's party. He smiled at the picture and then at her before kissing her.
"Not too girly?" She asked.
"No, this was one of the best nights. I love it." He kissed her for reassurance.
"Ok, open the other one, that's the real present." She said in anticipation, hoping he would like it.
He unwrapped the second box and opened it to find a silver and onyx bracelet and two white gold dog tags with diamond cuts. Each name tag had their names on it."
"Guess we really do think alike, huh?" She laughed."Do you like it?"
"Um yeah these are fricken sick." He said eying them before sliding the long chain around his neck. "I've been dying to get some tags."
"I know." She smiled. "I cheated and asked Danny what you'd like. The bracelet was my idea though."
"It's awesome, I've never seen one like it."
"I thought you would like it." She smiled.
"Thank you so much babe." He leaned in and kissed her. "Now if you ask me its time to get back to present one."
"Couldn't agree more." She smiled and sat on his lap before leaning in to return his kiss. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas." He replied and pulled her in once more.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry if theirs errors I'm out of town and wrote this chapter on my blackberry...which was a challenge for my thumbs lol but hope you like it :) ill fix any problems tomorrow when I'm home...ENJOY!
