Show Me The Love

Valentines' Day. A 'taken' guy's worst nightmare. No matter what we do, it's never good enough. I don't understand why women put such emphasis on a manufactured day like that.

"It celebrates love," my ex whined last year when she showed up at my restaurant in the middle of supper when we were packed to the nuts.

"Nance, I'll gladly show you love any day of the year but I'll be damned if Hallmark is going to tell me that one day is more important than the other. Now," I steered her towards the doors. "I have a lot of work to do - see you tonight."

Of course, that wasn't the way she wanted to spend Valentine's Day, she expected me to shut down the restaurant for the day and have a romantic dinner, just the two of us. We fought, she called me an insensitive prick who just cared about the almighty dollar. I told her that she was the reason I worked so hard. "If you weren't such a money grubbing whore -"

Yes, she slapped me - hard - across the face before she ran out crying, wishing a slow and horrible death...but not before a wild grizzly bear with dull teeth chewed my balls off. Oh Nance, she was so loving. I can't say I miss her at all.

This year I wanted to make sure that the day was everything that Sara wanted - even if I hated the whole damn thing, she deserved so much.

And that's why I was awake and standing at the front doors of the store with hot chocolate and a little something special for Sara.

"Tanner!" Judy's eyes widened in surprise as she unlocked the door for lunch. "What are you doing here? Coming back?" She looked so hopeful, I almost hated to tell her 'no'.

"Sorry," I flashed her a smile. "I've just come to see Sara. She's working tonight, right?"

"Oh of course!" She motioned for me to come inside. "I'm just about to call lunch; it's our Valentines potluck tonight."

"Oh?" I raised a brow.

Laughing, she told me that it had more to do with having potluck than Valentine's Day. "The staff love potlucks and we haven't had one in a while." Pulling her phone out of the clip on her belt, she paged that it was lunchtime.

Most of the staff were already back in the staff room when Judy and I walked into the back. Glancing around the room, I smiled when I saw Sara holding a paper plate and plastic cutlery as she stood next to Billy. "Excuse me," I walked into the staff room.

Billy saw me over Sara's shoulder. "Sara, how's Tanner doing? Do you have plans for later today?"

"Billy, I told you, Tanner works evenings now. I don't think I'll see him today but hopefully tomorrow."

"You aren't seeing him on Valentine's Day?" Billy chuckled as he glanced at me. "I know you think that it's a useless made up day but I would've thought that the girl in you would've been excited to know that your boyfriend is awake at 3am and standing right behind you, and..."

Sara glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widened and she dropped her plate. "Tanner!" She squealed as she threw herself right into my arms. "Oh my..." she pressed her face against my neck as she held me tight.

"Hey babygirl," I wrapped my arms around her body, taking a deep breath. "Damn you feel so good."

"Psst," Billy poked us. "You are blocking my way to food!"

"Oh," Sara laughed. "Let's go..."

She didn't have time to finish her sentence, I was pulling her away from the line and out the staffroom door. I led her down to the training room and once inside, I closed the door, pressing her up against it. "Did I tell you that you are looking hot tonight?"

Blushing, Sara looked away from me. "You don't have to say that Tanner, I've been working, I know I'm not looking -"

"So hot," I pressed my hips against hers.

"Tanner," she gasped. "How...? I didn't do anything!"

"You know you don't have to do anything baby." Tilting her face upwards, I told her she drove me crazier than anyone else ever had.

"Is that so?" She grinned.

"Yes," I kissed her. "I have something for you."

"I know," she chuckled. "I can feel your...present."

"Ha ha," I kissed her again. "That 'present' I'll give you later - when you come over after work."

"Today?"

I nodded.

"Count me in," she exclaimed excitedly. "I can't wait to unwrap that 'present'." Licking her lips, she gave me the sexiest look ever as her hand travelled down over my chest.

"Hey...hey," I jumped back. "Let's save that for after work."

"Oh?" She pouted.

"But I do have some thing you can open right now," I held up the bag in my hand and showed it to her. "Happy Valentine's Day babygirl."

"Tanner...." she looked like she didn't know what to do. She looked away.

"Hey," I tilted my head, trying to see what was wrong. "Everything ok?"

"You didn't have to get me anything Tanner - I didn't get you anything."

"Yes I did." She gave me a questioning look. "Just open this and you'll see."

"Ok," she took the bag from me but she was a little weary.

I walked with her as she made her way to the table in the middle of the room, she sat down but instead of opening the bag, she waited for me to join her. "Before I open this, I have a question."

"Ok," I shrugged. "Shoot."

"This is very important to me Tanner - are you giving me this because it's Valentine's Day or because you want me to have it?"

"Well..."

"Please be honest."

"Ok," I took her hand in mine. "To be honest Sara, I think Valentine's Day is bullshit. I don't need Hallmark to tell me how and when I should tell you how I feel."

"But yet you decided to give me this today?"

"Sara..." Closing my eyes, I groaned, this wasn't going the way I wanted it. And then I had an idea. "It's not the 14th yet," I pointed out.

"What?" She laughed, "It is Tanner."

"Maybe to other people but not for you."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"What day will you write on the skid tags when you bring overstock into the back at the end of your shift Sara?"

"February 13th..." she trailed off and then started to laugh. "Ok," she shook her head. "Point taken, it's not the 14th for me yet."

"Not until you go to sleep, isn't that what you always told me?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "That's what I told you." She pulled the bag to her and opened it up. "This is exciting," she giggled. "I've never been given something 'just because' before."

"It's not 'just because'," I informed her. "It's...oh just open it and see."

I watched nervously as she reached in and pulled out the box that held her present. It was even more nerve wrecking to watch her slowly open the box. But the worst part was after she opened the box, saw what was in there and just stopped. No words, no sounds - nothing. She just stared into the opened box.

"You....you don't like it?" I felt stupid all of a sudden, like it was way too early or she thought it was dumb.

"I...." she blinked a few times as her brow ceased in the middle. "Is this..." she reached into the box and pulled out the ring. "It is!" She exclaimed as her face relaxed and she turned to me. "It's your grad ring!"

"Yeah," I ran my hand through my hair sheepishly. "It's stupid, I know but I wanted...I mean, I thought..."

"Oh Tanner!" She leapt from her chair and landed on my lap. "It's perfect!"

"Think so?" I wasn't so sure, even with her in my lap, it seemed so high schoolish and lame.

"Yes," she kissed me. "I love it!" Her eyes sparkled as she asked me if I was asking her to 'go steady'.

Laughing, I told her that's exactly what I was asking her.

"I thought you'd never ask," she told me right before she kissed me again.