Love on the Line

30

Blaire's POV

"Jake, is the blindfold really necessary?"

"Yes Lassie, because if you didn't have it on you'd see the surprise, and a magician never reveals his secrets."

"Are you saying you know magic?"

"I'm saying I may have a few tricks up my sleeve."

I sigh and decide not to argue further, it's no use. I've asked Jake 3 times now to let me look and he won't budge, so instead I sit on my bed and try to focus on my breathing. In a few moments, I feel the bed shift as Jake comes to sit beside me.

I can't see him, obviously, but just his presence makes my heart beat faster. He smells amazing, like teakwood and laundry detergent. I bet he looks even better than he smells.

"Alright Lassie, you can take off the blindfold now." His voice sounds shaky, nervous, maybe?

I quickly pull off the handkerchief and blink my eyes to adjust to the light. We're still in my hospital suite, but it looks different. Gone are the usual posters and family photos, and in its place are landscape photos of wide open spaces and fields of horses. The windows are closed, and the curtains have been replaced by a large navy blue and gold flag I've never seen before.

"Jake...what is this?"

"Well, you told me once that you always wanted to go to Montana. Obviously, my first choice was to take you there myself, but turns out taking a minor out of a hospital and into another state is considered kidnapping and reckless endangerment."

A giggle escapes my lips and he pauses briefly to smile at me before continuing.

"So, my second choice was to bring Montana to you." He begins walking around the room.

"These pictures are the kind of thing you'd see driving through the state, and that's the state flag." He nods to the impromptu curtains.

"They have a LOT of cows. So I got us grass fed beef burgers for dinner. I also bought you Montanopoly, which happens to be the Montana themed version of Monopoly. And turns out they have some pretty cool movies based in Montana. I picked A River Runs Through It, because I mean how could you say no to a young Brad Pitt?"

I tried to speak, but I suddenly realized that I was so flustered I couldn't form coherent words. Jake must've taken it badly, because he starts to ramble even more.

"Shit. You don't like it, do you? God, I knew it was too over the top. I should've just brought you an icecream sandwich and convinced the nurses to let us wheel chair race. I'm sorry Blaire, I-"

"Jake." I finally found my voice and cut him off abruptly.

"I love it. This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me in the history of ever."

"Lassie," he groans. "You know how I feel about the word sweet."

"Yeah, and I don't care. It's my birthday, cupcake."

His face breaks into an ear splitting grin and he walks over to wrap me up in a hug. My whole body relaxes in his grasp.

"Happy Birthday Blaire. I'm so glad you like it," he mumbles into my hair. I sigh contentedly in response.

After a moment, I break the silence.

"Sooo are we gonna eat some burgers or what?"

//////////////////////////////////

I can definitely say it's been the best birthday of my life, even if it was spent in a hospital bed. It wasn't just the food, or the game, or a young Brad Pitt even...it was Jake. Everything he had done was thoughtful, and unique, and perfect.

For weeks, I've been trying to deny my feelings for him. But after tonight, it was impossible. I fell hard and fast. Now all that was left was to wonder if he would catch my fall.

I cuddle up even closer as the movie credits roll and Jake adjusts so his shoulder is wrapped tightly around me. I glance up at him to see he's already looking down at me.

"Hey Blaire," his voice hoarse and low.

"Yeah?"

"You're beautiful."

And with that sentence, my last string of composure snapped. Before I could really comprehend what I was doing, I stretch my body upwards and meet his lips with mine. Just when I thought the night couldn't get any better, it did.

We finally break apart when we run out of air.

"That was..." I start breathlessly.

"Amazing," he finishes.

We look into each other's eyes with beaming smiles, and then Jake's gaze flicks down to my lips.

"Lassie?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we do that again?"

So we do.