Chapter 1
Drew
I love my husband, I really, really do, but he is the hardest person to surprise.
He will search the house for presents or listen in on phone calls and even go as far as interrogating my sisters to figure out what I have planned.
It was an absolute miracle that I managed to plan our wedding at Comic-Con.
Likely because Ryan never would have thought something like that was even possible.
I had already tried and failed to surprise him with the ticket for the con.
I was stunned when he started to pack for the trip he wasn’t supposed to know was happening.
I still have no idea how he found out. My guess is he realized the guys at Savage Ink were rescheduling his clients behind his back.
Even five years later Ryan will not admit how he figured it out.
Guess I had the last laugh though because I will never forget the shock on his face when we exchanged vows in front of the whole cast of The Avengers and even had Chris Evans himself sign the marriage license as a witness.
It’s now our yearly tradition to watch the compilation videos the people in the crowd got of us that day, which makes anniversary plans easy enough.
Birthdays and Christmas, though, are damn near impossible.
I can’t keep any gifts in the house or in my office because Ryan would snoop.
That is if I can even manage to get him a gift.
This year though I have an idea that he will never see coming.
Ryan will be expecting a birthday party and present or for us to go out to dinner or Jacks with our friends.
What he won’t be expecting is for his birthday to be celebrated two weeks early.
Since we usually have an annual Fourth of July cookout, it won’t even be suspicious that I’m planning something.
Ryan’s love language is time spent. He doesn't need fancy dates or expensive gifts. All he wants is my time and undivided attention. So, what better to get him for his birthday than a trip to the lake. A big wooden cabin, nature surrounding us, we can even bring the dogs. It’s perfect.
The only thing left to figure out is how I’m supposed to get him out of the house when he thinks we are having a party, and into the car for the two-hour journey into the mountains.
I have been slowly taking items of his clothes over the last few weeks and packing them into the suitcases in my trunk.
That sounds creepier than it is, although I bet our neighbors are wondering what the fuck I’m doing at stupid o’clock shoving shorts and dog toys into my truck.
I keep thinking they are going to call the cops for a welfare check.
Not sure how I would explain that to Ryan.
I figure I might as well get some advice.
Grabbing my phone, I open up the family group chat.
Me: How the hell do I trick Ryan into the road trip for the cabin?
Kim: Restraining? I’ve seen a cool video of a guy tying up his lover in a fancy rope. You can start as a sexy time and when he’s all in knots you shove him into the backseat and go. You can even blindfold him.
Me: Kim the way your brain works always surprises me.
Pete: You mean Shibari? That’s sexy as hell, but harder to do than you would think.
Val: Just tell him you made a reservation for dinner, so both of you can relax before the party fever begins.
Me: At least one of you has some decent advice. Thank you, sis.
Pete: Hey, I haven’t given mine yet, you don’t know if it’s decent or not.
Me: Well, give it to me.
Pete:...
Pete:...
Pete: Drugs?
Me: You scare me.
Usually my siblings have great advice, points from all angles and perspectives. This time, not so much. It looks like I’m on my own.