What Love Is | ✅

23 | S U R P R I S E

River-rose hopped down the steps with Blue following closely behind.

The dog followed her around like her own personal body guard but he was just curious and found River odd yet entertaining.

She slipped into her shoes and walked to the left to go to the garden but then she stopped when she heard tires going over gravel.

Now that she had been living with Hayze for three months, she knew when certain cars pulled up and who was walking through the house by the sound of the footsteps. She knew the sound of Hayze coming home. They sort of had a routine now, but it wasn't the same thing everyday if that made sense.

River listened until she heard the car pull up into the closest parking garage which was Hayze's.

Getting a sudden burst of energy, she sprinted out from the garden and towards the six car garage that only held three cars.

"Hayze!" She shouted just as she saw a shiny black dress shoe step out of the car onto the sandstone pavement.

She was excited because Hayze told her he had a surprise for her. She had told him she didn't want any more things from him but he said he wanted to get it for her because she had taken such good care of him that day he had come home exausted.

She had cooked for him and then cleaned up before tucking him in bed like a little child. And then right before he went to sleep, she pecked his lips and he said that kept him sleeping all through the night.

She ran up to him in excitement and he grinned down at her. "Good afternoon pretty girl. You seem like you've eaten a bunch of sugar," he teased.

She bounced on her toes and watched as he pulled a white box out of the car. "I haven't. You've just gotten me excited."

He chuckled and passed the box over to her. "Careful."

She scanned the box as she shifted it gently in her arms. "What is it?"

"A surprise." He grabbed a few more things from the car before shutting it with his foot and walking ahead of her.

He opened the door and took off his shoes, her copying him and then she followed after him into the living room.

He set the things on the couch before taking the box from her and gently placing it on the coffee table.

River eagerly peaked over his shoulder as he opened the box. Inside was a little sack and some packs in it which were surrounded by paper with... snakes on them.

She squealed and hit him in his back repeatedly. "Is that what i think it is?"

"Go ahead and open it. Be careful."

She slowly picked up the sack and untied it before hesitantly opening it and peaking inside.

She gasped. "Ohmygosh, its so pretty. You got me a corn snake!" She whisper yelled as she took in the sight of the red, orange and black snake. Its little eyes were peaking at her from its curled up position in the bag.

He looked at her in shock for knowing what it was. "Wow. You're really good at this."

She placed the snake down gently before turning around and jumping onto Hayze making him stumble back onto the couch. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," she said as she peppered kisses all over his face.

He chuckled and held her still for a second. "You know how to take care of this right? I would hate to have brought it here and have it not taken care of."

"Of course i know how. I've wanted one for years. I've researched them for years." She climbed off his lap and went back to her snake.

Gently, she took it out of the bag and watched as it timidly sniffed the air with its tongue. It slid across her hand and over her elbow before lifting its head into the air and standing tall. Slowly, it brought its head down and then began to coil around her small hand.

"Wow," she whispered in amazement. "This is cool."

She checked it to make sure it was okay before looking at Hayze. "I don't have a cage or anything to keep him warm."

"I had Vito help me set the cage up in my study. It would look nice in there."

River's eyes widened when she realized why he had stopped her from coming into his study for the past week and a half.

"Ughhh, you're so nice it almost hurts," she said through a groan.

He laughed quietly. "Come. Lets go put him in so he can get acclimated to the cage."

°•○●○•°

River-rose hadn't stopped admiring her snake all week.

She sat in Hayze's study while he worked on plans for the beach house and watched her snake slither around in the humidified glass case.

At first, the snake had been timid and hid behind the rock in the cage but then it became curious and would watch River, watch him.

"River, maybe you should do your school work now instead of watching..." he tried to think of the snakes name. "Kiko. He hasn't moved the whole time. There's not really much to watch."

"Yes there is," she said as she neared even closer to the glass so her breath caused a little fog to appear. "Look how cute he is. And his head moves when i wiggle my finger. See look." Hayze watched her slowly trail her finger in front the glass and sure enough the snakes head follwed it.

He cringed slightly. "I hope that's not because he wants to bite you."

She giggled a pretty sound and shook her head before getting up and walking over to Hayze's desk. "No silly. He doesn't feel threatened and he isn't in strike pose. So he's fine."

"I thought i was fine," Hayze said playfully.

"You are." Her eyes widened when she realized what she said and she coughed to cover her embarassment. Hayze chuckled in response, his eyes lit with amusement.

"Oh, right. We have to go this entrepeneurs event tomorrow and you have to wear a blue or white dress. Do you have one?" Hayze asked as he scanned the calender in his phone.

River hummed in thought. "Yes, i think you bought me one not too long ago."

"Okay, good. Finish your school work and then we'll have an early dinner."

River plopped down in the seat in front of his desk and opened up her laptop so she could work alongside Hayze.

Being married didn't seem so bad anymore.