From Me to You

Chapter 2

The more I got to know Ryan Bauer, the more I realized that, contrary to popular belief, he wasn’t perfect.

First, he didn’t know much about the Beatles. I mean, who doesn’t know the Beatles? So I rectified that by making him a CD after our not-a-date-outing to a Beatles cover band.

Second, he couldn’t hold a tune. Seriously. He was many things: hot, sweet, hilarious, thoughtful, smart, and hot (I know I said hot twice, but it was something that could not be ignored). But the guy couldn’t sing. I first found that out when he was singing along to the cover band, then it was confirmed in front of most of the school when he sang “Penny Lane” to me at a karaoke fund-raiser. (I know, swoon!) However, that slight character flaw could be overlooked. Have I mentioned how incredibly good-looking he was?

Then I found out another thing about Ryan that was almost inconceivable. Luckily, it was something that could easily be fixed.

It was really amazing he was able to function properly without me.

“Ho! Ho! Ho!” Ryan opened up the front door to his house with a Santa hat on.

“Um, did you just call me a ‘ho’?” I teased him as I walked inside.

He gave me a quick kiss on the lips. “I was trying to make sure you were still in the holiday spirit.”

“Christmas was only yesterday,” I reminded him as I settled on the couch in the living room next to their Christmas tree and looked around.

I hadn’t been in Ryan’s house since grade school. I used to go over there a lot after school when he first started dating Diane Monroe in eighth grade, since Diane and I were best friends. But then things changed: Diane started canceling on me and I spent less time with either of them. Being at Ryan’s house reminded me how far we’d all come and how fortunate I was to have them both back in my life.

“Speaking of Christmas.” Ryan raised his eyebrows, his blue eyes popping. He hit a button on a remote control, and the living room was flooded with the sounds of “Wonderful Christmastime.”

“Please,” I groaned. “I love me some Sir Paul, but I can’t anymore with this song.”

He switched to the radio instead, then sat next to me on the couch. “Sorry about that, but I figured you could tell your mom that I played it. You know, bonus points.”

While it really was that easy to get in my mom’s good graces, it was even easier to fall out of favor with her, so I appreciated him putting in the effort.

“First things first.” He handed me two presents. “Merry Christmas.”

“Thanks.” I reached in my bag and handed him his present.

While we’d only been on one real date, he let it slip that he was getting me something, so I was prepared. Although I shouldn’t have been surprised that he would get me two things. Ryan always had a knack for out-wonderfulling everyone else. Definitely not something I was used to with the previous immature boys I had dated.

“Open this one first.” He pointed to the smaller present.

I carefully unwrapped the Christmas-tree paper and opened up the box.

I couldn’t help but laugh: fleece-lined gloves.

Ryan had been horrified over how cold my hands were on our first date, and said he was going to get me gloves for Christmas. He was a man of his word.

I tried the gloves on. They were cozy and comfortable. “Thanks! These are so nice, not to mention thoughtful.” Although I much preferred it when he warmed up my hands. “So does this mean you’re retiring as Penny Lane Bloom’s Official Hand-Warmer?”