Thanks to Maja for breaking me out of my evil writing slump by challenging me to write this, and another thank you to her for helping me figure out what all Shawn should do. ;D
Sorry this is a little late. XD
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 8:00 AM.
Good morning, Valentine.
Juliet woke at eight a.m., just like every morning, but much to her bewilderment it was to the sound of an incoming text message, rather than her alarm. She could have sworn she left her cell phone on the kitchen counter… She was stunned when she opened her eyes and found the ceiling completely coated with…
She blinked and rubbed her eyes, staring hard. Were those hearts?
Oh, but they were. And it wasn't just the ceiling. No, every surface in her entire bedroom had been covered in red, white, and pink construction paper hearts.
Gaping sleepily around the room, Juliet shook her head slowly and realized the only person capable of such madness.
Shawn.
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 8:15 AM.
I'm drawn to you.
Juliet smiled to herself and rolled her eyes. Cute, cheesy, and a little random, even for Shawn.
Or at least that's what she thought until she stepped into the kitchen to find a large piece of paper stuck to her refrigerator door with two stick figures holding hands scrawled on it, one with spiky brown hair and the other with wavy blonde hair.
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 8:40 AM.
Let me shower you with my love.
Clearly Shawn was getting way too familiar with her routine. His text had come just as she was preparing to head out the door.
Grabbing her purse off the counter, Juliet slung it over her shoulder and smiled when she spotted the umbrella waiting for her by the door.
Obviously this was going to be the day's trend. She picked up the umbrella only to smile again when she stepped outside to find it raining softly.
Sometimes it was really hard to believe Shawn wasn't psychic.
She lifted the umbrella, opening it with one smooth motion and gasped as she was showered with red heart-shaped confetti.
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 9:00 AM.
I like you a latte.
Juliet couldn't help being excited as she strode into the station. If this worked the way she was thinking it did, then she could expect an exceptional cup of coffee this morning.
"Morning, Carlton," she said cheerfully, her excitement only increasing at the sight of the box on her desk.
"Fantastic," he grumbled in response. "He's already gotten to you."
Juliet grinned at him and slipped the lid off of the box. Inside, a steaming cup of coffee sat, up to its lid in coffee beans. She bit her lip, stifling a grin and slid the cup out of the box, lifting it to her mouth and taking a sip.
Sheer. Bliss.
It was her favorite, something she only bought on special occasions because it was so expensive.
She took another sip, savoring the taste.
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 10:05 AM.
Make a move and be my Valentine.
Grinning, this time Juliet wasn't surprised when she returned to her desk to find the miniature magnetized version of Checkers sitting open on her desk. What did surprise her was that Shawn had managed to slip it onto her desk without her noticing. She'd been gone just a minute or two.
Shawn was nothing if not sneaky.
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 11:24 AM.
You're my All Star.
Juliet glanced around as she headed back to her desk after a long meeting with the Chief. She'd gotten another text just a moment after she'd stepped out of the office and she was starting to wonder if Shawn was here somewhere, watching her. His timing was just too good.
"Carlton," she said, "Have you seen—"
"No."
She put a fist on her hip. "You don't even know what—"
"No."
"Carlton!"
He looked up at her, and, enunciating carefully, said, "No."
She sighed and rolled her eyes, turning back to her own desk. Sitting on top of the stacks of files was a pair of baseball tickets.
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 1:35 PM.
Any way you slice it, you're the best.
Juliet looked up to see Lassiter standing above her, a scowl firmly entrenched on his face and a brown paper bag in hand.
"Special Delivery," he drawled sarcastically.
"Wow," Juliet said, not bothering to hide her amusement. "Is he blackmailing you?" She opened the bag to find a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a juice box, and a conversation hearts valentine box inside. Oh, wow. She'd forgotten all about lunch.
"No," Lassiter muttered reluctantly. "Worse. He's helping me plan for tonight with Polly."
Juliet laughed.
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 3:45 PM.
You take the cake.
Juliet was delighted to find a lavishly decorated cupcake waiting beside her purse when she came to fetch it on her way to meet Lassiter outside the station. That was just the kind of afternoon snack she needed to gear her up for their next task.
She had already taken a large bite when she climbed into Lassiter's car.
"O'Hara, a stupid holiday does not make it okay to—"
She shut him up with a well-timed chunk of cupcake.
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 4:53 PM.
I'm stuck on you.
"Are you sure you're all right?" Lassiter asked, tone dubious, as he followed her back into the station.
Juliet rolled her eyes. "I'm fine. It's just a little knife wound. It's not even that deep. All I need is a band-aid." One of their suspects had gotten a little skittish and she'd just managed to take the knife he'd fumbled out of his pocket before he could really get a hold on it. A small cut had opened up on her finger, but it wasn't anything worth worrying about. It had bled pretty good though…
The cell phone in her pocket vibrated and she fished it out, checking the screen.
"Is that Spencer again?" Lassiter said incredulously.
Juliet smiled and waved the band-aid that had been placed conveniently on her desk. "Who else?"
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 7:02 PM.
I'm fortunate to be with you, cookie.
Juliet slumped into her chair, exhausted. Just when she'd expected things to wind down, they had gotten crazy again, two suspects from one of their open robbery cases brought in kicking and screaming. She'd been running back and forth between the interrogating rooms and Lassiter's desk for over two hours now.
Carlton had just managed to get a confession out of the pair.
Her phone vibrated with another text, but before she could pull it out to read it, one of the desk officers approached with a plastic bag in hand. "This is for you, Detective O'Hara."
"Thank you," Juliet said and smiled.
When the officer had gone, she opened the bag and her mouth immediately began to water.
Chinese.
She'd forgotten how hungry she was. Breaking out one of the boxes and a pair of chopsticks, she dug in with gusto, only remembering the text when she had taken several delicious bites.
She read the message and smiled, already knowing who was responsible for the meal.
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 7:47 PM.
You drive me crazy.
Smiling as she moved down the steps of the station, Juliet looked up and was surprised to see her car there, in one of the front spaces. It sparkled under the streetlight, obviously having been washed and when she opened the door she was greeted with the fresh smell of a well-cleaned interior. She bet ten-to-one that it had been detailed too.
Shawn was really out doing himself.
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIEVED AT 8:35 PM.
I wheelie like you.
Shawn had hinted that they would be doing something special this evening so when a horn sounded outside her door not five minutes after she received the text, she was already showered and dressed-up, ready to go wherever he got the inkling.
She stepped outside and a grin immediately spread across her features.
Shawn sat on his bike at the end of the driveway, a second helmet in his hand and a grin of his own peeking out beneath his visor.
"Ready?"
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 9:30 PM.
I hope I added a special sparkle to your day.
Shawn pulled away from her side as she read the message, the two of them sitting in a secluded spot on the dark beach, the only sound coming from the waves breaking on the shore and the only light from the faint glitter of the city and the moon, reflecting softly on the water.
She smiled and looked up, only to have her heart leap into her throat when she saw Shawn, kneeling in front of her with a small box extended in one hand. A faint glimmer shone from the dark velvet folds.
"Oh my gosh," she whispered.
The phone in her hand vibrated once more, the screen illuminating.
TEXT MESSAGE RECEIVED AT 9:32 PM.
Marry me.