"I can get a couple of great big dining tables from Robert. We can use one for anything that needs assembled. We can use the other for wrapping paper. I can have several sets of floor to ceiling shelves put in and some locking cabinets.. Maybe we want one just for wrapping paper stuff like scissors, tape, paper, ribbon; and for assembly tools--like screwdrivers, hammers, wrenches, that sort of thing.
"We can use the locking cabinets for things to be wrapped, and other shelves for things that are already wrapped. If I change the cabinets to have more doors, then we can have more compartments to lock things away from the others. I can make sure the everyone has a different key that unlocks their little storage area in the cabinets.
"I'm not so worried about the kids' gifts. We can use some of the bedrooms to put their things in. Its not like they're going to be able to get access to the cabin to look at their gifts. And, by the way, house elves are great workers for either assembling things or wrapping things. And they're even better guards to keep presents a secret."
As he was speaking, he looked over Bella's shoulder and in the distance, he saw James and a younger member of his pack tailing a young woman. She didn't look much older than seventeen. She certainly wasn't old enough to protect herself from the likes of Blood. He couldn't just do nothing, but he didn't want Bella involved in it. He watched them follow the young woman into an alley.
"Do me a favor," he kissed her forehead, "Go back this way," he pointed behind him, in the opposite direction. "The tobacco shop is back that way. Something's come up. I'll be right back." But--that wasn't a guaranteed thing. Not where James was concerned. He remembered the small box in his pocket. Well, this isn't how he wanted to do this either. The antique ring seemed to deserve far more romantic of a presentation than this was going to be. His grandmother had worn an antique ring that had been passed down to his grandfather. Now, it was time for the ring to move on.
It was a ring Angus had always liked, even as a boy. He'd liked the way the light played off the large heart shaped diamond and the small diamonds that flanked it. He had always liked how the wedding band seemed to flow with the engagement ring and made it look like the two rings just fit together perfectly. He'd left the wedding band at home, though. That was for another day. Today, the ring was resting in its bed of blue velvet, in its wooden box with the cloisonné lid. It had been there since his grandmother had passed.
He pointed her in the direction of the tobacco shop, and then he drew the box out of his pocket and pressed it into her hand.
"Here," he said rather unceremoniously, closing her fingers around the box. "In case I forget. You can open it once you get inside at the tobacco shop." He kissed her quickly. "Be right back."
He dashed down the street to try to help the young woman before James killed her. There hadn't been even a ghost of a chance he'd have actually forgotten to give the ring to Bella. Never. This was far more about him wanting to be sure she knew how he felt--just on the outside chance James won this skirmish. James hated to leave survivors.
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