Two months had passed since Cara and Hayden had agreed to move in together. They had gone house hunting in the Los Angeles area after the film wrapped and had settled on a beautiful Spanish style home near Mulholland Drive. Hayden was back in producer mode full time for the time being. He enjoyed being in LA to spend time with Cara.
Steph had made plans to move in with another friend from her acting class.
Cara had managed to deal with most of the people from work with the exception of a few females who never would warm up to her.
"They're just jealous," Steph had reasoned in her usual dramatic fashion. "They don't want to pretend to be happy for you because they're horrible and miserable witches who go home to TV dinners and empty apartments.
Cara had just shaken her head at this thought, still not quite used to the idea of people caring what she did or who she dated.
The majority of their time as of late was spent cleaning and moving their belongings to the new house- deciding what would come with them and what would be thrown out.
"Ahh - what is this?!" Cara had jumped back from a drawer of Hayden's. "What is that smell? That's disgusting!"
Hayden had walked over to the drawer, peered inside and pulled out one of his old hockey shirts.
"This is probably what you're smelling," he said with a sheepish grin.
Cara grimaced, "Did you not wash it....ever? It smells like a dirty gym bag."
Hayden had laughed and grabbed her to him. "Well, you know, if you love me, if you have to love all of me - even my old dirty hockey gear."
Cara smiled, "but of course."
Hayden had squeezed her in a hug and walked back to the other side of the room.
"...but Hayden, if you ever smell like that," Cara said gesturing toward the hockey jersey, "...we may have an issue."
The next afternoon -
�So�you two are going through with it,� Tove said from his place in the doorway.
Hayden didn�t turn around from his place at the dresser, �yeah, I should hope so after all of this trouble.� He continued to pull clothes out of the drawers, throwing the older and worn ones in the garbage bag he was holding.
�I just want you to make sure its what you both want,� Tove said.
�It is�so please stop worrying,� Hayden said.
Tove only shrugged walking in the room, "Well let me help ya."
"Nah, its okay, I got it."
"I don't mind, I'm taking a break from reading," Tove said. "That screenplay...has to be read in small doses."
Hayden smirked - yet another optioned script that would produce big revenue but was totally devoid of any artistic integrity.
Tove began clearing things off the dresser. It was at that moment that something caught his eye.
Hayden tried to hide the object but Tove was quicker.
Tove grabbed it, holding it behind his back so Hayden couldn't reach it.
"Ahhh- what is this ohhh, some earrings for the lady?" Tove said in a joking tone.
Hayden just looked at him.
Tove brought the tiny box around to open it and his mouth gaped open. He looked at Hayden in complete shock.
He had opened the box to reveal not a pair of earrings but an Asscher cut diamond ring.