Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 85888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Cleo nodded. “Her church group will also take any unwanted items from your boxes for their fundraiser next month. Anything you think they could sell.”
“Okay,” I said. “I’m actually almost finished. Apart from the attic. Lars is going to help me start bringing things down.”
“When you consider what the place looked like last Christmas,” she said, taking in the living room, “you’ve come a long way.”
“For you, my love.” Tore passed her a glass of wine. The beer in his other hand he raised in a toast. “To burning weird messages from the future and forging your own path.”
Lars passed me a gin and tonic. “I’ll drink to that.”
He knelt in front of the fireplace and carefully lit the kindling. Flames raced up the neat stack of wood in no time. He added a photo of his family to the mantel last week and his belongings were spread through the house. His presence now seemed more real and permanent. I liked it. We were building a life together.
“While I’m down here,” he said, retrieving something from his jeans pocket, “might as well give you this.” He held out a small black velvet box.
My eyes were wide as the moon. “What is this?”
“Open it and see.”
“Holy shit.”
He just smiled as he held it out to me.
With trembling fingers, I opened the box. Inside sat a square cut diamond on a platinum band. Simple and perfect, and so damn sparkly. It took my breath away. “Lars, is this you saying yes?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Oh my God.”
He rose to his feet and took the ring out. “Are we doing this?”
I nodded as tears welled in my eyes. “But you didn’t need to buy this. You could have saved the money for the business.”
“You’re more important. Don’t cry,” he said, slipping the ring on my finger. “That looks like a good fit.”
“Yes, it is.” I turned my hand this way and that so the diamond could catch the light. Amazing. “It’s beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it.” His gaze was so soft and sweet. The expression on his face was full of love. “I love you, Susie.”
“I love you too.”
He tossed the box onto the coffee table, cupped my face, and kissed me good and hard. Like he was staking his claim. This was heaven. His lips were on mine, and his tongue was in my mouth. His hands firmly held me, and I could feel the heat of his body. I could have happily stayed right there forever.
“Congratulations, guys,” said Tore.
“Did you know about this?” I asked with a sniffle.
He just shrugged and smiled. The man totally knew.
Cleo gave me a hug and her eyes were suspiciously moist.
If anyone told me at the start of the year that I’d be stupidly happy and beside myself to be getting married... I would have called them a liar.
Which left only one thing left to do. One last loose end.
“All righty,” I said and headed into the bedroom. “The time has come. This divorce certificate is going down, once and for all.”
I pulled open my underwear drawer and pushed aside an assortment of lace thongs and boy shorts. All of my favorite panties. I figured the divorce certificate could use the good vibes. Only, there was nothing there. Just the wooden bottom of the drawer. Next I shoved aside period panties, bras, and a vibrator. But there was still no sign of the damn thing.
“Lars, did you move it?”
He strode into the room. “Why, what’s wrong?”
“It’s not here.”
“I haven’t touched it. Are you sure that’s where you left it?”
“Yes,” I said with a frown.
“Check the other drawers.”
“Is there a problem?” asked Cleo.
“I can’t find it.” Tees and tanks came next. Followed by scarves and belts and socks. Summer shorts and some pajamas. With jeans, leggings, and a couple of cardigans in the bottom drawer. “Nothing.”
“Let’s pull all of the drawers out,” said Lars. “Make sure it didn’t fall down the back or something.”
The interior of the set of drawers was empty. Tore and Lars moved the piece of furniture back from the wall. But there was nothing but dust bunnies.
“When was the last time you took it out?” asked Cleo.
“Sunday morning,” I said. “Before I went outside to talk to Lars. I put it straight back in the same place.”
“Lars?”
“I looked at it a couple of weeks ago,” he said. “Haven’t gone near it since.”
Cleo sighed. “It has to be here somewhere.”
“It’s definitely got to be in this room,” I agreed.
“Okay,” she said. “Let’s be systematic about this. We’ll empty the drawers out onto the bed. Make sure it hasn’t been accidentally been tucked away between your shirts or something.”
We examined every item in each drawer and repacked it all. Nothing. Then we tore the bed apart. Just to be sure. Along with searching behind and under the frame and the mattress. The same went for every other piece of furniture in the room. And all the while, a weird panic built inside of me. None of it made sense. Where could it have gone?