Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
“Why are we here, Jim?” Ridge asked me a few hours later as he followed me into Luna’s shop.
He followed me inside, practically on my heels as I headed straight for the small selection of jewelry the boutique offered. I’d already scoped out a few places in Charleston, but I hadn’t found the right one yet.
“Are you going to pop the question?” Ridge asked. “Because you know I’d never marry a cop.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “I think you would,” I said. “Seeing how you rarely share your humorous side with anyone but me.”
Ridge folded his arms over his chest, the motion putting his sleeved arms on display. “Why the fuck are we here?” he asked, sounding more like himself.
“I’m going to ask Anne to marry me,” I said just as Luna walked up to the counter. We’d had a brief encounter at Lyla’s Place before Brad practically dragged her out of there, so she knew I was with Anne.
“Oh my gosh, that’s amazing. Congrats!” Luna said. “What can I show you?”
“Holy fuck, you’re serious,” Ridge said, eyes wide.
“Absolutely,” I said, turning away from the rings for a moment. I needed my best friend to be with me on this, but if he objected…it wouldn’t matter. I loved her. End of story.
He dropped his arms to his side, tilting his head back and forth before he grabbed me and crushed me in the quickest hug of the century. He clapped me on the back, then motioned an arm to the counter. “All right, then,” he said. “Let’s get these rings out.”
Luna grinned at him before unlocking the glass display, her fiery red hair hanging in a long braid over her shoulder.
“I know Anne a little through her sister, and Brad has told me some things,” she said. “But can you tell me a little bit more about her?”
“She’s…” Fuck, how could I describe her? A smile spread across my face as I thought about the best way. “She’s chaotic but solid, calm but feisty, and scary on the best of days. She’s wild, funny, and brilliant. Independent but also knows when she needs help. She’s…” My voice trailed off, and Ridge rolled his eyes.
“Fuck, you’re so whipped,” he teased.
“I feel the vibe,” Luna said, nodding as she hunted through her case. “What do you think of this one?”
She pushed an opened velvet box toward me, the thing dusty on the top but sporting a ring inside a torn silk cover. The ring had a crown setting that sparkled with smaller diamonds, the larger diamond in the center solid black.
It screamed Anne—it had her royalty-like flair but also her unflinching uniqueness. It had her mystery, her wildness, everything.
“It’s from the Victorian era,” Luna continued, giving me more information even though I was already in love.
“I’ll take it,” I said before she could continue.
“Oh, wonderful,” she said. “We can get it sized if it doesn’t fit after she says yes.” She winked at me. “I’ll head over to the register and wrap this up for you.”
After she said yes.
God, I hoped she said yes.
She might not. I mean, I would understand. She’d been married before. Several times. Who was to say she ever wanted to do that again?
Nerves threatened to steal all my newfound confidence away. Maybe I was rushing things. Maybe—
“Get out of your head,” Ridge snapped, gripping my shoulder.
I blinked a few times, nodding. “Right.”
“When are you asking?”
“A few days after Christmas.”
Ridge nodded, motioning me toward where Luna was waiting for us. “You’ve got time then,” he said. “Breathe.”
A week.
I had a week until I planned to ask her, but honestly, if I felt for a second she wasn’t ready, I wouldn’t put that on her. I could feel her out. Make sure I wasn’t going to cause her any kind of pressure or stress. I could buy this ring and hold onto it for however long I needed till the time was right.
But from the way we’d been living these past few weeks? Either at her place or mine, sharing the love of a chaotic little beast of a cat she’d named Binx?
I felt like forever was just a question away.
CHAPTER 15
Anne
“Anne, are you good to cover a few extra hours?” Lyla asked as I cleaned up in between the afternoon rush and dinner rush.
“Definitely,” I said.
“You’re a life saver,” Lyla said, wrapping me in a quick hug. “Bonnie called in sick, and you know how the day after Christmas is.”
“Totally get it,” I said waving her off.
“I’ll make it up to you,” she said as she headed back to the kitchen. “I owe you dinner somewhere other than here already. One of these days we will get that girls’ night.”
“Keep telling yourself that, work-a-holic,” I teased, holding my smile until she’d disappeared behind the kitchen door.
I let it drop once she was out of sight. I had no problem covering another shift tonight, I was just exhausted. Christmas with my parents had been…well, it wasn’t awful but it wasn’t a Norman Rockwell painting either. It had meant everything to see Mom so happy and to have a meal that just revolved around the three of us, but I couldn’t exactly ignore the wedge between my father and myself.