“What’s wrong?” I demanded.
“I just…don’t want you to buy a ring for something that…”
She faded off. I grabbed her chin, forced her to look at me, and held her gaze with a steely one.
“This isn’t temporary.” For a second, she looked panicked before she shut down again, showing me that blank expression I wanted to remove permanently. “I told you I wanted to explore whatever this was between us, but that wasn’t exactly true, my Maisey-girl. I want more with you than I’ve ever wanted before. Than I ever thought Icouldwant.”
Before she could respond, the clerk called, “Next,” and we had to move up to the register.
I cursed the timing. But I promised myself that, after tonight, she’d never doubt us again.
Maisey paid, and I grabbed the bag, adding it to the pile I was already carting.
“I can carry some of those, you know,” she said.
“You can, but you won’t. You’re already doing too much today. You should be resting after the hit you took yesterday.” She grimaced, and I kicked myself for bringing it up, hurrying to cover it up with a wink and a taunt. “It’s going to be a long night, and I wouldn’t want you to fall asleep before it’s over.”
Her brows rose, lips quirking. “If I fall asleep, you won’t get that medal you want.”
A chuckle escaped me.
And finally, with an enormous sense of relief, I was able to guide her toward the jewelry store I’d picked out. While she’d been trying on dresses, I’d researched for the best stores in the area, intending to leave the mallbehind and take her to an upscale shop. But I’d been surprised to find a mom-and-pop store with an almost perfect rating right there in the shopping center.
“Where are we going?” she asked as we passed several chain jewelry stores.
“Someplace better.”
Tucked in a corner, the shop had a stained-glass sign and the atmosphere of a museum. It was hushed, almost church-like. The carpeting was deep and luxurious, the wallpaper had a satin sheen, and the display cases were all antiques with wood waxed to a shine.
The rightness of the place only added to the feelings I’d felt since last night. Maisey and I were forever. We weren’t fake or pretend or going to end. We could actually do this thing called love and survive it—together.
A bald man with a white goatee greeted us. His suit and bow tie were almost as old as he was, yet they fit the sophistication of the store.
“Good afternoon, lovebirds. Let me guess, you’re here for a ring?” His eyes twinkled.
Maisey let out a little laugh. “Are we that obvious?”
“True love always is.”
Maisey tugged at her hair, but his words reassured me.
He waved us over to a display case filled with rings. Maisey and I looked inside, and my stomach clenched. Not because I was buying her a ring, or even because I had no idea of the price of them, but because, at first glance, nothing seemed as right as I’d hoped.
“Nina!” the man called toward the back, and a moment later, a young woman our age, in a black dress and heels, joined him.
“Yes, Papa?”
He waved at Maisey. “Size this young lady’s ring finger and see what she thinks of our collection while this gentleman—” He waited for me to supply my name, which I did, and he continued, “While Beckett and I head over here to chat.”
The young woman brought out a measuring device and took Maisey’s hand in hers. They were talking about sizes and ring styles as I followed the man over to a corner case.
“Is there a price we need to consider?” the man asked, pulling a pair of glasses from his front pocket and sliding them on.
“She can have whatever she wants,” I said, meaning it. I had savings, but I also wasn’t an overly wealthy man by any means. “I can’t afford for it to be the price of a house, but I want her to have something special. Something deserving of her.”
He nodded, turning away from the counter to a case behind it. He brought out a covered tray and set it in front of me, with the jewelry underneath hidden.
“Have you ever heard of thetoi et moistyle ring?” he asked.