“It’s a surprise for Sloane. I asked Shayne to pick it up for me.”
“Is Shayne your favorite now?”
“Jesus Christ, what are you, four? I asked you to hang around tonight because I wanted both of you here.”
She opened her mouth, readying to give me a verbal smackdown for my snippy attitude, when the distinctive swish of the front door opening then closing caught our attention.
“Yo, D. I’ve got the goods,” Shayne called out, strolling into my office like she owned the place. She put the small black plastic bag on my desk before plopping down on the seat next to Way. “That better be what I think it is.”
“You didn’t sneak a peek? I’m shocked.”
“Don’t get me wrong, the temptation was strong. I only held out because you asked me to wait.”
“When have you ever listened to anything I said?”
“I must be going soft in my old age.”
“You’re forty-three, Shayne. You’ll probably be chasing down perps when you’re eighty-three, dragging your walker behind you.”
“Fair point.”
“Enough already. Show us.”
Grabbing the bag, I pulled it onto my lap, then took out the package and opened it so only I could see what was inside. It was exquisite, exactly like the woman it was made for. Early this week when I picked it out, I imagined the look on her face when I gave it to her.
“Stop stalling,” Waverly grumbled impatiently.
I turned the tiny red satin box around, placing it on my desk as if it were made of glass.
“Hell yes,” Shayne whooped, but it was Waverly’s reaction I was waiting for.
“Duncan,” she gasped, looking between me and the box. “I have no words.”
“Then shush because I have a fuck ton of questions.”
Having no filter was one of the many things I admired about Shayne. Another was her loyalty. She would give a friend the shirt off her back if they needed it, no questions asked. I wished she could see how much love she had to give. There was someone out there for her, she just refused to open her eyes. The irony wasn’t lost on me. Not too long ago, Waverly basically said the same to me, and I told her there wasn’t a chance in hell of that happening. Look where that got me. A set of twins, a misbehaved puppy, and an emerald-cut diamond ring I couldn’t wait to slide on Sloane’s finger.
“Did you pick this out on your own or did you have help?”
“Seriously, Shayne? Have you no faith in me?” She raised a brow.Busted.“Lanie was with me.”
“I would’ve gone if you’d asked.”
“I know, Way, but honestly, it just sort of happened.”
“How do you just sort of happen––”she made air quotes––“to spend thousands of dollars at a jewelry store,Duncan Anthony Palmer? These things take a great deal of planning.”
“That’s not my middle name either, Shayne Renee Black. You’re not even warm.”
“Asshole,” she mumbled. “Answer my question.”
“Lanie and I were driving by the Third Street Jewelry store on the way to pick up lunch Monday. The sign they had hanging in the window was like a beacon begging me to pull over.”
“What did it say?”
“Pull over. Your fate awaits inside.”
Waverly snorted. “Are you fucking with us?”