It was her ring.
She stared at it for a moment before she realized it, because the ring wasn’t exactly as she remembered. She reached out and plucked it from its velvet bed to study the inside of the band and the words she knew would be there.
You are my everything, it read. Just as it had all those years ago. It was her original engagement ring. With a few notable enhancements.
She didn’t know what to say. When she realized what was happening, she’d expected a big gaudy ring. He was a man of means now, so it was practically a given that he would buy a new diamond to propose to her. But he hadn’t. He?
?d given her back the ring he’d chosen for her all those years ago.
“This is my ring,” she whispered in disbelief. He could’ve spent any amount of money on a ring, but he was offering her the one he had given her the first time. The one he’d saved months for, eating nothing but ramen noodles and peanut butter to afford. That meant more than any of the flashy gems she’d spied on the hands of local society ladies at the charity gala.
River nodded. “It is.”
“How did you...?” She looked down at him, still on his knee, with her eyes blurring with tears. “You kept the ring all this time?”
“I did. When you sent it back to me, I didn’t have the heart to get rid of it. For a few years, I even carried it around in my wallet as a reminder.”
“A reminder of how much I hurt you?”
“No. Of how much you loved me. And then I finally put it away in a drawer, but I never forgot it was there. After our fight, I did some thinking and I decided it was time to put it to good use again. It’s been gathering dust for too long.”
The tears were flowing in earnest now. “You changed it since I saw it last.” It was a stupid observation in the moment, but she couldn’t think of anything else. She was overwhelmed with so many feelings she could hardly figure out how to process everything. All she could do was focus on the two shining pink stones on each side of her original diamond. They were beautifully cut trillion stones, enhancing the center setting without managing to overpower it. It reminded her of the pink diamond at the Smithsonian. The one she’d told River she loved.
“I did. I had the jeweler add two pink diamonds to it. For Dawn.”
Morgan clutched the ring in her fist and held it against her chest as her heart swelled with emotions. This was the most precious thing he could ever give her. It was a sign, an undeniable one, that what they had in their youth was real, not just some puppy love. If this symbol of their love, and now a symbol of their daughter, could survive all these years, they could, too.
Taking a breath, she wiped the tears from her cheeks and slipped the ring onto her finger. She admired it for a moment before she said, “Yes.”
River looked up from admiring the ring on her hand with confusion lining his eyes. “Yes, what?”
She smiled. They’d discussed the details of the ring for so long, her acceptance of his proposal was out of context. She reached out and took his hands into hers. “Yes, I will marry you, River Atkinson.”
He leaped to his feet and pulled Morgan up from the couch with him. She fell into his arms, wrapping her own around his neck to pull his lips to hers.
Yes, she would marry him. And this time, it would be forever.
Epilogue
Nine months later, you’d never know that a bomb had ripped through the Steele mansion. It was pristinely restored and ready for Morgan and River’s big day.
Like their first time around, they’d chosen a warm Saturday in the summer. This time, as Morgan walked down the aisle, it was in a Vera Wang gown, with hair and makeup done by professionals and a gorgeous bouquet of peach roses and white lilies in her hands. Both Trevor and Arthur Nolan walked her down the rose petal–strewn lawn, one on each arm.
She’d spent a lot of time getting to know her new family once she’d opted to stay in Charleston permanently with River. When wedding plans had turned to the bride’s family and their roles in the ceremony, she’d known exactly what she wanted to do. Both her mothers were beaming from the front row with their corsages, and both fathers were teary as they gave her away. The Nolans had been excited and pleased to be included on Morgan’s big day.
It was hard for Morgan to compare this wedding day to the last one. Instead of just the two of them at a rustic mountain chapel, they were at her family home surrounded by hundreds of familiar faces. All their friends and family were there to see the big event.
The day was glorious, splendid, but filled with no more love than it had been at their first ceremony. Her eyes filled with tears as she recited her vows for the second time, just as they had originally. And when they kissed, her heart leaped in her chest, knowing that she would be with the man she loved forever now. No secrets. No more sneaking around.
No one in the audience was more pleased or smiling more brightly than Jade. After finding out everything her sister had been through just because of the life she’d been placed into, she was so glad to see her happy with the man she loved. Even then, about halfway through the reception, she leaned over to Harley and whispered into his ear, “This is nice and all, but when we get married...”
He held up his hand to stop her. “I vote that we elope under a waterfall in Hawaii and spend our wedding budget on a month-long honeymoon in Bora Bora. We can get one of those thatched roof huts over the water and eat seafood until we’re sick at the sight of it. I don’t need this circus to make our love legally binding.”
“Agreed. You read my mind.” Jade smiled and took his hand in hers. They were a perfectly imperfect match.
“I’m that good,” Harley said. Bringing his fingertips up to one temple, he closed his eyes in concentration. “I’m also sensing that you would like to dance.” He pushed back his chair and offered his hand to help Jade up.
She accepted and followed him out to the dance floor. A romantic slow song was being played by the orchestra and quite a few people were already out there. The bride and groom were sharing a moment, as were Trevor and Patricia, and Carolyn and Arthur. Jade was happy to see her whole family had been included on Morgan’s big day. Their situation was complicated, but they were working hard on being one big confusing family.