I pull up in front of Carter’s house and honk my horn. I called him this morning to see what he was doing, not realizing that it’s a workday and not everyone is on vacation like Cara and me. Thankfully, he said he had the day off, and I asked if he wanted to hang out. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him what I truly wanted to do because he’d balk and give me shit.
Carter opens the passenger side door and slips into my car. “Shooting range?” he asks as I drive away from the curb.
“Not exactly.” Not even close.
“Is this going to be a game of twenty questions?”
While I like the idea of making him sweat, I don’t think Carter will appreciate it too much. I shake my head and head toward downtown. “There’s a place down here that I want to check out.”
“Really?” Carter looks out the window. I don’t know if he’s checking out the people walking by or the storefronts. I do hope he’s scoping out a parking spot for me. As much as I hate parallel parking, I don’t want to pay parking fees in some overpriced lot. He knows exactly what I’m thinking and points to a car leaving. I maneuver my car into the spot, park, and turn it off. I don’t give Carter a chance to ask me what we’re doing and hop out, avoiding the oncoming traffic.
Carter waits for me on the sidewalk with an expectant look on his face. I think if he raises his eyebrows anymore, they’re liable to stay that way. “Any clue as to what we’re doing?”
“Follow me,” I tell him as I turn and walk down the street.
“You know, I think this is one of those times when following you will get me into trouble.” I laugh and reach for the door. He pauses and then claps me on my back. “Yeah, okay. Not what I expected after you asked to hang out, but I’m totally your guy.”
His words are encouraging. A salesclerk meets us before we can get to a counter. “What can I help you gentlemen find today?” he asks.
“I’m looking for an engagement ring,” I tell him.
He smiles brightly and looks from Carter to me. “I’ll be happy to help. Follow me.” He points to where we’ll meet him and then goes behind the counter and meets us at the display case. “Do you have an idea of what you’re looking for?”
I shake my head. “I just know I want to propose and figured once I saw the ring, I’d know.”
“Very well.” He takes out four trays and sets them up in a grid. “Go ahead and pick them up. Let me know if you have any questions.”
Every ring I pick up, I hold for a second, imagine it on her finger, and then put it back down. Carter chooses some as well, but none of them seem to be the one. The salesman sets out a couple more trays and tells me to take my time. I like that he’s not pushy and trying to sell me something I don’t like. I pick one up, and it seems simple and plain. It’s a one-and-a-half carat round diamond on a platinum band. Cara is far from simple, but this ring is perfect for her.
“I think you’ve found the one,” the clerk says.
My eyes meet his, and I wonder if he’s right. “What makes you think that?”
“You’ve held that one the longest.”
“He’s right,” Carter adds. “I think Cara would like it.”
“Is it stupid for me to buy one?” I ask. “It’s not like she will wear it to work. The last thing she would want is for some sleazebag to know she’s engaged.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Carter shrug. “The ring symbolizes the love you have for each other. She can wear it when she’s not working. If you want to propose, you should do it with a ring. Unless you talk about getting married first and you both decide you don’t want rings. It’s not like you’ll wear yours to work, and you won’t wear it when you go out on missions. The last thing you’d want is for a captor to know you’re married.”
He's right. I continue to hold the ring between my thumb and index finger. This ring screams Cara to me. “Okay, this is the one I want.”
The salesman smiles and takes it from me. He tells us he’ll be right back, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Asking Cara to marry me doesn’t stress me out or make me second-guess anything. I’ve known for a while that I want to marry her but watching Evan and Ryley finally say their vows showed me that I’m wasting precious time. Our time needs to be now, not later, because later isn’t guaranteed for any of us.