“Wedding bands. And an engagement ring.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Stef peeked over her shoulder at Emmett, who was standing by the door looking unhappy.
She jerked her head, widening her eyes to communicate her meaning: get your ass in here.
He strode in, a reluctant lurch to his walk, as the saleslady led them to a glass case filled with sparkling diamond bands. She pulled out a tray of platinum settings at Stefanie’s request. Stef leaned over them, fingering each one.
“They’re beautiful.”
She reached for a princess cut but before she had it lifted from its velvet bed, Emmett pushed the ring back down and plucked a band featuring a trio of marquise-cut diamonds instead. Rows of smaller diamonds winked from their homes on each side of the band.
“Great choice,” the saleslady praised. “That’s an old set. It was traded in yesterday by a woman whose husband passed away ten years ago. They were married forty-eight years and she had no children to leave it to. She said their marriage was a happy one, but she was remarrying and felt wrong keeping it. She thought bringing it here would allow another couple to give it new life for another four decades or more.” She eyed Emmett and then Stefanie. “You two look young enough to make it to your forty-eighth wedding anniversary.”
It was both a sad and sweet sentiment since Stef knew that her marriage to Emmett wouldn’t last until summer.
“Go ahead and slip it onto her finger,” the saleslady told Emmett with a wink. “Practice for the big day.”
He lifted Stef’s left hand, the ring gripped between his blunt fingers.
“Maybe this ring is the wrong choice for us.” She started to tug her hand away, but her betrothed didn’t heed her warning, instead slipping the ring past her third finger’s knuckles, where it sat as snugly as if it’d been sized for her hand.
“It’s perfect.” His gruff voice held a note of surprise.
“It’s beautiful.” The saleslady took Stefanie’s hand and turned the diamond this way and that. “I tightened those prongs myself.”
It was beautiful. And Emmett was right. It was also perfect. The woman handed over the matching band, and he pulled it onto his finger—again, a perfect fit.
“It was meant to be.” The saleslady let out a gasp of delight. “We have financing and we also accept credit cards.”
“Cash.” Emmett wiggled the ring from his finger and placed it onto the counter as Stef was reaching into her purse for her wallet.
“Splendid. Let me grab a few boxes.” The saleslady dashed off to the back, rings in hand and a spring in her step thanks to the hefty price tag.
“I’ll pay for it,” Stef said.
“No. You won’t.”
“Em—”
“Let me.” He grasped her hand where the engagement ring sat, his palm big and warm. An answering warmth curled around her heart and sent a flush up her neck.
Speechless, she let Emmett take care of the purchase.