Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 134706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
We move together slowly to completely empty his body into mine.
“I missed you,” he whispers.
I hold him tight in my arms. “I missed you too.”
Tristan
We’re back in Long Island now, and I look around at her bedroom and slide my hand up over Claire’s hip as she sleeps. I inhale deeply and smile into her hair.
Today’s the day.
“Morning.” She sleepily sighs.
“I’m getting up, babe.”
“Hmm,” she murmurs with her eyes closed. “Why so early?”
“I’m taking the boys to the expo in New York, remember?”
“Oh, that’s right,” she replies. Her eyes are firmly shut. “Do you want me to get up to see you off?”
“No, I got it. The boys are already up. I can hear them downstairs. Stay here and sleep in.”
“Okay.” She smiles as she wraps her arms around me and holds me tight. “I love you.”
I kiss her softly. “I love you too.”
I climb out of bed, quickly shower, and make my way downstairs.
The boys are eating their cereal with huge grins on their faces. “Are we ready?” I whisper.
“Yeah, sure are,” whispers Patrick excitedly.
I smile. “Hurry up. We need to go.”
We walk down the mall in New York. It’s snowing, and Christmas carols play loudly throughout the space. Patrick is holding my hand, and Harry and Fletcher are by my side. We’ve been looking for hours. Still nothing I like. “What if we don’t find one?” Harry asks.
“We will.”
“You should have had one made.” Fletcher sighs with a roll of his eyes.
“I didn’t have time.”
The boys and I are looking for an engagement ring for Claire. We’re finally going to be a family.
“When do you need it for?”
“Well, we leave in three weeks for Aspen, and my plan is to ask her on Christmas Eve,” I reply as we walk. “I’ve got everything arranged. Now we just need the ring.” Nerves flutter in my stomach. Finally.
My wife.
I’ve never wanted anything so badly. “Let’s hope she says yes, eh?” I add.
“She better,” Harry snaps as we walk. He takes my hand in his. “She’s going to ruin the entire trip if she doesn’t.”
I chuckle. “Agreed. Two weeks’ skiing in Aspen is going to be very uncomfortable if she says no.”
I smile as I picture our first New Year’s Eve together as a family, and I don’t know if I’ve ever been this excited about a vacation before.
“Of course she’s going to say yes,” Fletcher scoffs. “As if she won’t.”
“I bet she cries.” Harry smiles dreamily, as if imagining her face. “She always cries when good things happen.”
“Remember, not a word to anyone about this.” I widen my eyes at Patrick to remind him specifically.
If anyone is going to blab to Claire, it’s him, but I didn’t want to leave them out of this.
“I know,” he says in disgust. “It’s a big secret.”
“You’ll ruin Christmas if you tell,” Fletcher adds.
“I won’t,” Patrick snaps. “Stop saying I’ll tell, because I won’t.”
We keep walking and walking and walking. “Where is it, Fletch?” I ask.
He checks the directions on his phone. “Just around this corner.”
We walk around the corner, and there it is.
NEW YORK DIAMOND TRADERS
“This is it.”
We all stand still and stare at the sign.
“This makes me nervous,” I whisper.
“Me too,” replies Fletcher. “What if we get one she hates?”
“We won’t.” With renewed determination, I lead the boys into the jewelry store, and we look around.
“Can I help you, sir?” the man behind the counter asks.
“Yes,” Fletcher interrupts. “We’re looking for an engagement ring.”
I smile, proud that he now speaks so confidently to strangers.
“For my mom,” Patrick adds.
“Well.” The salesman’s eyes widen in delight. “How wonderful.”
“Yes, it is.” Harry beams happily as he swings my arm by the hand.
I smile as I watch the boys. They’re as excited about this as I am. I’m so glad I included them in this.
“What are you after, sir?” the salesman asks.
“Gold.” I look to Fletcher in question, and he nods. “Yes, eighteen-karat gold. A solitaire diamond, not too big and flashy, but the diamond has to be perfect.”
“Okay. This way, please.” He leads us over to a glass cabinet where diamond rings are displayed in rows.
“Thank you,” I reply. “This could take a while.”
“Of course. I’ll leave you to it. I’ll be just over here when you need me.”
The boys and I all peer into the cabinet.
“Do you see any you like?” I whisper.
“Hmm.” Patrick cranes his neck as he looks. “I’m trying to imagine if I were a girl.”
“You wouldn’t have to imagine too hard,” Harry mutters dryly.
“That one.” Fletcher points to a ring that sits on its own.
A solitaire diamond ring in a black velvet case sparkles perfectly in the light.
“Oh yeah,” Harry whispers. “I like that one too.”
“What do you think, Tricky?” I ask.
“Hmm.” He frowns as he concentrates. “I think she might like a love-heart one instead. You know, for love.”
Harry screws up his face in disgust. “She isn’t ten,” he scoffs. “Nobody likes love-heart rings.”