twinkled at me. I had dreaded this moment for so long but now that it was here it was no where near the horrific imaginings I’d had. The ring looked right sitting there as if it had been made just for me. It made me wonder how many others looked like it.
“You don’t like it, do you?” The hurt voice broke my train of thought and drew my head up.
“It’s perfect. I was just wondering how many others there were.”
“None.”
“What?”
“My great-grandfather made this for my great-grandmother. There isn’t another one in the whole world exactly like it.” He turned the ring until the diamond faced down. Engraved on the band was the name Callaway in the delicate, flowing script of a century before. “I thought that you would like it more this way. It was the only thing my dad left my mom when he ran off.” He turned the ring back as he spoke.
“Thank you.” The words seemed inadequate but his smile was so bright.
“Shouldn’t I be saying that? I’m the one who has the girl of my dreams and my reality wearing my engagement ring.” He kissed me gently. “Thank you.” He whispered in my ear before he pulled away.
“Your welcome.”
“Do you want me to stay?”
“That’s probably not the best idea in the world. Nikki’s coming over later. I’ll be okay. Aiden?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I tell Nikki and Bear?”
“You can if you want. I just want to be there for your parents, okay?”
“I promise that I won’t say anything until you’re here with me.”
“Thank you. Want me to walk you up?”
“I think I can make it by myself.”
“Are you sure?”
“No.” I giggled and he kissed me again. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, baby.”
I climbed out and started for the door. He didn’t pull away until I was safely inside. My mother was at the counter when I walked into the kitchen so I slid my hand in the pocket of the jacket I was wearing.
“Hey Mom.”
“How was your afternoon?”
“It was . . . quiet. Yours?”
“Busy. I cleaned out my closet.” She pointed to the three bags in the corner
“You don’t like it, do you?” The hurt voice broke my train of thought and drew my head up.
“It’s perfect. I was just wondering how many others there were.”
“None.”
“What?”
“My great-grandfather made this for my great-grandmother. There isn’t another one in the whole world exactly like it.” He turned the ring until the diamond faced down. Engraved on the band was the name Callaway in the delicate, flowing script of a century before. “I thought that you would like it more this way. It was the only thing my dad left my mom when he ran off.” He turned the ring back as he spoke.
“Thank you.” The words seemed inadequate but his smile was so bright.
“Shouldn’t I be saying that? I’m the one who has the girl of my dreams and my reality wearing my engagement ring.” He kissed me gently. “Thank you.” He whispered in my ear before he pulled away.
“Your welcome.”
“Do you want me to stay?”
“That’s probably not the best idea in the world. Nikki’s coming over later. I’ll be okay. Aiden?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I tell Nikki and Bear?”
“You can if you want. I just want to be there for your parents, okay?”
“I promise that I won’t say anything until you’re here with me.”
“Thank you. Want me to walk you up?”
“I think I can make it by myself.”
“Are you sure?”
“No.” I giggled and he kissed me again. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, baby.”
I climbed out and started for the door. He didn’t pull away until I was safely inside. My mother was at the counter when I walked into the kitchen so I slid my hand in the pocket of the jacket I was wearing.
“Hey Mom.”
“How was your afternoon?”
“It was . . . quiet. Yours?”
“Busy. I cleaned out my closet.” She pointed to the three bags in the corner
