“I think that’s platinum, Jake,” said his dad.
Jake knew platinum was more expensive, but it wasn’t about the money, it was about how it felt.He wanted Savannah to look at her ring and have it feel like a real engagement ring.Maybe it wouldn’t matter to her, but it did to him.
“I want gold – real gold.”
Maria smiled.“You mean yellow gold.”She pointed to a different tray of rings.
“Yeah, like that.”
“Not rose gold?”
He shook his head when she pointed to a different tray – those ones looked like copper to him.“Yellow gold,” he confirmed.“Two stones and…” he waited until Maria put the first tray back and brought another.“Are there any where the stones don’t stick up too far?I don’t want them to get caught on anything when she’s working.”He looked at his dad.“Do you think she can wear it when she’s working?”
His dad didn’t look as though he knew.
“She’s working in the garage with you now, isn’t she?How about something bezel-set?”Maria suggested.
“You’ll have to show us,” his dad said with a laugh.“We’re clueless here.”
She picked out a ring with two diamonds, one square, the other kind of pear-shaped.The band was plain yellow gold, and it had a little rim around both stones so they lay flush with the band.
Jake smiled and took it as she handed it over.“Yeah, something like that.But not that one.”
“That’s okay, we’re narrowing it down.”Maria took it back.“Oh no – did you cut yourself?”
Jake looked down at his knuckles.They were grazed and bloody.“It’s fine.”He smiled at the others.“I must have caught them on something stupid.”
Maria gave him a knowing look.“You sound like my Zack, and I know better than to ask—”
“That one!”Jake didn’t even feel bad talking over her.He’d spotted it.The ring she’d shown him wasn’t right because the diamonds were different shapes.This one had two round diamonds and they seemed extra shiny.It might be the cut, it might be that they were shining at him because he knew that was the ring.He kind of liked that idea even if it was far-fetched.
Maria took it out and handed it over.“This one?”
“Yeah.This is it.Thanks, Maria.”
“Do you know what size she is?”
His heart thudded to a halt.“Not a clue,” he confessed.
His dad gripped his shoulder.“We’ll figure it out.”
Josh chuckled.“We can put Tiffany on the case.”
“But I want it now.”
His dad cocked an eyebrow.“Are you in that much of a hurry?”
When he’d asked them all to come over here with him today, Jake had thought it was about getting the ring so he’d be ready when the moment came.Now, all of a sudden, he was in a hurry.
“You could try calling Tiffany,” Maria suggested.“She might know.”
Josh held up his phone with a smile.“I have every faith in that girl.Cross your fingers, guys.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Savannah zipped up her hoodie; the cool breeze off the lake was a sure sign that winter was on the way.She wasn't a fan of the colder months, but a smile touched her lips at the thought of cozy evenings in front of the fire with Jake.
She took a deep breath as she stared out at the water and smiled when she noticed the smell of pine and lake.It really was the smell of home to her, and even more so now.Up at the garage it was mixed with the smell of engine oil, and here at Jake's dad and Jo's place it was so often layered in with the smell of good food.This morning the smell of coals and smoke from the grill made her stomach rumble.
