“You really think she’s in town?”
“Who knows.” I sigh and close my eyes. The sky has turned from bright and blue to overcast. Which matches how I feel exactly—dim, numb. Exhausted. “I’ll find out tomorrow. I have to go shopping with Amá and Sky.”
“So how about Tuesday, then?” I open my eyes and he’s pulling something out of his wallet. “We can meet in the courthouse. You can move into my place by the end of the week.”
“Tuesday it is.” It’s not like I have anything else going on.
Carter takes my left hand and pushes on a ring. I get a little distracted by the feel of his warm skin against mine, so it takes me a second to notice the jewelry. When I do, my jaw drops open.
A line appears between Carter’s brow as he takes a big breath. “Do you like it? If you don’t, we can change it. It doesn’t matter to me. We can get you whatever you want, you know?”
“I—” I tighten my muscles to keep my voice from shaking. “I just can’t believe you remembered.”
When I was a little girl, I thought Princess Diana had the most gorgeous engagement ring in the universe. Never mind that her husband fucked around, that her marriage wasn’t destined to last. I remember cutting out a picture of the diamond-haloed sapphire from a magazine and pinning it to my wall, next to corny pictures of the Backstreet Boys. I was sure AJ was going to get me a ring just like it when he asked me to marry him.
But somehow I ended up with something even better. I mean, I know I’ve never seen the royal ring up close in real life. But there’sno wayit rivals this one. The gold is impossibly shiny, the diamonds so sparkly, I probably look like I’m cradling a damn disco ball around my finger. The sapphire is lighter than Diana’s, a blue that reminds me of the distant ocean, the way it looks from the balcony of Nadia’s attic, with the waves in the distance glittering just like the way this giant-ass rock does when I turn my hand in the sunlight.
“It’s not as big a sapphire. Di’s was twelve carats. This one’s only a little over four. And the diamonds around it are smaller. And they’re not flawless, but they are ethically mined. I mean, so is the sapphire. It’s twelve-carat white gold. Diana’s was eighteen—”
I interrupt him by throwing my arms around his neck. “It’s the prettiest ring I’ve ever seen, Carter.”
“Yeah?” He’s breathless. Probably because I’m almost choking him.
“Yeah.”
When I pull back, he’s looking at me so closely, I feel frozen. Like the market all around us doesn’t exist anymore. Like the whole world has blended into some abstract forms of color, and only Carter and me are the ones in detail.
He takes a shaky breath. “Teal, I—”
“Well, I’ll be! Teal Flores, is that an engagement ring on your finger?”
I turn and there is Nora Jacoby. “Oh. Uh—”
“I swear I saw Carter there put something on you. It’s a sapphire, isn’t it? Good lord, look at the size of that thing!”
Before I know it, my hand is now being yanked by the biggest gossip in town. She wouldn’t be around us if we hadn’t told herLani had a poopy emergency. This is me, instantly reaping what I have sown. “We’re trying to keep it a secret for now,” I mumble.
Nora grins. “Oh, honey, of course. Of course. I won’t tell a soul.”
Which means that by the end of the hour,everyonewill know.
8
Group Chat: Las Brujas Flores
Sage: Engaged??! To Carter???!! Teal, when tf were you going to tell us?!
Sky: Can I be your flower girl?
Amá Sonya: Money comes before marriage, Teal Alegría. NOT after.
Nadia: I knew it.
My phone’s blowing up nonstop. When I park in Nadia’s driveway, I pull it out of my purse—a vintage Coach in camel—just to get this over with.
First I assure Amá that Carter has money. I don’t go as far as to say that is the whole reason we’re doing this, but she is mollified by the time I get off the phone with her. Which for her means she’s only mildly condescending and irritated at me.
That’s your thing, I text back Nadia as a response to herIknew it. I swear, that andI told you soare her favorite phrases of all time.
