What if it’s an engagement ring and he’s going to propose?
Ludicrous. You’ve been dating for a month!
But you’ve known each other much longer.
It’s way too soon for something like that.
But what if?
I held the box between my steepled fingers, letting the idea settle. I waited for the panic to come crashing down. The panic that caused me to self sabotage with Madden. Yeah, after months to dwell on it, I knew that’s what I’d done.
But it didn’t come.
In fact, the opposite happened. Peace washed over me. Like every cell of my body had been infused with joy and calmness.
But marriage means sex. Lots of sex.
Yes. Sex with Ashton. Correction: love making with Ashton.
I waited, wondering again if the panic would make an appearance. Instead, my face split into a grin. The thought of it made me downright giddy.
We’d been attached at the hip since the day we got together. And not once had he pushed me for more than kisses. If anything, he was fendingmeoff. I loved him for wanting to wait. It was the sensible thing to do. But every time he kissed me, it was a struggle. I wanted to love him. Fully. Not just kisses. But all of it. Wanted to wake up every morning next to him, tangled in the sheets.
With that self-realization I stared at the box, hoping beyond hope that it was a ring. After all that deliberation, it was probably a tie tac. Now, I had to know.
I flipped open the lid and my air was suddenly gone. Itwasa ring. And it was gorgeous. At least a carat. Set in an intricate rose gold band with small diamonds tucked into the sides. It looked old. Vintage. Like something straight out of the Victorian period. But in pristine condition.
It was perfect.
I plucked it from the box and slid it over my knuckle. Then I curled my fingers and uncurled them again. Not a perfect fit but close enough.
“Charlie, what’s wrong?” I heard Theo say from the bedroom. There was a tug of concern in his voice that I didn’t like. Had Jenny made her cry? Why my mind went there, I’m not sure. But an upset Jenny in the kitchen could have something to do with it. I hopped up and hurried to see what was wrong.
When I came into the room, Charlie was sobbing. Gone were the sunglasses and the smile. Theo had an arm around her.
“Hey.” I knelt in front of her. “What’s going on?”
“She—” She sucked in air, her chin trembling. “She says you’re…you’re not my mom. She says I’m confused.”
“Who said that?” I said softly, putting a bit of cheer in my voice, for Charlie’s sake.
“J-J-Jenny.” A sob shook her shoulders. She buried her face in her hands. I didn’t need to ask how it happened. Charlie had been telling everyone she saw, proudly, that I was her mom. That’s all it would take.
“Oh my goodness.” I pulled both of them against me and smoothed Charlie’s hair. “We haven’t told Jenny yet.She’sprobably confused. But we know better, don’t we?”
She nodded, sniffling, the tears already slowing. Theo slipped out of the hug, letting me take Charlie’s full weight. I gave him a smile and he knelt down by the Lego. He’d almost completely repaired it. But he waited, watching Charlie. Thesame way a gentleman waits for a lady to get her food at a restaurant before they start eating.
“No!” I heard Ashton yell. The fact that I could hear him in a house this size, with Ford’s music cranked up, did not bode well for whatever was going on in the kitchen. “Nope. That is not happening, Mom!” There was a tightness and frustration in his voice that surprised me. In all the time I’d known him, I’d never seen him lose his cool with his mom. He was the Dupree who could roll anything off, no matter how invasive she was. He adored her.
I patted Charlie’s back. “Can you help Theo finish the Lego? I’m going to make sure everything’s okay.”
Charlie nodded, wiped her nose on her arm, and knelt by her brother. I hurried out of the room and tiptoed down the stairs. When I got to the foyer, I waited, listening.
“I’m just saying you should discuss it. That’s all. Those kids need a mom and a dad who are married,” Jenny whisper-shouted. “And the sooner they get that, the better. They’ve had enough instability.”
I could not agree more.
“You’re not going to pressure her.” Ashton’s voice was tight. Ready to snap. “If she wants to wait five years, I’ll wait five years. If she wants to wait twenty, then it’s twenty. If she doesn’t want to get married at all, then that’s what we’ll do.”
