“Where are we going?” Lucy asked as she got out of the car.
Joel opted not to answer as he guided her along the sidewalk with one hand at the small of her back. He pulled out his phone with his other hand and tapped out a quick text. When he stopped by the small boutique shop, Lucy peered through the door.
“Is this a jewelry store?” she asked, her nose pressed against the glass. She jumped back when someone came toward them from the other side.
Moments later, a well-groomed, middle-aged manunlocked the door and greeted them with a massive smile. “Joel, welcome.” He turned to Lucy and held out his hand. “And you must be Lucy. It is so nice to meet you.” When she placed her hand in his, he lifted it to his lips. “More beautiful than my friend described.”
Lucy laughed before blushing Joel’s favorite shade of pink.
“Dino, stop flirting with my fiancée or I’ll take her somewhere else to get a ring.”
“Wait, what?” Lucy’s face morphed from bashful to shocked.
“Lucy, this is Dino Mastore.” With a neutral smile, he gestured for her to precede him into the store. “And I think it’s time my fiancée got an engagement ring from me, don’t you?” Even though they were still technically married, they’d missed so many steps the first time, like a proper engagement or giving her a proper engagement ring. This time, for better or for worse, he wanted to give her everything.
Dino led him and a stunned Lucy through the store toward a long counter in the center, where he pulled out a tray of sparkling diamonds.
Lucy looked around her. “Are we the only ones here?”
“We are. Take as much time as you need,” Joel reassured her.
Lucy leaned toward his shoulder so only he could hear her. “Did you have him open the store just for us?” At half past nine, the store had long since closed.
“He owed me a favor.” There was no reason to go into greater detail than that. Joel liked the older man, admired his work ethic, and had bought any gift he’d needed for his mother, sister, or niece from Dino since arriving in Portland.So when things had taken a turn with Dino’s business, Joel was happy to help.
Like many other independent shop owners in town, Dino had met hard times. Rising rents, customers unwilling to pay for quality made, top of the line jewelry. Earlier that year, he’d confided in Joel that he’d probably have to close his business in a few months. Joel had a soft spot for the owner and his family. And what was a drop in the hat for him was a life-changing amount for the Mastores, so Joel offered to become a silent partner, giving Dino the money he needed to continue running his shop and feeding his family. Which is how he now owned a percentage of Mastore Jewelers and was able to get the man to open the store for him after hours.
“Tell me, Miss Lucy, what do you like? Teardrop or princess? Eternity diamonds or solitaire? I promise you at Mastore we will have whatever your heart desires.”
“Oh, I don’t really know,” Lucy murmured shyly, glancing at the tray in front of her. Her brow furrowed as she took in the brilliant jewels.
From a past life, Joel knew that she enjoyed her jewelry, and her favorites ranged from simple and elegant to big and sparkly. Her jewelry box held a necklace and earrings for every occasion, so he knew she was salivating over the tray in front of her and trying not to.
Getting a ring was a big step, one that turned their agreement into a promise.
“Perhaps the lady likes something a little more unique?” Dino withdrew another tray from the showcase. “If these are not satisfactory.”
“Oh, no, it’s not that. They’re all so pretty, but I’ve never?—”
Dino set down the second tray, and Lucy gawked.
“Oh, that one, I want that one.” She pointed to a beautiful round-cut diamond set on a delicate rose-gold band. It almost looked like a rosebud, with a swirl of smaller diamonds surrounding it. “Jesus, that’s gorgeous.”
She leaned over the counter, inspecting the ring, her wild waves of hair coming loose from her ponytail.
“I couldn’t agree more,” Joel murmured, not taking his eyes off her.
She’d always been the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen, but she was breathtaking like this, when her face was lit with joy, her cheeks flushed making her skin glow the color of the band she was ogling.
“We’ll take it.”
Dino removed the ring from its slot and held it out to Lucy, but Joel intercepted, taking the diamond and turning to her. He caught her left hand and slipped the ring onto her finger with ease—like it had always been meant for her. The diamond sparkled against her skin, and for a heartbeat everything felt…right. When he lifted his gaze to hers, they locked, the gravity that had always existed between them making it impossible to look away.
When Dino clapped his hands, Lucy jerked as if coming out of a trance. “Perfection! The perfect ring for the perfect woman.” He put the trays away as if the matter was settled.
“So, that one then?” Joel asked, letting her hand drop from his.
“It’s pretty big, Joel. You don’t have to. It’s not nec?—”
