“Why does it feel like I’m being left out of something?” Ash slides her hands into the back pocket of my jeans.
“All will be revealed soon.” I lean down and kiss her inviting lips before swatting her delectable ass. “We need to go. We have a lot of ground to cover this afternoon.”
“I’m ready.” She stretches up to peck my lips before looping her arm through mine. “Let’s go.”
* * *
We go to the jewelry store first to pick out wedding bands. I share a conspiratorial look with the woman behind the desk as she places a few bands in front of Ashley. Any of these will work with the engagement ring I purchased earlier.
“These are so pretty.” Ash smiles as she squeezes my thigh. Her eyes are infused with happiness, matching the glow I feel inside.
“Try them on, my love.”
A surge of pride swells my chest as my fiancée slides each platinum band on her ring finger. All have diamonds embedded in the band and are sophisticated in an understated way. Bree offered to come with me to pick out the ring, but I turned her down. I know what Ash would want. She has never been flashy or materialistic despite the wealth she grew up with. Those kinds of things don’t matter to her. While she is very much a girly-girl, she doesn’t need or want a massive rock on her finger. So, I’m not surprised when she chooses the simplest of the bands. The ring is thin, the edges crisp and smooth, with a line of diamonds in the center, running the width of the band.
“This is the one,” she says, beaming up at me.
“Are you sure?” I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear.
“One hundred percent.”
The woman smiles, setting the chosen ring aside before she puts the others away. She takes out a row of men’s wedding bands next and slides them across the desk to me.
“I like this one.” Ash points at the same one my eye is drawn to.
I flash her a blinding smile. “Me too.”
Ash takes it out and slides it on my finger. The platinum band is wide with two lines of fine diamonds rimming the circumference on both edges. I like the look and feel of it on my finger. As if it has always belonged there. Our eyes lock, and potent emotion charges the space around us. She cups one side of my face, smiling wide, her eyes glassy with feeling.
I place the hand with the ring over her hand on my face as I stare deep into her gorgeous brown eyes. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” she whispers as a single tear leaks from her eye.
“You two are adorable,” the woman says. “You make such a beautiful couple.”
Ash’s smile expands as we remove our hands from my face and turn to face the jeweler. “Thank you.”
“We’ll take both of these,” I supply, reluctantly sliding the ring from my finger.
She leaves to organize the paperwork and package up the rings, and the second she exits the room, I scoop Ash up onto my lap.
Her hands dive into my hair and she smiles. “I can’t believe this is happening. It’s like a dream come true.”
My eyes probe hers. “I know it’s not the way we would have planned it, but are you sure you’re okay with it?”
She bobs her head. “I love you, Jase, and I want to marry you. I hate my father is dictating the terms, but I’m not unhappy. Not in the slightest.” She presses her lips to mine. “I know we’re young, but I don’t care. I know what’s in my heart, and this feels right.”
“It does.” I hold her close. “More right than anything else has ever felt in my life.”
After leaving the jewelry store, we head to the florist’s where Ash chooses a bouquet of white, pink, and red roses with red berry leaves in a nod to Christmas, which is only days away now. We fix on white roses with red berries as boutonnieres. I take pics and send them to Bree on the down-low while Ash is texting with Ares.
Then we head to the bakery to pick out a cake. I had called them yesterday and paid quadruple their normal prices to bake three cakes at short notice. We try the chocolate, lemon, and red velvet samples, both of us agreeing on the latter. The lady shows us pictures in a book, and Ash picks a white-frosted, two-tier cake.
We grab coffee from a local takeout place and when we step outside, Bree is waiting by the wall. “What are you doing here?” Ash asks, glancing suspiciously at her.
“This is where we must part ways, my love.” I kiss the tip of her nose. “It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride’s dress until the wedding day. Bree is here to go with you.”
Ashley grins, looking at something behind me. She pulls my face down to hers for a quick kiss. “Great minds think alike.”
