She hesitates, then nods. “Okay, sure. But just for a few minutes.”
The door chimes softly as we enter, announcing our presence to the hushed, elegant space inside. The lighting is soft but deliberate, designed to make everything glitter. Glass cases line the walls, filled with treasures that cost more than most people’s annual salary.
A woman in a tailored black suit approaches us, her smile professionally warm. “Good evening. Welcome to Meridian. How can I help you today?”
I glance at Cheyenne, who suddenly looks like she wants to bolt. Something protective rises in me—I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable. And then, before I can fully process what I’m doing, I slide my arm around her waist and pull her close to my side.
“We’re looking for engagement rings,” I announce. “I think it’s finally time to make it official.”
I feel Cheyenne stiffen beside me, but to her credit, she doesn’t blow my cover. Instead, she looks up at me with wide eyes that I can only hope the saleswoman interprets as affection rather than shock.
“How wonderful! Congratulations,” the salesclerk says. “How long have you two been together?”
“Eight years,” I say confidently, pulling a number out of thin air.
Cheyenne nods along. “Yes, we met in college. He was the older hockey star, and I was ... the ... the mascot.”
I bite back a laugh. “It was love at first sight. For me, anyway. She took some convincing.”
“He was very persistent,” Cheyenne adds, leaning into me with unexpected ease. “Still is.”
The clerk leads us to a display case in the center of the store. “Well, young love is always so refreshing to see. Now, did you have something specific in mind for the rings?”
“Something that really makes a statement,” I say seriously. “My honey deserves the best.”
Cheyenne pinches my side discreetly but keeps smiling.
“Of course.” The clerk unlocks a case filled with rings that probably cost more than my first contract. “These are some of our finest pieces.”
“Baby, you know I don’t need anything flashy.” Cheyenne leans into me.
“Nonsense,” I counter, pressing a quick kiss to the top of her head before I can stop myself. Her hair smells like vanilla and something uniquely her. “Only the best for the love of my life.”
The clerk pulls out a tray of rings, each diamond bigger and more elaborate than the last. I pick one up, a monstrosity with a center stone the size of a small marble surrounded by dozens of smaller diamonds.
“What do you think, sweetie?” I hold it toward Cheyenne. “Big enough to see from space?”
She giggles, playing along perfectly. “I don’t know if my hand could support the weight.”
“True. You might tip over.” I put it back and point to an even more ridiculous one. “What about that one? With the halo that looks like a UFO landing pad?”
The clerk’s smile tightens slightly, but she maintains her professionalism. “That’s one of our most exclusive designs. The center diamond is five-carat, E color, VVS1 clarity.”
“Sounds perfect,” I say, having no idea what any of that means. “Let’s see it on you, Pookie.”
Cheyenne stifles a laugh as she holds out her left hand, and the clerk slides the massive ring onto her finger. It looks like a Christmas ornament someone attached to her finger.
“It’s ... something,” Cheyenne says.
“It’s gorgeous on you,” the clerk insists. “The way it catches the light is extraordinary.”
I lean close to Cheyenne’s ear, whispering just loud enough for the clerk to hear, “It looks like a snow globe had a baby with a chandelier.”
Cheyenne snorts, trying to cover it with a cough. “Maybe we could try something a bit more ... subtle?”
“Of course.” The clerk looks slightly deflated but quickly rebounds, pulling out another tray. “Perhaps something more classic?”
We go through two more trays of rings, each one more extravagant than the last. I keep up the act, calling Cheyenne every pet name I can think of—”sugar,” “angel,” “cupcake”—each one making her lips twitch with suppressed laughter.
