Riley gasps.
I open the ring box and discover the sweetest little gold band with a tiny diamond chip.
And a note.
With a lump in my throat, I unfold the note and read it silently. “Maddie, this is the ring I meant to give you on our first anniversary. I want you to have it, to do with whatever you like.”
I quickly fold up the note and stuff it into my pocket, along with any feelings bubbling up.
“It’s a ring. An old one. From Ewan. He just wanted me to have it.”
Ari has gossip face. “Anything you want to tell us?”
I am moving on from any discussion about the ring. I eat my pot pie crust first. It’s flaky and buttery and so delicious.
“Thanks for the food. Really, everyone is doing too much.”
It truly is too much. Half of my front porch is lined with reusable shopping bags stuffed with groceries.
“Too bad, there’s more.” This statement comes from my neighbor, Iris, the dressmaker. She hauls a big bag up the stairs.
“What have you got there?” I ask her.
She opens the bag and shows me a book with a gorgeous cover. “The smuttiest dark romance paperbacks available at Robin’s Grocery Store,” Iris says.
“We are truly blessed in this town,” Rile says.
“I also have wine,” Iris says.
“Just in time for gossip,” Ari says. “Open it up and join us. We have plenty of food.”
Iris goes into the kitchen to fetch some cups, then comes back out with three and hands them out.
“So,” Iris says. “What are we gossiping about?”
“Nothing,” I say. “I was just saying my friends do too much for me, that’s all.”
Riley dabs her lips with her napkin and says, “Well, you did add Ewan to the group chat, and he mentioned that he used literally every speck of food he could find in the house to make you a half-assed soup.”
“Yeah, so we thought we’d help out,” Ari adds, shoving a full section of her club sandwich in her mouth.
“Don’t let him be so self-effacing, it’s not cute. The soup is great. I credit it partially for being so full of energy right now,” I say.
Riley takes a bite of her chicken wrap while exchanging a look with Ari.
“So like I was saying. Anything you want to tell us?” Ari asks.
“About what?” I reply innocently, shoveling more food in my mouth so I don’t have to answer any questions right away that I don’t have an easy answer for.
Ari smiles and picks up another section of club sandwich. “The ring.”
I shrug. “Just an old ring he wanted me to have. The note says he’s not asking me to marry him again. Just giving it to me. That’s it.”
Riley looks disappointed. “I thought there would be more.”
“Why?” I ask.
Ari says, “Well, you added him to the group chat. He’s been hanging around your house for days. You haven’t kicked him out yet. You complimented his cooking. And you’re glowing like you just got ate out.”
