“Good to know,” Charley said quietly. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” the detective replied. “Sully, please tell Owen I said hello and that I hope he’s up and around again soon.”
“I sure will,” Sully said. “Dad’s at home today watching football with his sprained ankle propped up on a pillow.”
“Sounds good,” Groves said. “Especially the day after a record snowfall.” When the detective stood up, Sully and Charley stood as well. “Last but not least, congratulations on your engagement. Just so you know, the County Clerk and Recorder’s Office is open today and there’s no waiting period to get married in the state of Colorado.”
“Did you hear that, city slicker?” Sully teased.
“I did.” Charley smiled at him and then said to Groves, “But this country boy promised me a February wedding in Hawaii.”
“Hold him to it,” Groves said as he came around the desk and shook hands with Sully. With Charley, he gave her a fatherly hug. Charley hugged him back and then took Sully’s hand. They thanked the detective who had been so kind to them, and he offered to escort them out of the police station. He got them only a few feet from his office door before two different police department employees called his name.
“We can find our way out,” Sully said to Groves.
Groves gave them a thumbs up and stopped to talk to a uniformed officer and a detective Charley recognized from the Fester crime scene. Holding tight to Sully, Charley felt tremendous gratitude for the excellent work of the Colorado Springs Police Department.
Stepping outside, the sun was bright against the snow. Charley let go of Sully long enough to pull on her red toboggan and gloves. Sully tugged on his leather gloves and tucked his wool scarf into his coat. The Chinooks gently blew, which would help melt the effects of the blizzard. Taking Sully’s hand again, Charley walked beside him as they made their way down East Rio Grande Street to the public parking lot.
At his Jeep, on the passenger’s side, she stopped and said, “I don’t know how I can ever—” Her voice broke with emotion, and a tear escaped her eye.
“How you can what?” Sully asked and tilted his head.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I could not have made it through all of this without you.”
“Sure you could have.”
“No, Sully.” Charley shook her head and hugged herself to him. “No, I couldn’t.”
“How about you thank me by going to the jewelry store with me?” he suggested. “Then I’ll take you to a New Year’s Eve lunch.”
Charley nodded and pulled Sully to her for a kiss. “Let’s pick out a wedding band for you while we’re at it.”
“And one for you.”
“Matching?” she asked.
“Matching.”
An hour later found them sitting next to each other again, but this time in front of a jeweler instead of a detective. As they’d driven from the police department a few blocks away to the downtown shopping area, Sully had told Charley that, according to Cash, this was the same jewelry store which had supplied the engagement rings and wedding bands for all the Coopers.
Looking into Sully’s forest-green eyes, she had asked, “How did you know that?”
“I asked about a jewelry store recommendation after getting permission from Cash, Chase, Chloe, and Coop to propose to you.” When her eyes widened, he added, “By the way, they’re all on board for flying to Hawaii in February. Coop said he and Tammy wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Sully splayed his hands. “Apparently, Coop’s always wanted to go to a luau.”
Charley’s eyes had teared then, and they threatened to do so now.
“Really,” she began and looked from the jeweler, who had just handed her a spectacular diamond solitaire engagement ring, back to Sully. “A one-carat diamond is more than enough.”
Sully grinned, and then gently taking the ring from her, he handed it back to the jeweler and said, “I like this two-carat diamond for thetwoof us.”
“The two of us,” Charley whispered as Sully lifted her left hand and slid the ring on her fourth finger. The brilliant diamond was set in six prongs with three additional diamondsdecorating each side of the narrow platinum band. “It sparkles as brightly as the snow outside.”
“That’s gotta be a sign it’sthering,” Sully whispered. When Charley swiped away a tear and nodded at him, Sully said to the jeweler. “We’ll take this two-carat diamond.”
Charley hugged him and choked out, “The fact this ring fits perfectly is a sign too.”
Sully chuckled and with a quick hug, said, “Yeah, it is.”
