She grimaced sheepishly. “I … well … you know, Ramsay is great at secret keeping. So … I don’t know if … well … maybe I’m jumping the gun but?—”
London tapped her friend’s knee. “Tierney, spit it out.”
“I found a ring,” she whispered, and before we could react, she hissed, “Don’t react.”
Immediately, I clamped my lips together to bite back the excitement.
“Okay.” Cammie pretended to be stoic. “You found … an object that is a symbol of marriage?”
I snorted behind my clamped lips.
“Yes.” Tierney nodded slowly. “A platinum band with an oval stone I thought was a dark blue sapphire nestled between two clusters of diamonds, but what I now realize is alexandrite because it changes colors in the light. I also once mentioned to Ramsay that it’s my favorite gemstone. Therefore, I think it’s safe to assume the ring is intended for me.”
London’s eyes were suspiciously bright as she reached for Tierney’s hand. “I definitely think it’s for you, my friend. Alexandrite and diamonds, huh? He spared no expense.”
Tierney groaned. “And I’ve spoiled the surprise.”
“So, you’ll say yes?” Cammie prodded.
“Do I love romance novels? Is Akiva the most beautiful malamute ever? Is the sky blue?”
“Right, right, stupid question.”
“I just … I feel like I should tell Ramsay I found the ring. But I’m alsoshockedI found the ring.”
“Why? It’s happened before.” I shrugged. “Men are shit at hiding things.”
“Not this one.” Tierney was adamant. “Finding it was a total fluke. For no reason at all, I got this urge to look through the many books he has shelved in the house. I’m searching the titles and I come across Jonathan Swift’sA Modest Proposal.”
“No way,” London murmured.
Tierney nodded frantically. “Yeah. And I’m like, ‘Huh, I’ve never heard of that one,’ so I pull it off the shelf and what was behind it? A velvet ring box.”
“Damn, he is good at hiding things,” I retracted my earlier opinion. “Sly fox.”
London shook her head. “That is so weird. That you were drawn to pull that book off the shelf.”
“The connection between me and Ramsay has been weird from the beginning. Like, instant familiarity. A proposal is a happy thing, and yet I feel terrible because now I’ve ruined it. I need to tell him.”
“No, you don’t.” Cammie waved off the idea. “Just let him do his thing.”
“Tell him,” I disagreed.
“He probably already caught you on film finding it.” London sank back in her chair with a grin.
“Wait, what?” I wrinkled my nose. “Ramsay has cameras in your place? Why—oh no. No, no, no, no. That’s too much information.”
Cammie cackled. “Kinky buggers.”
Our friend flushed a color I’d never seen her flush before. “No, that’s not … I mean, yes, but no … no!” She scowled at London, who was wiping tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes.
Once our hilarity had calmed, my smile softened. “Tell him, Tierney. He’ll understand.”
“I ruined it.”
“No. You didn’t. The proposal doesn’t matter. It’s what comes after that does.”
“And Ramsay McRae doesn’t strike me as a man who cares about proposals and weddings.” Cammie pointed a manicured nail at our friend. “Though Iamhelping with wedding décor. But my point is, Taran’s right. Ramsay wants the marriage part.”
