“I think we’ve already touched on that, which means that maybe because you keep bringing it up, you think I have a particularly pretty head on these shoulders.”
“Says Marie Antoinette…”
“Ouch,” he chuckled, putting a hand on his heart and wincing. “I’m trying to be nice, remember?”
“Thank you for the phone.”
“You’re welcome, my dearest fiancée…” he grinned, gave her a slight bow, and then winked at her. “I programmed my phone number in there for you, too.”
“Gee,” she said flatly. “Thanks so much.”
“Talk soon,” he chuckled, disappearing inside his house as Steffi looked at the bag once more. Walking back into the living room, she moved toward the kitchen area where her card table was set up and emptied the bag – and flinched.
There was a magnet holder on the back of the phone – that was a gaudy-looking wedding ring. Opening the other box that was labeled ‘Cell phone case’ she groaned, seeing the photo of them printed on the case, holding the plunger right in the center.
“I guess that’s where my new ring will go,” she quipped sarcastically and let it plunk onto the case with a click because of the magnets, before reaching for the cell phone.
Opening the box, the screen lit up with the slightest movement, and she saw the photo that they’d taken. Her lips were pressed to his cheek and his smile was priceless.
She couldn’t help the tender smile that touched her face as she flipped up the screen to go look at the phone number – and cracked up laughing as ‘Douche Wanker’ was the only name in the system. Clicking edit, she paused and saw one more box in the bag.
Pulling it out, she hesitated – and held her breath as it hit her like a ton of bricks. Her hands were shaking as she slowly opened the box to reveal a single solitaire glistening against a black velvet backdrop.
He got her a new cell phone – and a ring?
Slipping the ring out of the box, she drew in a trembling breath as she slipped it onto her finger. It fit perfectly as the diamond glistened in the fluorescent lights above in the kitchen. Was he expecting her to get upset, to bite his head off, to… what? she thought, her mind absolutely struggling to keep up with this crazy man.
Why would he do something like this?
Because he said he would,her mind answered automatically. She’d mentioned the phone, and he’d scooped up the issue, solved it, and was now depositing it into her capable hands as if to say ‘Here, let me care for you’– and she had never, ever had anyone do something like this. Everything in her life had been a struggle, from her mom’s doctor’s bills and visits to funeral expenses. Life was not exactly easy for some and she was one of those ‘some’ who could use a little encouragement not to give up or throw up their hands in defeat.
Holding up her hand before her face, knowing that her eyes had to be red from unshed tears, she took a selfie and sent it to him – with a simple ‘thank you’. Three dots appeared – and she braced herself for whatever comeback was bound to come her way.
And waited.
And waited.
Those infernal dots appeared and reappeared several times, but he never responded except to send a thumbs up almost a minute later.
“That’s it?” she gaped, stunned. “The dude gives me a phone and a diamond ring – and then lobs an emoji as if to say ‘cool’ like this was nothing?”
She left ‘Douche-Wanker’ as his name on her cell phone.
5
DRAKE
“Yo! So where have you been hiding your girl all this time?”
“Yeah, Big-Talker-Walker… does this mean that sweet thing is coming to the games from now on?”
“If she does, she’ll be cheering for me…”
“She’ll be wearing my number once she sees me steal the bases…”
“Huh?” Drake said as he looked up from his cell phone where he’d been staring for the last few minutes in the locker room after practice. He was sitting on a bench, in a towel, half-listening to the wild banter going on around him.
“I said,” Toby drew out in a drawl, putting another pouch of chewing tobacco in his lip as he talked smack. “Your girl will be wanting a different jersey once she sees what I can do out there…”
