Page 163 of Smoke and Glitter

"You just asked me to help you buy an engagement ring. It is already a thing."

"I haven't asked her yet."

"Thank you for explaining the sequence of events."

I glare at him.

Colt grins and leans both forearms against the bar. "When are you doing it?"

"After the baby is born, when she is here in Chicago."

His amusement disappears beneath something more serious. "Probably wise. Proposals go better with both people present."

Colt sets his coffee down. "When do you want to go?"

I look at him. "You're down to help me?"

"Sam, I would clear my calendar for this. I'm going to enjoy every second of watching you panic over a ring."

"I am reconsidering the offer."

"No, you're not."

Colt is worse in the jewelry store than I expected. I assumed he'd provide one useful opinion, maybe stop me from buying something Autumn would hate and otherwise mind his own business. Instead, he has strong feelings about settings, bands, stone height and every other aspect of jewelry design. I forgot he came from money.

The jeweler places one ring on the pad between us, and Colt shakes his head before I even pick it up. "Too much."

"You haven't looked at it."

"I have eyes."

"So do I."

"Then use them."

The jeweler has started looking between us like he's trying to identify the actual customer. I pick up the ring anyway. The stone is large enough that I can imagine Autumn staring at it for ten seconds before asking whether I robbed somebody.

I put it down.

Colt nods. "Good."

"Don't be pleased with yourself."

"I saved your marriage before it started."

"You're becoming unbearable."

The jeweler brings out another tray. We stay long enough that I stop noticing the time. The ring I keep coming back to isn't extravagant. An emerald-cut center stone sits inside a halo of diamonds, with smaller diamonds set into the platinum band. It catches the light without becoming too much, and the low setting won't snag on everything Autumn touches.

I set the ring back on the pad but keep my finger beside it. "I want this one."

The jeweler pauses. "This exact stone?"

"This exact one."

Colt shifts closer and looks down at it. He doesn't make a joke.

After a moment, he nods. "That's her ring."