Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“There was a ring here last time … May I look?”
She beamed with delight. “Of course. Look away.”
I began searching the glass cabinets where antique rings were wedged into rows of velvet padding.
Relief filled me when I spotted the turquoise and diamond engagement ring. It was a simple gold band with the most unusual circular center made up of turquoise and diamond. It sat in a cabinet labeled MODERN EXCEPTIONS.
“That one.” I pointed to it.
“It’s not an antique, I’m afraid.”
“I gathered,” I replied dryly. “Even better if it means the diamonds aren’t mined.”
“They are not. Now and then, I make a purchase from an online auction and discover I’ve been gubbed.” Mrs. Gilchrist tsked. “Knew it wasn’t an antique as soon as it arrived. No, it was made in the last few years.” She opened the back of the cabinet to pull out the tray the ring was nestled in. “I traced it to a modern jeweler in London.” She pulled the ring out of the velvet pocket. “The center is a lab diamond. One carat. It’s encircled by ten tapered cabochon-cut natural turquoise and those are encircled by eighteen cushion-shape diamonds with a combined weight of 1 carat. The band itself is 18K gold, handmade in London three years ago by a well-respected jeweler. That’s why I kept it. Very unusual ring. At a glance, it has the look of an antique.”
“Aye. It does. It’s perfect for London.”
“Matches her eyes. A bonny wife you have there.”
An inappropriately timed memory rose of London astride me last night, her fiery hair tangled and tumbling down her shoulders, her perfect breasts trembling, her gorgeous face flushed as she rode me.
I cleared my throat, shoving the image out of my head. For now. “Aye, she is that. If the ring doesn’t fit, can it be resized?”
“Did her wedding band fit?”
“Aye.”
Mrs. Gilchrist moved to her laptop and started typing at her keyboard. “Well, well, well, would you look at that? London’s wedding band is the same ring size as the turquoise ring. It was meant to be.”
Pleased, I nodded. “I’ll take it.”
“Not even going to ask the price?” Mrs. Gilchrist mused as she set about placing the ring into a box. “With all your money, Murray Shaw, I would have expected you to go to some fancy London jeweler and buy Mrs. Shaw the biggest diamond you could find.”
The comment irritated me, but I hid my exasperation with people’s obsession with my wealth. “That’s not who London is.”
“Which is why you married her, I expect.” She winked at me.
When she told me the price, I scowled. If she didn’t think that was expensive, what constituted expensive? Not that I wouldn’t have paid three times that or more for the perfect ring.
“You’ve made my day, Murray,” Mrs. Gilchrist said gleefully as she swiped my credit card. “And soon you’ll make London’s.”
I thanked her as she handed over the ring, feeling good about the gift as I bid Mrs. Gilchrist good day and headed home to set up for the party. The bonus of planning something special for London was that it distracted me from everything that was happening with the Walsh brothers.
Back at the house, I did what I could with the decorations. Tierney texted to inform me she would delay London as long as possible, and thankfully, it was just enough time for Mum and Kelly to return from the school run. Mum came bearing a homemade vanilla buttercream birthday cake and Kelly immediately started redoing my décor.
We wrapped our presents for London. It occurred to me that perhaps the ring revealed more to Kelly than it should, especially after London’s request that we maintain a secret relationship for now. After I showed the gift to her and Mum (they both approved), I asked Kelly how she’d feel if I asked London out on a real date.
My daughter had considered this for a few seconds and then nodded. “I suppose that would be okay.”
“You’re sure?” I’d frowned at her hesitant response.
“I’m sure. You’re buying her fancy rings, Dad. I think we’re past the point of me not being sure. Do you want to see what I got London?”
I went with the subject change, trying not to tie myself in knots over my daughter’s word choice. Mum gave me a reassuring wink, and I attempted to relax. She was often even more in tune with Kelly’s moods and emotions than I was.
My daughter had bought London a gift card to Pages & Perks for her lunchtime coffees and a book of sheet music for the piano. “It’s all current pop songs. Can you believe Pages & Perks had this?”
“It’s perfect.” And it was. Her considerate choice of gifts filled me with hope that she really did care for London and that we could build something together as a family.