Page 64 of Only Be Mine

Nothing did.

Moe’s café was already humming when I pulled in. Amy arrived seconds later, and I barely had time to shut my car door before she wrapped me in a hug.

Inside, we slid into our usual booth. “Tell me everything,” she said.

The waitress hadn’t even finished setting down the coffees before I launched in, telling her everything from the blindfold to the haunted house, the ring, him kneeling, me saying yes. All of it. Every last detail.

I talked until my throat hurt.

When I finally stopped, Amy stirred her coffee slowly, watching the cream spiral into the dark.

“So,” she said. “What now?”

I shrugged. “We didn’t really get that far.”

She laughed softly. “Wow. I wish Jim would propose already.”

“Really?” I asked, surprised.

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah. We’ve been dating forever.”

“But why?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.

She stared at me. “Geez, Cate.”

“I’m serious,” I said. “You know I never planned for this.” I leaned back, closing my eyes. “Look at my mom. She married my dad, and he still left. What happens when someone changes their mind?”

“Not all men do.”

“How do you know?”

“You don’t,” she said gently. “You just have to have faith. Trust your gut.”

I nodded slowly. Trusting my gut had never been my strong suit.

“Looks like I’m getting married,” I said.

Amy smiled, though there was something thoughtful behind it.

I reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “Maybe this will push Jim to finally ask you.”

She laughed. “Maybe.”

We sat quietly for a moment, sipping coffee. The space between us felt unfamiliar. Not bad, just different.

Then she smiled again. “Cate Rosewood,” she said. “It has a nice ring to it.”

I half-smiled. “I know, right?”

“Let me see the ring again.”

She took my hand, turning it slowly, admiring the way the pink diamond caught the light.

“It’s beautiful,” she said.

I nodded, staring at it too.

Chapter 22