Page 70 of Come A Little Closer

I smirked at him. “No idea, but I could see you two together. Plus, Sayra has become a good friend to Tallulah. I’ll find out.”

“Thanks,” he said, chuckling as he shook his head at me. “A few months ago, you wouldn’t even have thought to offer.”

“A few months ago, I thought love and relationships were a waste of time,” I said. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d broken up with Melanie?”

“It just happened a few days ago, but it hasn’t been going well for the last few weeks. It’s no big deal. She wasn’t the one.”

“I thought she might be,” I admitted. “You’re sure you’re ready to dive back in, though? If Sayra and her boyfriend aren’t together anymore and I set you up, I’d hate to see either of you still hung up on an ex.”

“I’m not hung up,” he said firmly. “Besides, we don’t even know if she’s single, so I don’t need to be ready to dive back in yet. Melanie and I were only together for a couple months anyhow. It’s not like it was some epic romance.”

The clerk reappeared carrying a black, velvet lined tray with several rings on it, and as soon as she was close enough that I could make out the detail of the jewelry, I knew she’d hit the nail on the head. My eyebrows shot up as I grinned at her.

“Wow. You really are good at your job. That’s exactly the kind of design Tallulah would love.”

Jake leaned in closer to my side as she set the tray down on the cabinet in front of us, and he let out a low whistle as he looked over the collection. “Yep. That’s perfect.”

The woman gave us a polite smile. “Excellent. This style is distinguished by its botanically inspired motifs and the symmetry of the designs. You’ll notice many flowing, interwoven lines and a lot of detail rather than the more traditional plain bands.”

I bent over to inspect the options more closely, immediately drawn to an antique-looking gold ring with a sparkling, round faceted center diamond set into an ornate bezel. Picking it up, I pinched it between my thumb and index finger, taking in the interesting, dramatic yet fine patterns woven into the band.

“I’ll take it,” I said as I set it back down on the tray. “That’s exactly what I was looking for.”

Jake paled when the clerk told us the price, but I didn’t hesitate, simply nodding at her instead. “I have her size here.”

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a piece of paper and handed it over, buying the ring on the spot. A sense of rightness washed over me, like a deep warmth pervading the very center of my chest. I’d been drawn to the ring in a similar way that I’d been drawn to the woman I intended on giving it to, which told me it was the one.

Jake grinned at me as the clerk disappeared into the back of the store to box it up for us. “Now that’s done, do you have any ideas in mind for how to propose?”

“I’ve got a plan in mind,” I said, rocking back on my heels when I realized I’d just bought an engagement ring.

It was a heady feeling, and not one I’d ever expected to have, but as my heartrate sped up and I contemplated my plan for asking her, I felt so lucky that I couldn’t imagine not having wanted this before. Finding Tallulah had changed me in ways I couldn’t even begin to describe, and yet, it felt so natural that I knew I only never wanted it before because I hadn’t yet met her.

Now that I had, everything had changed—and I definitely didn’t mind it at all.

33

TALLULAH

Riding the high of a successful festival, I’d finally let Sayra talk me into a shopping trip. The sun was out and the air warm, the streets wide and clean, lined with expensive stores I was almost too afraid to even look at.

Nerves twittered in my stomach every time we walked into one, but Sayra was being great about it, understanding when I hesitated but encouraging me all the way. She pointed at a store a little ways down the block as we strolled down the sidewalk with a few bags already in hand, a big smile on her face as her red hair glistened in the sunshine.

“We’re sure to get a few awesome deals in there. Every year between Halloween and Christmas, the designer discounts her stock from the last year to make space in the store for her new stuff.”

I looked toward where she was pointing, noticing that it was yet another storefront that looked way too chic, sophisticated, and pricey for me to be able to afford anything in there, but Sayra looped her arm through mine and grinned.

“You’re going to love her stuff. That’s where I got the dress you wore to Niall’s party. Most of her designs are inspired by everything gothic, so—” She suddenly stopped talking, pulling me to an abrupt stop as her eyes went wide.

“Is that him?” she asked, squinting at the sidewalk in front of a jewelry shop. “That’s definitely Niall, and Jake’s with him too.”

My heart skipped, but when I focused my gaze on the men who’d just walked out of a store proclaiming to be a diamond boutique, I frowned. “That’s him, alright. And Jake too. I wonder what on earth they were doing in there.”

Sayra stared at them for another beat as they laughed about something and crossed the road. Then she tugged on my arm when they turned down the street and started coming back down in our direction. We ducked into an alleyway, peeking out from behind the corner like creeps and watching as they strode away.

I let out a deep breath once they were gone. “Why are we hiding?”

“I have no idea,” she said lightly, giggling as she shrugged and let go of my arm. “It seemed like a good idea at the time. If a man goes into a jewelry store without telling you about the visit, it’s because he doesn’t want you to know he’s been there.”