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So different from Callie, who seemed so delighted by the surprise bag of clothing I picked up at Charlyn’s shop. Once more, I find myself thinking about the stunned expression on her face when she unwrapped each item and the coy smile she gives me each time I point out that she’s wearing something I bought her.

“Hi, welcome in.” The voice doesn’t seem to be accompanied by a person, at least not one I can see when I pull open the glass door to the shop. It smells like vanilla, and I spot a candle burning on a table, but otherwise, there isn’t a thing in this store that I can look at without someone unlocking a jewelry case.

“Uh, hi.” I look around, wondering if someone can see me on one of the cameras perched in each corner. The room is sparsely furnished. One velvet armchair in a corner. A floor-length mirror in a gold frame against one wall. Along the other wall, shelves hold necklaces hanging from rods and earrings dangling alongside them, but the prize in the store seems to be the wide glass case in the center of the room. It’s divided into three sections, and there are two chairs in front of it.

“Hello!” A woman appears with a beige cloth in her hand, where she’s rubbing a gold bauble to a high gloss. Her dark hair is perfectly tamed into a bun on top of her head with two intentional strands framing her face. Pink-painted lips. Starched white linen shirt over casual barrel-legged pants. “How can I help you?”

I push down a wave of nausea at the idea that I’m really doing this. So many things wrong with it. I never planned to get married again, so I never planned to get engaged. And on the tiny chance it did happen, it would be the real thing. The love I never had with Elizabeth. No question in my mind that it was forever.

Not…fake.

Pushing the intrusive thoughts away, I try to focus. “I need a ring.”

She stares at me, lips parted, eyes patient. She probably thinks I plan to elaborate, but this is all the information I can give her.

“Okay…” She pats her bun and uselessly moves the strands away from her face before letting them fall back into the same position.

“For an engagement,” I explain. Then, realizing I sound confused about how this all works, I clarify. “My engagement. I’m getting engaged.”

Her face lights up with so much joy you’d think I’d just asked her to marry me. “Congratulations. So exciting.” The enthusiasm fades as she unloads words she’s clearly said many times before. “Do we know what we’re looking for, or can I show you everything?” She grabs a set of keys and begins unlocking the glass cases between us. Each one has a glass top that lifts to reveal three neat rows of rings. She gestures to the pair of chairs in case I’d like to sit.

I don’t want to sit. I want to get this over with. “I just need something basic.”

“Basic?”

“You know, a nice ring. I don’t need to see every single one you have. I…don’t have tons of time.” The responsibilities waiting for me back at the ranch weigh heavily on my mind. If I time this errand right, I should make it back to Willow Springs before afternoon traffic gets bad.

“Okay…” She shuttles a few rings around inside the case, seeming confused by the mandate I’ve given her.

“Or, I don’t know, maybe show me a few rings you think a woman might like if she’s carefree and not super fussy.”

“So maybe a solitaire?” The smile returns to her face, and she takes several rings out, placing them on a black velvet pillow so I can inspect them.

I’m about to take the one closest to me, but then the sparkling gemstones come into focus. And something stirs inside me.

Even if it’s fake, even if it’s just for the purposes of convincing the neighbors and the custody court of the legitimacy of our relationship, I want to give Callie a nice ring. It’s the least I can do after she’s sacrificed so much of her time and energy on helping me with Scout. And for going along with this ridiculous plan.

Inhaling a deep breath, I press my lips together, resigning myself to a little bit of traffic on the way back. I need to give this errand the time it deserves.

I adjust my attitude and widen my frame of vision to include all of the rings on the velvet pillow. Then I look down at the ones still in the middle case. Single emeralds, large diamonds ringed in still more diamonds, rectangular stones. So many damn choices.

Then my eye lands on one sitting off to the side. My pulse quickens. A new feeling surges beneath my rib cage. Like flapping birds. Or butterflies.

I can picture myself giving Callie this ring. I can picture her wearing it. And for the first time, I sort of like the idea of our fake engagement. It’s the most interesting thing to happen to me in a long time, and maybe I need a little interesting.

“That one.” I point at it, certain. “That’s the one.”

CHAPTER 22

Callie

Well, the attempt at creating a little distance from Luke and Scout fell completely flat. I spent last weekend with Demi in LA trying to distract myself and wishing I was in Willow Springs the entire time. So this weekend, I’ve given in and invited Dylan up to try and distract me here instead. Good luck to me.

Dylan and I crouch down by the raised beds of vegetables that have been going gangbusters all summer long. We have green and yellow squash, rows of carrots and spring onions, peppers, and bushels of tomatoes. All because of the sun and consistent watering. For a couple of city girls, the whole scene is kind of mind-boggling.

“I honestly have plenty of photos from you already to work on social media posts,” she says, looking around and snapping a few more pics without enthusiasm. “So why not tell me the real reason I’m here?”

“I told you. I need your help creating a media deck for Hazel to show investors.”