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Gemma gasps as she stares at it, holding out her hand and watching it sparkle under the light. “Oh my God.” She barely gets the words out before she falls to her knees. Wrapping her arms around me, she cries into my neck, and I hold her tightly against my chest.
Even though over a dozen eyes are on us, it feels as though we’re the only two people in the room. I know how much this means to her and how special this ring will always be to us.
“This is unreal,” she mutters. “I can’t believe you did this.”
I tilt her chin until our gazes lock. “I love you, more than anything.”
When I mentioned to Jerry that I was saving to buy Gemma a wedding ring set, he said he had something even better than an expensive diamond. He told me the story of how he proposed and how special his wedding day was. After five years, she lost the ring, so he bought her a new one. It wasn’t until after she passed that he found it and kept it in an old jewelry box. Jerry planned on giving it to Gemma but was waiting for the right time, and he told me the time was now.
“I can’t take all the credit, though. Your dad offered it, and I ran with it.”
“I thought she lost her solitaire ring.” She stares at it in awe.
“Not this one,” I tell her and plan to tell her the whole story later when we don’t have an audience.
“You better invite me tothatwedding this time, Tyler!” Maddie blurts out, and everyone laughs.
“You got it, Mads.”
“We should do it on our one-year anniversary. Give us time to plan something amazing,” Gemma suggests, and I nod in agreement.
“I love that idea. A fall November wedding,” Maddie gushes.
“With lots of pumpkin spice,” Gemma adds.
“Of course.” I smirk, then kiss the top of her nose. “Anything for you.”
We end the night tangled in the sheets, proving my quickie skills have been moved up to theexpertlevel—three orgasms in five minutes.
The next morning, I wake up before Gemma and sneak into the kitchen to start the coffee. I’m surprised when I see Liam sitting there with a cup already.
“Hey, morning,” I say quietly. “Up early?”
“Yeah, thought I’d hit the gym before the kids get up.”
“Wow. Good for you, man.” I open the cabinet, grab a mug, then fill it full.
“You still thinking you’d like to buy the gym in your town?”
“We’ve talked about it, but not right now. Gemma wants to wait until Jerry retires so we can focus on it together. It’d need a complete remodel and new equipment. She wants to add tanning beds.” I snort. “So perhaps in a year or two.”
“That’s great, Tyler. I couldn’t be happier for you.” He grins. “But I do miss you.”
“I miss you guys too.”
“I still can’t believe Mickey found Victoria in Lawton Ridge, and they’re all dead. Blows my goddamn mind, but then again, it doesn’t. He was crazy as fuck and overly jealous. He nearly killed me, and I wasn’t even into her like that.” Liam sips his coffee and shudders. “Glad it’s all in the past.”
“Me too,” I admit. It still feels surreal. “So glad.”
After an incredible week at Liam and Maddie’s, Gemma and I have to return to Lawton Ridge. Maddie cries as we hug goodbye, and she exchanges phone numbers with Gemma. I love that they became friends and grew close this week, but I have a feeling Maddie will be in my business even more now. I’ll get texts full of wedding ideas for the next eleven months.
“I love your friends,” Gemma says as we’re on the plane. “I wish we were closer.”
“You say that now,” I tease. “No, they’re great. I’m glad you and Mads hit it off.”
“So I have to ask something, but you can’t get mad.”
I arch a brow. This can’t be good. “Okay?”
