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CHAPTER1
Josiah
FIVE YEARS AGO
The ringin my pocket felt like it weighed a million pounds.
I had no idea what a guy like me was doing in this position. I was basically the least romantic man ever. But there I was, at Salt and Iron, one of the nicest restaurants in Tilikum, sitting across from my girlfriend of two years with a ring in my pocket.
The ambiance was right. Crisp white tablecloths, candlelight, wine. A menu sat next to my place setting; I’d already decided on a steak. I unfolded the cloth napkin and laid it in my lap while Cassandra put her menu aside.
She seemed distracted. She’d checked her phone half a dozen times since we’d taken our seats, which wasn’t totally unusual for her, but it did make me wonder what was going on. Probably something with work. She was an ad account manager for a large social media company and although she usually worked remotely, she’d been stuck going to corporate several times in the last few months.
She frowned at her phone. Maybe now wasn’t the time. I slipped my hand in my pocket and fingered the diamond and smooth gold band. I’d kind of thought if I ever proposed to a woman, she’d be in a better mood when I did it.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“What?” She glanced up as if she were surprised to see me sitting across from her. “Sorry. I’m fine. Just work.”
But she didn’t put her phone away. She set it on the table next to her and brushed her blond hair over her shoulder.
“Do you need to go?” I asked. We’d only ordered drinks. “We can grab takeout somewhere if that’s easier. Take it to your place.”
“No, this is fine.” She shifted and adjusted her black dress.
Something was off. She didn’t usually fidget so much.
And then it hit me. She knew.
The corners of my mouth turned up ever so slightly. She was onto me. I wondered how she’d figured it out. I hadn’t mentioned anything that should have tipped her off. No slip ups. And I’d only picked up the ring that morning. There was no way she’d seen it. I’d even taken it out of the box, leaving it loose in my pocket, so she wouldn’t suspect anything.
Maybe she simply knew me too well. I couldn’t keep a secret this big.
That meant it was time. I put my hand in my pocket and for half a second, I wondered if she’d want me to do the whole get down on one knee thing, or if I could just put the ring on her finger without making a big scene. I hesitated and the server came back to our table. I took my hand out of my pocket, careful to make sure the ring stayed inside.
“Can I get an appetizer started for you?”
“I’d like the calamari,” Cassandra said. “Do you want anything?”
“No thanks.”
“Perfect,” the server said with a smile. He was a slim guy with dark hair, probably a college student. “Do you want to order dinner as well, or do you need a little more time?”
“I need more time,” she said. “Thanks.”
The server left. I put my hand back in my pocket to take out the ring but Cassandra picked up her phone again.
This was proving to be more complicated than I’d thought. I’d figured all I had to do was get a ring, take her to dinner, and give it to her. But now that we were here, everything seemed slightly off.
She set her phone down and took a drink of her wine. I decided it was go time, but instead of worrying about the ring, I just opened my mouth to get her attention before she could get distracted by work again.
But right as I started to say her name, she spoke.
“Josiah, I think we should talk.”
I was not known for being in touch with my feelings—or having feelings—but that was a phrase that could make any man’s stomach clench with an icy spasm of dread.
“About what?”
