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I doubted it, given her prejudices were too well ingrained now to change. “What you should have done at that point is explain to me you were playing the long game.Notexplaining it has proven to be something of an emotional minefield.”
Of course, I was playing the long game myself right now when it came to my pregnancy, but instinct remained insistent that I keep the secret for a while yet. Maybe instinct was just another word for cowardice—not so much an inner fear of howhewould react, but rather his family and, to a lesser extent, his pack. Him declaring he intended to marry me would be upheaval enough—I didn’t need to be adding to it right now.
“I do have to ask, though,” I continued, “was it chance that you happened to walk in at exactly the right time? Or did Belle contact you?”
“She didn’t, but even if she had, I was already on my way here.” He grimaced. “I figured that, given her previous actions, the first thing she’d do on hearing the news was not congratulate me but come here in an attempt to confront you. She has, apparently, learned nothing about your stubbornness or willingness to fight, even after that last bloody meeting.”
“That may change eventually.” When hell froze over, most likely.
“We both know that’s a statement based in hope rather than reality. But enough of her. I came here to pick you up. We’re going to look for engagement rings, and then we’re going to dinner.”
I glanced at my watch. “It’s four in the afternoon on a Monday. The few shops that are open won’t be for all that long.”
“Who said anything about going to a shop?”
I raised my eyebrows. “Where are we going to buy an engagement ring if not a shop of some kind?”
“I’ve a friend who’s a designer. I commissioned him a week ago to design and make both your engagement ring and our wedding rings.”
I raised my eyebrows, amusement and delight dancing through me. “That’s a bit presumptuous, given I hadn’t even said yes at that point.”
“Yes, and your refusal to even take my calls did set back our appointment date several times.”
I laughed, rose on to my toes, and kissed him lightly. “I need a shower first—”
“May I offer my services as a back scrubber?”
“I thought you hated my shower—too small to do anything practical in, I believe your comment was.”
“A comment I’m fully willing to test the veracity of.”
I laughed, grabbed his hand, and tugged him upstairs.
The shower was very definitely on the small side, and very definitely did require a bit of careful maneuvering, but it definitely didnothamper a suitable and very satisfactory result.
Aiden’s friend—Maitland—was a tall, well-built man in his early thirties, with thick red hair and merry green eyes. His workshop was a shed out the back of his house in Argyle, and while the building’s exterior didn’t look all that inviting, it only took one step inside to enter a wonderland. There were metals, stones, jewels, and all manner of other shiny bits and pieces arrayed on shelves, benches, or hanging in bags from the ceiling. It was the sort of place thieves could have had a field day in, so it wasn’t surprising that the magic surrounding and protecting the building was almost as strong as that protecting the café. Sans the wild magic, of course.
“So tell me,” he said, his voice as pleasant as his looks, “you got a specific design in mind?”
I laughed. “No, although silver is out of the question, and I’m not into big stones or anything too fancy.”
“A woman after my own heart.” He walked over to what looked to be an old wooden map drawer, pulled out several sketch books, and dumped them on the table in the middle of the room. “These are some designs I’ve done over the years. You can pick out the ones you like, and we can work on something unique from there.”
“This could take forever,” I said, with another laugh.
“In my experience, it rarely does. Most women have some idea of what they want, even if they can’t verbalize it.”
I glanced at Aiden. “It could be dangerous, letting me loose to choose what I want. I have expensive tastes when it comes to jewelry.”
“Says the woman who actually wears very little jewelry.”
“That’s because I can’t afford the stuff I love.” Although I certainly would be able to once the settlement from my ex’s estate came through.
Aiden gently caught my face between his hands and kissed me. “My love, you can have any ring, any stone, any design that you fancy.”
I grinned. “You could regret that statement.”
“I may well regret many things, but never that.”
