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To my surprise, CJ leaps to his feet and hugs me. His voice is muffled, but I think he says, “The greatest blessing.”
The other guys and I shake hands.
“Well, this is interesting. If Lally says yes, that means two down. Two to go.” Ryan’s lips are slack as if he’s slightly nervous about what that could mean for this band of brothers.
CJ grumbles then his eyes widen. “Wait. I know where Avó’s engagement ring is. It’s part of the set. I saw it when I was cleaning up Chip’s things.”
“Yeah, yeah. More like clearing out,” Royal mutters.
I cast him a sharp look.
“Royal, I know what you’re suggesting. While I don’t have to prove anything to you, if I wereclearingthings out and were the loser you imagine me to be, wouldn’t I have sold an engagement ring that contains a fragment of the Dresden Green Diamond for top dollar?”
“The what diamond?” I ask.
He explains that the rare green-hued Dresden Diamond was mined in India in the seventeen hundreds. “Of course, it’s not the original, that’s on display in a museum and it’s huge. This is a piece of it, smuggled out of the jeweler’s studio long, long ago.”
“How do you know this?”
“Come up to the Brig with me and I’ll get it for you.”
“Why is it up there?”
“That’s where Chip was staying toward the end.” CJ’s excitement turns solemn.
“Not the Frigate?” I ask, naming the building he’d called home for most of my life.
Ryan, texting on his phone, looks up. “So, is the meeting adjourned?”
Biting the inside corner of my lip, I say, “Yeah.” For now. But this also means that it’ll soon be time to make my move.
* * *
Lally bounces on her toes excitedly, reminding me of Isla. The former is usually pretty grounded. The latter, well, bouncy. Of the two brothers entering into formal relationships, I think I lucked out. Nothing wrong with Isla, but her energy is a lot.
“Sit down here and close your eyes. It’s a surprise,” she says.
I do then peek at her.
“Eyes. Closed.”
I dive in for a kiss and then obey this beautiful woman with the pink-stained lips.
With a shake of her computer’s mouse, it hums to life. “Okay, open ‘em.”
I look at a neon pink logo squawking the wordsManatee Jubileewith a neon blue sea cow in the middle wearing a life ring and a crown. “Are we celebrating the town mascot that splashed us?”
“Oops. Not that one. I’m on the planning committee and made a new website. It’s this one. Ta da.” She clicks on a nearby tab and reveals an altogether different logo. It readsBoo’s Battle Broswith a rendering of the dog and is in red, white, and blue.
“What do you think?” she asks when I remain quiet.
As I scroll through, I’m speechless. Lally highlighted the vet-dog program perfectly. She even features a tribute to Sean and a pledge to partner with other veteran-run programs to support our community.
She peers over my shoulder and I turn my head slightly, kissing her on the cheek. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Do you like it? I can change the color, font, or redo the whole thing if it isn’t what you had in mind.”
Getting to my feet, I cup her jaw in my hands. “Lally, I love it.” Then I show her just how much with a kiss.
