Lachlan
It means a lot that you watched. I wish you were here.
Olivia
Me too.
Lachlan
We’ll celebrate when I get back.
Olivia
BOGO night at the Dairy Barn?
Lachlan
Babe, I think we’re both worth full price.
“She’s lookingat her new ring again.”
“But she’s frowning. Why is she frowning?”
“Maybe it’s indigestion…No? Just me?”
Sitting in my grandmother’s living room Sunday afternoon, I pulled my attention from the diamond on my left hand and to the circle of women around me. Who needed to pay a high-dollar counselor when you had Sylvie, Frannie, and my overly attentive sisters? But I wasn’t sure they could help me now. So much conflict in my head and heart.
On Saturday, Celeste had offered me the job in New York.
It was still hush-hush, but she’d wanted me to be prepared when she made the announcement Monday.
After a full weekend of work for both Rosie and me, we’d gathered at Sylvie’s to eat homemade peach cobbler and pick our next book club selection. Frannie had nominated a novel titledArrested in Love with the Single Daddy Sheriff,which would’ve been a nice break from the string of Whitney Nicole books we’d recently read, but Sylvie and Hattie overruled her. Looked like our next read would beThe Astronaut Who Melted Her Cryogenically Frozen Heart.Sylvie had already ordered up a double batch of dry ice for the munchie table.
“I think the ring is beautiful, Olivia.” Hattie wore a curious smile that usually indicated an analysis percolated in that head of hers.
“And very unique,” Sylvie said from her spot beside me on the couch. “Have you ever seen anything like it, Frannie?”
“Don’t think I have.” Frannie wore her favorite Beyoncé wig tonight, and she touched her glittery nails to new honeyed highlights. “I once had to use a diamond ring to saw through rope handcuffs. Remember that, Sylvie?”
Sylvie gave a little hum of agreement. “Iran, 1984. A mission went wrong, and as usual, Frannie and I got sent in to fix what the male agents had screwed up.”
“I probably should’ve known better than to marry one of them.” Frannie reached for her glass of sweet tea. “But two days held captive, sitting back-to-back while trussed up like pigs ready for the spit kind of bonds a man and woman.”
“Impulse marriages are such a wild card.” Sylvie glanced over my way. “But can also be so worth it, don’t you think, Olivia?”
What exactly did I think? I thought my own marriage had turned completely confusing. If my story were a romance novel, it would have so many one-star reviews that said “Too many unbelievable twists.” Or “The slow burn doesn’t make any sense.” Or perhaps “Meandering plot that leaves more questions than answers.” (But itwouldget a small bump for excellent kissing and smolder.)
“Tell us again about the moment Lachlan gave you the ring.” Rosie returned from the kitchen, her bowl full of another scoop of ice cream on top of her cobbler.
“It wasn’t really this big romantic thing,” I said, feeling oddly defensive. “More of a goodbye gift.”
When Lachlan had first given me the engagement ring at the airport, my initial reaction had been one of radiant, bursty joy. Like Pop Rocks of happiness and something maybe akin to love.Snap! Pop! Snap!My heart had teleported outside of my body to leap over the ticketing counter and run laps around everyone around us.
Then…panic set in. What did I do? What did I really want? I’d immediately flashed back to Tyler taking me window shopping for rings. That diamond solitaire we’d chosen had been a total harbinger of doom. And this year I’d sworn to stick to that life plan—again.
As if given a sign, Celeste had delivered the news of the promotion.
Sure, Lachlan and I could do a long-distance relationship, but I didn’t see that working. Not with the hours we both kept.
