“What about a stone?” the jeweler asked. “Small. Set flush so it won’t catch.”
A tray appeared, blues and greens winking like sun glinting off our lake. I pointed straight to a Montana sapphire, the color of dusk, blue with a breath of green when you turned it. It was set against a brushed platinum band, simple and solid, a star-set stone sunk low so it wouldn’t snag.
We finalized the size, finish, the sapphire star-set, the engraving, and the owner promised to rush it for later that evening. Costly but worth every penny. My mother insisted on paying for the engraving, and I let her, the tiniest of bridges built and crossed in the space of a signature.
When we stepped back out into the afternoon, we didn’t make it to the curb before another of my mother’s friends intercepted us, sunglasses perched like a crown.
“Emma!” She took dainty steps in her stilettos and air-kissed my mother. “Is this your son you’re always talking about?”
“Yes, Bev, this is my younger son, Matthias,” Mom said.
“Such a handsome young man.” She air-kissed me the same way she had my mother. “It’s such a delight meetingyou. Are you here for long? Because it’s such a lovely coincidence that my son Bennett is visiting me.”
I should have been used to the setups, but it irked me every time the way these women treated me like a prized bull.
“Oh, that’s not necessary, Bev,” Mom said. “I don’t think my son’s boyfriend would appreciate that very much. They’re about to be engaged.”
Bev blinked. “Oh.” She recovered with country-club speed. “Well. Wonderful news. Congratulations. Is your other son here as well, Em? Didn’t his engagement fall through?”
“My days of fixing up my sons are over.” Mom threaded her arm through mine. “We’re off now, but we’ll talk soon.”
“Of course. There’s the wine festival tomorrow.”
Air kisses again, then she drifted away, tottering in her heels.
“Oh gosh, was I that pushy about fixing you up with someone in the past?” Mom asked.
“Worse.”
She groaned. “Well, consider me retired. You don’t need me at all.”
“That’s not true, Mom. Of course I need you, just in a different way now that I’m grown.”
She smiled, and for a moment, she looked softer than I’d seen her in years, like she finally realized she didn’t have to try so hard.
33
HUDSON
The cottage looked worse than the last time I’d seen it in the daylight. Due to the level of work needed on the ranch, I’d only had the time to do the bare minimum, but as I stood in the yard, tarps folded at my boots, and hammer in hand, it was difficult to feel anything but disheartened. When Heather had bought the house for us, I’d been skeptical, but I’d done everything I could to make it a comfortable home for Ivy.
The rugs stunk of mildew, the brand-new couch was still damp and sagging, and Ivy’s little bed had gone to ruin. I’d hauled out what I could, but every trip left me with a rock in my chest.
My plan was to patch the worst of the damage to the roof caused by the hailstorm, cover what I couldn’t fix, and pray it held till I could afford proper repairs. With Matty out of town, it was the perfect time to get the work done, since he couldn’t interfere and take on way more than he needed to. He didn’t need to shoulder all my burdens.
I braced the ladder against the porch roof and placed aboot on the lower rung. A pickup rumbled up the short drive and stopped. Then another. And another.
“What the hell?” I muttered, lowering the hammer.
First out was Gray, climbing from his truck with that long stride that dared anyone to argue with him. Behind him came Lawson and Clayton, both unloading boxes and tools from the flatbed.
“Looks like we’re right on time.” Gray’s eyes flicked over the cottage, then back to me. “You didn’t think you were going to do all this on your own, did you?”
I blinked. “I—what are you all doing here?”
“Helping.” Lawson clapped me on the shoulder like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Matty said you’d be too damn stubborn to ask.”
My throat tightened. “Matt?”
