“By himself?” Leigh’s list of questions was ready to go. “Or are you doing a week of antiquing with him?”
“I’ll help him find a few treasures... and he’ll help me collect donations for the military family baskets.”
“Sounds like fun.” Maria smiled at her. “Romantic.”
“It’s like our own love story playing out here in the streets of Columbus.” Leigh sat back in her chair and ate another few cashews. “And how am I just finding out about this?”
Vanessa held up her hand. “It’s not like that. Ben and I are friends. That’s all.”
Leigh did a slow nod. Then she pointed her next cashew in Vanessa’s direction. “And what does Sadie think of thisfriend?”
No easy answer came from Vanessa. Instead, the room fell silent and both Leigh and Maria turned to her. “You have told Sadie, right?” Maria looked concerned.
“I think the question is, ‘Why haven’t you told Sadie?’” Leigh shrugged. “Am I right?”
Deep breath, Vanessa told herself. She’d been asking herself the same question for weeks. “Like I said, it’s not romantic. We’re just friends.”
“But Sadie doesn’t know.” Leigh shook her head and ate another few cashews. “Sounds like forbidden love to me.”
The conversation went on that way for another few minutes until Vanessa had to leave. She assured her friends she’d keep them in the loop. “I’ll introduce you to him tomorrow at church.”
“By then Sadie has to know.” Leigh blinked in Vanessa’s direction. “A little hard to explain why some guy is hanging at your side all Sunday without saying something.”
“Yes, Leigh.” Vanessa ushered her friends to the door. “By then, Sadie will know.”
Neither Leigh nor Maria asked, but as Vanessa drove the fifteen minutes to Old Town Columbus, she replayed the truth. Shehadtried to tell Sadie about Ben, but always Sadie was busy with her roommates or planning a study hall, headed to class or getting to sleep early for a big exam.
So the question wasn’t whether she would tell Sadie about her friendship with Ben. Of course she would. The question was when.
Vanessa was parking near the RiverWalk and the outdoor Christmas Bazaar when her phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number but she answered anyway, a habit she’d picked up since losing her Christmas ring.
“Hello?” Vanessa was in a hurry. Ben had already texted that he was walking the pathway, checking out the booths. Nothing came from the person on the other end of the call. “You must have the wrong—”
“Is this Vanessa Mayfield?” The voice was that of a younger man.
“Yes. How can I help you?” Vanessa was about to hang up when the man coughed a few times.
“Sorry... allergies.” He sniffed. “Hey, so I think I found your ring. The one with the red ruby and the diamonds.”
Vanessa released the grip she had on the steering wheel. “Where did you find it?”
“I’m Isaac Baker. I work at an antique shop outside Denver.”
Vanessa’s heart skipped a beat. “Colorado?”
“Yep. We’re always sending out boxes of antiques that don’t sell. I remember seeing that ring in a box we mailed out a week or so ago. Then today I found your flyer. Must’ve been in our back room for years.”
Vanessa forced herself to focus. Their last trip to Colorado had been a few years ago. They’d had time before their flight, so she and Sadie had passed out flyers to antique stores near the airport. It was the last time they’d done that together.
“So... if itwasmy ring in the box, you’re saying you don’t actually have it?”
“I don’t.” Isaac explained that he had been trying to go through a list of stores where he might have sent the box with the ring. Unfortunately, he told Vanessa he had probably sent out fifty boxes of antiques in the past week. “I have a lot of tracking to do.”
“I see.” Vanessa waited. People who checked in with her about her missing ring almost always had a motive.
“What I wondered,” Isaac continued, hesitating, “was whether the reward was still good. Otherwise there’s no point in trying to find which store might have the box.”
There it is.Vanessa slipped her keys into her purse. “Thereward is still good. You can reach me at this number if you find it.”
