CHAPTER 1
Cory
If anyone had toldme a year ago that I’d be living in Los Angeles, I’d have laughed in their face. If they told me I’d be ring shopping for the love of my life, I’d have taken them to a hospital because they were clearly having trouble staying connected to reality.
“Can I look at those ones?” I asked, pointing to a row of fairly simple rings. I didn’t think Reese would want something big and ostentatious. I worried that if I picked a flashy ring, he’d be afraid to wear it. And then I worried that if I picked too simple of a ring, he’d think I was being cheap.
After looking at rows and rows of rings, I’d narrowed my choices down and was trying to decide between silver and gold when a familiar voice broke my concentration.
“Holy shit, it is you.”
I spun around and saw Morgan standing there. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized it was possible for a human to look like a heart-eyed emoji, but Morgan managed. She clasped her hands in front of her and gazed at me, smiling brightly.
“Are you buying what I think you’re buying?” she asked, scooting closer to the counter. She let out a squeal when she saw the rings.
“Naughty boy!” She gave me a playful shove. “Buying a ring without asking the best friend for his hand in marriage first.”
“The only answer I care about is his,” I told her.
“Do you think he’ll say yes?” I asked in a moment of vulnerability. Morgan was the closest thing I had to a friend out here, and even though she was Reese’s first, the two of us had formed a bond outside of our relationships to him. She’d always put him first, and I’d always put him first, and we’d bonded over that, forming an unofficial Reese Rollins Fan Club.
She leaned closer to the counter, taking a better look at the rings. “I see you know him well enough to know that he won’t wear anything that looks too expensive.” Her eyes shifted back to me. “You’re lucky he wears that watch of yours.”
“I’m lucky that he gave me the time of day.”
Morgan nodded her agreement and looked back at the row of rings. “That one.” She pointed to a silver ring with intricate leaves carved into the metal.
“I like that one too.”
“It’ll match the Rolex, and it’s fancy without adding a bunch of stones.”
Morgan seemed pleased with her decision, and I found it impossible to disagree with her.
“Should I get a matching one for myself? I’d like everyone to know that we’re together. And do we need different wedding rings? I’ve never gotten engaged before.”
Morgan stepped closer and slid an arm around me. “You should do whatever feels right, Cory. The best thing about being queer is that we get to make our own rules. If you want an engagement ring that matches Reese’s, then you should have one. If you want to have different rings for your wedding bands,then do that. Hell, you could have different rings for each day of the week if you wanted.”
“That’s excessive.”
“My point is that you get to choose.”
I nodded, unable to articulate how overwhelmed I was by the whole process. Morgan, because she’s a goddess, stepped in and helped me purchase the rings. And when the sale was complete, she slipped the rings into my hand and closed my fingers around the box.
“He’s lucky to have found you, you know.” Her touch was warm and grounding and for the first time since I set foot in the jewelry store, I was able to take a full breath.
“What are you doing here anyway?” I asked her. Sliding the rings into my pocket for safekeeping, I was reluctant to let them go in case they vanished, but I forced myself to pull my hand out of my pocket and leave the rings behind.
“I was across the street, and I saw you duck in here. At least, I thought it was you. So, naturally, I had to go on a side quest instead of going for lunch.”
“Harriet the Spy has got nothing on you.”
“Just call me Sherlock Holmes.”
“Well, Sherlock, if you’re still hungry, I’d love to take you for lunch if you have time.”
“As a matter of fact, I do have time.” Morgan slipped her hand into the crook of my elbow, and we left the jewelry store. I let her take the lead, and we ended up just a few doors down at a bustling cafe that promised the best burgers in a twenty-block radius. The sign said it used to be a fifty-block radius, but they’d opened a sister location, and they had to share the best burger title with them.
We ordered drinks and by the time they came, I couldn’t hold back repeating my question anymore.
