Page 9 of Worth the Wait

Walking toward the other end of the room, I scanned the glass cases, checking out the rings before finding myself in a section filled with colored center stones instead of diamonds. I flashed back to when I had been in this very store a handful of years back, picking out my own ring for Addi. I wondered if Marcel even remembered, and I prayed to God he wouldn’t bring it up if he did. No one knew there was an engagement ring hiding in a drawer in my bedroom. And I didn’t want them finding out anytime soon.

“Thomas.” I glanced behind me and gave him a nod when his eyes met mine. “Come look at these.”

He sauntered over, and a small smile appeared. “I like that red one.” He pointed at what I assumed was a ruby, surrounded by a halo of diamonds. It was stunning. “It looks just like her hair.” Thomas practically swooned.

It was weird, seeing my brother all gaga over a woman. He’d been a single dad for so long, and I’d all but given up hope that he’d find someone to love until Brooklyn came along.

“She already had a diamond ring before. When she was married to that other guy. I want to get her something different. Something that doesn’t remind her of him. But what if she hates it?” Thomas was talking a mile a minute.

The store owner interrupted, “Thomas, if she doesn’t like this ring, you can bring it back, and we’ll exchange it for something she does like. Okay?”

Marcel might have been older than our dad and grumbly at times, but he was a good man.

This store had been in his family for generations, the same way that the resort had been in ours. Shopping online made most small businesses in America suffer. The ability to undercut the market was brutal, and people were always searching for a better deal. But here in Sugar Mountain, we were willing to pay a little bit more up front if it meant that our people stayed in business and our town was owned by locals. Plus, there was nothing quite like getting to see actual products in person, trying them on and taking them home right away.

Marcel pulled the ring from the display case and placed it on a velvet type stand. Thomas picked it up and held it between his two fingers before pointing it toward Matthew. “Do you think she’ll like it?” he asked seriously.

I prayed Matthew wouldn’t be a smart-ass for once.

“It’s gorgeous, brother,” he said, his tone genuine and soft.

“We should have brought Clara to help choose,” I said.

Thomas shook his head. “I thought about that, but decided against it. Who knows what she would have picked, and then how would any of us have gone against her?” He was one hundred percent correct. “But I am going to show her first and let her help me plan it.”

“Speaking of, when are you planning to propose?” I slapped my thigh and watched as Jasper hopped up and came to stand by my side.

“Christmas at Dad’s,” Thomas answered.

“In front of all of us?” Matthew asked excitedly.

Thomas was a pretty private guy. I would have never imagined that he’d choose to propose to Brooklyn in front of an audience, even it was family.

“I was thinking that, yeah.” Thomas sounded unsure. “Should I do it at home with just the three of us instead?”

“No! I want to watch.” Matthew laughed. “Do you want me to make a sign like the chicks did for me in the NHL?”

“No, I don’t want you to make a damn sign,” Thomas snapped. He looked at me and asked, “What is wrong with him?”

“He’s your brother,” I offered with a nonchalant shrug.

Thomas shook his head like he wasn’t quite sure. Half the time, I wasn’t either. If we didn’t look so much alike, I might have actually questioned it. But there was no denying that us O’Grady boys had come from the exact same stock. We were practically identical, with the exception of our heights and ages.

“Why do you want us all there?” I wondered as curiosity got the best of me.

“You guys were there when we finally figured our shit out. Matthew was part of the reason us getting together didn’t take even longer.” He shot Matthew a look. “Don’t get a big head about it.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Matthew squeaked out with a grin.

“You’re my family. I wouldn’t have survived losing Mom or Jenna without you. You’re my best friends. Of course I want you there,” he said, and I felt myself getting a little choked up. “And that dog too. He saved Clara’s life.”

Jasper wagged his tail, as if he knew Thomas was talking about him.

“Are you getting that ring, or are we looking around some more?” I asked.

“Yeah. I think this is the one.” He grinned.

Marcel went to work on ringing up his purchase and boxing it up, the same way he’d done with the one I bought.