Page 148 of Love Unforgettable
“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” I whisper.
“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he says as he leans down and places a soft kiss on my lips.
Cole arranges for payment, and we say our goodbyes. He takes my hand as we walk down the stairwell side by side. My shoulder brushes against the wall as we go, making my purse slip from my shoulder and I grab the bottom corner with my hand to catch it.
I feel something hard that I can’t quite identify. I run my fingers around it through the leather.
Circular.
Soft in the middle.
Hard.
WTF?
I wait until we are in the car before looking inside my purse. But don’t see anything. I feel around again, it’s still there.
“What the hell?” I mumble.
“Everything okay?” Cole asks.
“Hang on,” I say.
I hold onto it from the outside with one hand and pull everything from my purse with the other. Whatever it is, it’s stuck between the lining and the leather. I turn the purse inside out. Cole is looking at me strangely. It’s only after I go over every inch of the lining that I find the small tear in the corner. The same corner with the object that I am now hoping . . .
I rip the lining open.
There lies Babs’ ring.
“Mother fucker,” I say.
Cole looks at me. I pick up the ring and show it to him.
He starts to laugh. “You just gunnin’ for two rings, sweetness?” He laughs harder.
“No! Ohmigod, I can’t believe I found it. I’m so happy. It’s not lost. I didn’t lose it. I AM a responsible adult. This is awesome.” I sing the last word.
I go to put in on my finger which is when I remember the ring we just bought.
How do I forget these things?
“Shit . . . I . . . can we return the new one?” I ask.
Cole laughs more. “No, sweetness, we can’t. Just wear it on the other finger or something.”
“I can’t just wear it on the other finger. I can’t keep both. How much was it anyway?”
Cole sobers slightly. “Sweetness, it doesn’t matter how much it was. You love that ring. I love that ring, ‘nuff said. Now, as near as I can tell, this here is a perfect situation. I was able to buy you something that we both like, and you still have the family ring. I am beyond over the moon that you are wearing one at all. Now you got two. Makes me happier than a clam at high tide.”
“Oh yeah? Is your pickle all dilled?” I tease.
“You come sit on my lap I’ll show you just how dill my pickle is,” he says.
I swing my leg over his lap and straddle him in the driver’s seat, take his face in my palms, and lean in to kiss him. He wraps both arms around me and holds me tight to him. I expect the kiss to turn heated, but instead it stays soft and full of feeling. I pull my lips from his slowly, he groans at their absence.
“Where ya going?” he asks, sounding a little kiss drunk.
“I love you,” I tell him.
