Page 48 of Where There's Smoke…
I laugh and nod. “That’s exactly what I’m looking for,” I assure her, and her face lights up. “I think I’m ready to take that next step with Angel, and this ring would be perfect for her.”
“Oh, shit, you’re finally doing it?” Skyler asks with excitement. I nod, and she claps her hands before turning to her wife. “Londi, doesn’t this remind you of when we got custom rings done?”
“It sure does,” she nods, smiling at me softly. “Congratulations, Phee. You and Angel make such a lovely couple. That woman is in love with you, and there’s no denying that you’re just as in love with her. I wish you nothing but happiness.”
“Same,” Skyler adds before pulling me into a hug. I thanked them both before turning my attention to Ms. Nancy, who stood there with a bright smile on her face.
“So, Ms. Nancy, how much for these rings?”
“Well, they start at two thousand, plus any personalization you would like to make,” she states, and I nod again. “Like I said, I can add her birthstone, but I can also do a bit of engraving on the inner band.”
“Okay, yes, I want it all,” I say excitedly.
“Great! Why don’t you come back and we can have a quick chat about the specifics?”
I thanked her before following her into the back. We spent the next thirty minutes reviewing all the small details I wanted to add. She even made a quick sketch of what the final ring would look like, and once I was satisfied, I paid the deposit, and she told me that it would be ready in about three weeks. I thank her once more before making my way out of the shop with my receipt and the fattest smile on my face.
I was only three weeks away from the start of my future, and I couldn’t be more excited.
18
Where There’s Forevers...
AngelSavoie-November3rd, 2025
“Just the four cupcakes and one raspberry lemon cookie, right?” I ask the customer standing across from me. They nod with a smile, and I finish ringing up their order. “Okay, that will be $13.73. Cash or card?”
“Um, do y’all take Apple Pay?”
“Oh, yeah, of course!” I reply before pushing a button. “You can tap it when ready.”
“Thank you.”
I wait for them to tap their phone against the keypad, and when it dings, the receipt prints. I hand it over and get to work packing their order. I’m done within thirty seconds and hand it over with a smile.
“Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy!” They smile, give me another thank you, and then leave the line. I glance at my watch and see it’s time for mylunch break. “Hey, Brenden. I’m about to go to lunch. Y’all got it covered?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he nods before returning his attention to the cake he was decorating. He paused and then quickly turned to me. “Wait, while you’re out, do you think you can drop off these cupcakes at Harrison Jewels around the corner? They’re for Skyler to surprise Londi with, and I told her I’ll have them to her by lunch.”
“Oh, yeah, of course!” I smile, looking over at the solid white box on the counter. “I didn’t even know she ordered anything, but thank you so much for handling it. I won’t be too long for lunch today. I’m just gonna go for a little walk after dropping these off.”
“Okay, take your time!” He smiles. “We can hold down the fort until you come back.”
Katie told the next customer that she could help them as I stepped away from the counter, pulling off my gloves in the process. After discarding them and hanging my apron on the designated hook, I grabbed the box and made my way out of the back door and down the alley that led to the street behind the shop.
Although it was the first week of November, the weather was really nice, and it wasn’t as cold as it had been a couple of weeks ago. The sun was shining brightly, and the wind blew softly, mixing with the scents that spilled from the bakery and the restaurant located a few doors down. Usually, I’d go up to my apartment and chill during my breaks, but I thought today would be the perfect day to go for a quick walk.
As I arrived at the shop, something in the window immediately caught my eye. I stepped closer to the window and admired the silver band that sat beside an equally beautiful diamond ring. Upon closer inspection, I saw a small ring of opal and pink tourmaline around the diamond, and my heart skipped a beat, recognizing them as the birthstones of October.
“That’s gorgeous,” I say to myself. “God, I would love a ring like that, and the other onescreamsPhoenix...”
“Hey, Angel!”
I look to my right to see Skyler, the owner's daughter, standing at the door. She waves with a smile, and I return it as she steps to the side, inviting me in. Once inside, I walk over to the display to get a closer look at the two rings.
“Beautiful, aren’t they?” She asks, and I nod, placing the box on the counter. “Yeah, they’re from my mom’s newest collection. Here, let me take them out so you can have a closer look.”
“Ooh, thank you!”
