Page 59 of What About Us
She drops it in my palm and a slow smile spreads across her face, along with that beautiful blush. There are a couple of charged seconds where we stare into each other’s eyes.
She lets out a breath and drops her eyes back to Paige. “There you go, sweet girl,” Finn says, kissing Paige’s cheek. “Perfect for a fun day at the ranch.”
“But why can’t I stay home?” Paige asks, still pouting.
“Finn and I will be gone for a few hours,” I say and take a knee in front of her.
“Why are you guys so dressed up?” Paige asks, stuffing the last bite of the toast into her mouth.
Finn and I share a quick glance, but she defers to me. “We have an appointment,” I tell Paige. “Now, go grab your bag and let’s head out. We can’t be late.”
Finn and I stand and I take her in. Her dress is made of cream-colored lace. The delicate straps are thin, and the dress tapers in just under the bust, accentuating her chest and hugging her tiny waist. Buttons run down the length of the skirt—undone just enough to create a sexy as hell slit—before flowing out around her thighs. The hem stops just above the tops of her deep brown cowboy boots. Her curled hair is parted to the side and pinned back with her grandmother’s vintage pearl clips, the length of it cascading down her back. She has a simple, silver bracelet on one wrist, and a thin chain of the same color around her neck.
I can’t help but stare at her. It’s exactly how I imagined she should have looked on her first wedding day. I’m glad she didn’t though, looking back. This version of her is mine.
She catches me staring and a blush tints her cheeks. She’s unbelievably beautiful.
“Is this an important appointment?” Paige asks, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.
Another glance between the two of us. “Very important,” I say, holding Finn’s gaze.
“Ok, Daddy,” she says, turning on her heel. “I’ll be in the truck.” And with that, she leaves the living room, heading for the garage.
When I hear the door close behind her, I reach into my pocket and pull out the small blue box I tucked there after getting dressed earlier. Finn has her back to me, putting on a sweater, when I step up behind her.
“Is that chain important to you?” I ask, nodding to her neck when she turns around.
Her hand comes up, fingering it lightly, then tips her head back to look up at me. “No. Why?” Her eyes turn worried. “Does it look ok?”
I nod. “Yeah, it looks fine. I just thought you might want something new?” I hold out the box, suddenly wondering if this was a bad idea. I almost wish I hadn’t mentioned anything.
Her eyes drop to the box in my hand, and she reaches out to take it. “You didn’t have to do this,” she says, and our fingers brush when she takes the box from me.
I swallow, bobbing my head slightly. “I know this isn’t a real wedding or anything, so there aren’t rings.” My throat catches, and I clear it before continuing. “I just thought… Well, I wanted to give you something.”
“Do you want me to open it now?” she asks, her eyes fluttering up to meet mine.
I nod, trying to tell myself that it’s just a necklace and it doesn’t mean anything. It was originally going to be a gift for her birthday, but this occasion seemed fitting.
She lifts the lid, and her chin quivers a little when she takes in the silver necklace, the chain very similar to the one she’s already wearing. But attached to this one is a silver infinity symbol, and nestled in the center of each side is a gemstone: one amethyst and one opal.
Her lashes flutter up, and her watery gaze lands on mine. “Our birthstones?”
I nod, my voice a little hoarse I say, “Flip it over.”
She picks up the delicate charm and turns it over. Engraved on the back are two words: Huddy & Jameson.
She gasps. Her eyes dart back up to mine, and they’re filled with tears. “This is beautiful.”
I run a palm over the back of my neck. “The engraving is kind of small, but you had to have the world’s longest last name.” I joke to cover my emotion.
She shakes her head and runs her fingers over the tiny engravings. “No, it’s perfect. I love it.”
I swallow around the lump in my throat. “I remembered those heart-shaped best friend necklaces that you and Wren had for years when we were younger. I always thought that was pretty cool.” I shrug. “You don’t have to wear it now if you don’t want to.”
“Are you kidding?” She gasps. “I’ll never wear anything else.” Pressing up onto her toes and wrapping an arm around my neck, she presses a kiss to my cheek. Her scent and the feel of her against me makes me slightly dizzy. “Will you put it on me?”
She carefully removes the necklace from the box and hands it to me. As she turns away, I catch her soft smile. I reach around her neck, and she liftsher hair. Once it’s clasped, I undo the other necklace and hand it to her when she turns around.
