Page 111 of No Rings Attached
“Our lives were never the same.” Mom finished with a smile.
“That’s so romantic,” Ellie whispered.
“I’ll show you romance! Join me and the girls on the River Walk tour later,” Glamma winked, pulling Ellie and Grace into a conversation.
Mom, having had to cede Ellie to Glamma, moved to my side. “She’s a keeper,” she said, soft enough for only me to hear.
I gave a short nod.
My mother was a thousand percent right. And if I was ready for a relationship, Ellie would be the person I’d want.
“Don’t overthink it, Drew.” Mom patted my arm. “Maybe it’s time to step back and prioritize your happiness over your work for once.”
I scowled. “I’m so close to finalizing the expansion. It will put Kingsley Jewelry on the map.”
“Living to work is no life, sweetheart,” she reminded me.
I narrowed my gaze.
“It’s not an all or nothing, Drew. You can have loveanda successful career.”
This was not a new conversation between us. But this time, I had a question for her.
“Then why did you stop working at KJ?” I asked. Mom had worked with the design team and had been one of their best. I never understood how she gave that up to be home with me and my siblings.
She spoke firmly and held my gaze. “Because while I enjoyed creating iconic pieces, it didn’t feed my soul. You know that I believe women can have it all, and they should, but when I had you, I realized that I wanted to be home. It felt right for me. And that’s all I want for you all. To be able to do what feels right.”
Why had we never talked about this?
I’d just assumed it was a generational thing, and that she’d stayed home because it was expected. That she’d given up her dreams so Dad could work and she could run the house.
The microphone squealed again, making half the crowd wince and clap their hands over their ears.
“Sorry everyone. Technical difficulties.” The mayor clutched her hands together like a schoolgirl at a spelling bee. “This is such an exciting day for me. I’ve always loved Ruby River’s yearly celebration, and to have a hand in planning this day is a dream come true.”
Everyone clapped politely, but old man Jenkins muttered loud enough for the front row to hear, “Dream come true would be if she learned how to hold a microphone without killing us all.”
I leaned down to Ellie. “We take our civic duty very seriously here—especially when it involves eardrums.”
She slid an arm around my waist. Her giggle bubbled against my chest. “I can’t wait to see what happens when she tries to announce the pie-eating contest.”
“It’s why we have paramedics on standby.” I pointed to the small group of uniformed men and women standing by an ambulance and medical tent.
Onstage, Everly soldiered on. “The Kingsley family not only helped found our town, but they have continued to support us in every way possible.” She beamed at our group. “And Glamma has made my transition to my role as mayor easier than I could have imagined. We all know she has a hand in every aspect of Ruby River.”
I snort-laughed as Glamma again waved at the crowd.
A few people yelled out, “Glamma! We love you!”
Glamma blew kisses. “I love you all more!” she trilled, blowing kisses, nearly losing her oversized hat in the process. Coco barked and half the crowd clapped like she’d just given a campaign speech.
Ellie whispered in my ear. “I think I want to be her when I grow up.”
I tightened my arm around her shoulders, inhaling the crisp fall air, her apple scent, and the fried dough perfume drifting from Food Row. A dangerous combination—comfort, chaos, Ellie.
Once the applause died down, Everly picked up the story again. “And for the other reason we celebrate—the legend of Ruby River. ‘Long ago, when the world was quieter and love had to hide, two forbidden lovers met at the edge of the river. She wore a ruby necklace, a gift from her family. He had nothing to offer but his heart … ’”
The crowd hushed, leaning in. A few teenage boys at the back pretended to gag, but their girlfriends smacked them into silence. Ellie’s eyes went soft and dreamy, and her arm tightened around my waist as the story wound around rubies, vows, and shimmering water.
