Page 67 of The Library of Second Chances
After studying her face, the mayor raised an eyebrow. “He has a meeting up there tomorrow morning, but he hasn’t moved out of the cottage yet. He told us he’d be back next week to pack up.”
The corners of her mouth turned up before she could stop them. She didn’t want the mayor to think she cared one way or the other about Logan and where he ended up, but she did care. He hadn’t left without saying goodbye. And although she knew it was just postponing the inevitable, she was glad he wasn’t gone for good just yet. She wanted to show him that his time spent with her hadn’t been wasted, even if his time working for Heron Isle maybe had been.
As soon as Mayor Jenkins left, she grabbed her purse, locked the front door behind her and hurried to Main Street Bank. It was just like the book from Gatsby’s Ghost had said. She needed to accept some risk into her life instead of running from it. It was time to embrace a new way of being.
After closing the shop on Thursday, Lucy walked the few blocks to Rothchild’s to help Jack pick out the perfect ring for her best friend. Instead of letting feelings of impending doom swallow her like they would have just a few short days ago, she pictured how happy Taylor was going to be when Jack got down on one knee.
Although the proposal would likely take Taylor away to Nashville, Lucy knew it had nothing to do with her. Their getting engaged and moving wasn’t a reflection on her or even Heron Isle. It was just change, and it happened. And maybe sometimes change was good. Taylor would have more opportunities—maybe she’d even get to work on the set of a country music video or something really cool that could only happen in Nashville. She would no longer be limited to destination weddings and the rare photo shoot or black-tie gala.
By the time Lucy pushed open the door to Rothchild’s, she was smiling and skipping as if she was going to pick out her own ring. Jack was already there looking at one, and she was delighted to see he was headed in the right direction.
“What do you think of this one?” He held it up, and it sparkled in the light like a disco ball with two rows of tiny diamonds around the band.
Lucy took it from his hand, holding it up to the light. “It’s beautiful. I think it’s close, but…” She looked in the case, searching for something a little simpler. Finding what she was looking for, she pointed for the clerk—a younger woman Lucy only knew by name, Parker—to take the emerald-cut sparkler from the case. “She’d like this emerald-cut more.”
Jack took it from the clerk and held it up to examine it from every angle. As he talked to the clerk about the specifics, Lucy drifted farther down the case to see if anything else caught her eye. That was when she saw the ring of her dreams. A princess-cut diamond that might not be a full carat with a row of three sapphires on each side of the center stone.
“Would you like to see that one too?” Parker walked toward Lucy.
“Oh, no. The one he has is perfect.”
“But you like that one?” Parker gave her a knowing smile.
Lucy had met Parker once or twice in passing around town, but she hadn’t lived on Heron Isle long and was a full decade younger. Lucy heard she’d moved to the island with her husband, who was a chef over at Jack’s resort.
“I do.” It was silly to think about an engagement ring when she wasn’t even dating, but she couldn’t help herself. It was beautiful.
“Can’t hurt to try it on.” Parker winked as she reached into the case and pulled it out.
Lucy looked around before she slipped it on, even though she knew they were alone in the store. She would die of embarrassment if anyone saw her trying on the ring. It was bad enough Jack was nearby, but he was consumed with examining the ring for Taylor.
Lucy looked down at the ring on her hand, which was nothing like the ostentatious one Carter had given her. She knew he’d meant well when he bought it, equating its size and price to value and wanting to show her some sign of the giant life he had planned for them. But in the end, she hadn’t wanted that life, and he hadn’t been happy “playing it small” on Heron Isle.
She thought of Logan then. In the beginning, she’d thought he was like Carter. Always on the search for something bigger and better. But something was different about his aspirations. He seemed less inclined to chase accomplishments and more focused on trying to prove something. She’d just never figured out what.
After seeing Logan with his sister and niece and nephew, Lucy had thought about what sort of woman Logan might settle down with one day. It had been obvious how much he loved his family when they visited, but given his career choice, she wasn’t sure he even wanted to settle down.
Just as she started to imagine Logan as a husband and father, a little boy with his bright-green eyes running around on the beach, Jack interrupted her thoughts.
“I think you’re right. This is the one.”
He was grinning, and Lucy could tell the ring would burn a hole in his pocket until he could give it to Taylor.
“Great! I’ll leave you to it then. Everything is on for tomorrow night still?”
He nodded. “Yes. I’ve got the photographer lined up, and then we’ll meet you and the others up at the bar afterward to celebrate.” Jack stopped and a shadow crossed his face. “I mean, assuming she says yes.”
Lucy laughed, placing an arm on Jack’s. “Don’t worry. She’ll say yes.”
After confirming what time Jack planned to pop the question, Lucy realized she’d left the book she wanted to put inthe Little Free Library for Gatsby’s Ghost at the store, so she walked back. Just as she was walking to the door to lock up again, her cell phone rang. Taking it from her purse, she saw Leona’s number on the screen. Leona only called with really good news… or really bad news.
Lucy answered as cheerfully as she could, but her voice cracked. “Hi, Leona.”
“Lucy, my love. Are you sitting?”
“No. Should I be?”
“Yes, I do think this is sitting news.” Leona paused, seeming serious about Lucy needing a chair, so she walked over to one of the blue armchairs and sat.
