Page 106 of Ice Ice Maybe
Before we had a chance to intervene further, she turned her phone toward Zena’s mom. “Isn’t this the best picture? They are both positively glowing in love. And the ring is breathtaking. It looks so real, like it’s from Cartier or Tiffany’s!”
Zena and I both were speechless.
When had our brains stopped working?
Mrs. Dalton leaned in, admiring it. “Oh my goodness, Vivian, you are so right. That is lovely.” She zoomed in on the image with her two fingers, then tilted her head to the side. “You know, that ring looks very familiar.” She blinked a few times, studying it. “Wait, it’s identical to one I fell in love with at a jewelry store in Nashville. Zena, where did you get the ring from?”
“I’d love to know that, too!” Mom added helpfully.
Zena opened and closed her mouth.
Yup, still brain-dead.
I needed to say something. Anything.
“Why isn’t anyone eating the tiramisu? It is to die for!” I said, which did absolutely nothing to distract anyone.
Mrs. Dalton turned to her husband. “Everett, why is Zena wearing that ring?”
Mr. Dalton’s face paled.
He let out Mitch-style grunt, then said, “I’m not sure …”
“Everett?” she pushed. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Well, I …” He glared at me and Zena, then blew out a frustrated breath. “I bought that ring in Nashville, and it was supposed to be a surprise for you.”
Mrs. Dalton’s jaw dropped. “I don’t understand. Why would you buy it for me? You said you didn’t like it. And that still doesn’t explain why Zena had it on.”
“That was an excuse,” Mr. Dalton said.
“An excuse for what?” she asked.
“So you wouldn’t buy it yourself!” he said. “I went back to the jewelry store that same afternoon you tried it on, and I bought it, hoping to give it to you when we exchanged vows again. Then I gave it to Zena and told her to hold on to it, not to stick it on her finger and parade around town with it.”
“I didn’t parade around town in it,” Zena said. “Okay, sure I?—”
“Exchange vows again?” Mrs. Dalton said, then she swung around to me and Zena. “You told him about the surprise?”
“No!” Zena said. “We?—”
“Then how did he find out?” Mrs. Dalton asked.
“Because I was planning it!” Mr. Dalton said. “How didyouknow about the surprise?”
“BecauseIwas planning it!” she said.
“I’m so confused right now,” Mr. Dalton said.
“That makes two of us!” Mrs. Dalton agreed.
Zena sighed. “Okay, let’s calm down. The cat’s out of the bag, so I might as well explain. You werebothplanning surprisevow renewals for the other person. At the same time. For your anniversary. Crazy, right?”
I had no idea how either of Zena’s parents would react after finding out their surprises were ruined. Unfortunately, we would have to wait to find out because the night was about to get much worse.
“Mitch Redding is injured,” Mr. Dalton said, suddenly looking at the game on the big screen with worry. “Did any of you see what happened?”
None of us did, but our gazes were also glued to the screen.
