Page 36 of By Your Side

Adeline

Sitting on the edge of my bed, I spin my wedding ring on my finger. The simple gold band with a singular stone hasn’t left my finger since Scott first put it on. I couldn’t rest after Owen asked me to meet him for coffee.

Is it a date? Am I ready for it to be a date?

Not really. I never thought I would be in this position at all. I’ve been trying to make the best of this new path and I’m happy in my new life, but this is unexpected. I guess it shouldn’t be.

But to go on a date with one man while wearing the ring of another, I just can’t.

Grabbing my phone, I lift it to cancel, but can’t bring myself to type the message.

Breathing in deeply, I set my phone down and close my eyes.

Smiling softly when I picture the moment Scott slipped the ring on my finger. We’d been dating for a year and a half. We were walking around a beautiful botanical garden; I was looking at some flowers and turned around to find him on one knee.

Holding my hand to my chest, I remember the love in his eyes as he asked me to marry him.

It was the easiest decision I’ve ever made.

Whether to take this off is one of the hardest decisions.

Stroking my finger around the band, I slide it off my finger. Holding it, I picture Scott holding it the way I am now but sliding it on my finger with the promise he would love me for as long as he lived. A promise he kept.

And when I accepted it, I made the same promise. How do I honor that promise when he’s not here? It feels like I’m doing the opposite by taking my ring off, but a ring is a symbol of our life together. A life we no longer share.

The warm air hits me as I enter Perk Up, Owen already has a table with a couple drinks on it. Taking my gloves off, I instinctively move to adjust my ring, then remember I took it off.

It was a big moment, but the idea that I was potentially going on a date with Owen and still wearing the ring I got from Scott didn’t sit well. It’s tucked safely in my jewelry box until I think of the right thing to do with it.

Owen’s eyes are on my bare hand as I start across the room, his expression unreadable as I sit across from him.

There aren’t too many people in the café as Elise stops by the table with some yummy treats.

“How does it feel to be nearly done with the house renovations?” Owen lifts his mug, taking a sip.

“Amazing. I can’t believe we’re going to meet the deadline. I honestly thought we wouldn’t make it. Although now I need to sit down and plan out what I want to do outside.” Smiling when he shakes his head and chuckles, I take a sip of my coffee.

I must’ve been reading too much into things, this doesn’t feel any different than our normal coffee breaks. Relaxing a little, I look up to find him staring at me.

“I knew we would.” His voice is all confidence, and it makes me smile.

“So, I wanted to discuss with you about after the renovation is complete.” The shift in energy is abrupt.

Setting my drink down, the seriousness of his tone brings me back to when we first met. My shoulders stiffen as I lean back and cross my arms.

“Okay . . .”

“With the work coming to an end, it also ends our business contract.”

My brows furrow.

“And with that in mind, there is a special festival that always happens on December first. I was hoping you might go with me as my date.” His voice is low, the tone sending heat flooding through me as he holds my gaze.

Searching his eyes, my heart goes wild.

Licking my lips, I nod before I can get too far into my head. “Okay. I will go. As your date.”

He smiles, visibly relaxing. Before he can say anything, Raelynn walks in, distracting us both as she waves hello and winks.

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