Sweet Pain (Amatucci Family #3) - Sadie Jacks Page 0,124

kind of chocolate do you want?”

“Yes.”

I laughed. “Alright. I’ll see what we can make happen. Your ring’s ready, too. It’s a day of new beginnings.”

She stuffed her feet into a pair of sneakers. Stomped a couple times. When she looked up at me, her smile was breathtaking. “Yeah it is, hero. Let’s go make today our bitch.”

We got in the car. I made the first stop at the closest convenience store. I ran in, grabbed up one of each kind of chocolate bar they had in stock. The clerk looked at me, gave me a sad smile. “Good luck.”

I nodded. “I’m going to need it.”

I dumped the bag of chocolate in her lap. “Take your pick. Start devouring.”

She leaned up, gave me a kiss. “My hero.” She pawed through the bag. Her mossy green eyes lit with joy as she yanked a Nutrageous from the depths. “Thank you goddess and all the saints.” She unwrapped it, bit off a delicate bite.

Her moan had me squirming in my seat. “Damn, woman. Keep it on lock down over there. We’re going to see a nice old woman. We don’t need to kill her with the sight of my erection.”

She took another bite, moaned even louder. It ended on a laugh.

I joined her even as I prayed Ms. Goldie wouldn’t notice it.

We rocked up to the storefront. Ms. Goldie was waiting just inside the door. I helped Willow out of the car, ushered her up to the door.

Ms. Goldie opened the door, waved us in. “Good. You’re prompt. I like that about you, Mr. Penn.”

“I aim to please, Ms. Goldie.”

She smiled, moved to the first display case. My Grams’ ring box was sitting on the black velvet cloth. “Here it is. I got it all shined up for you, as well.”

Willow lifted her left hand, pulled the temporary ring off. “We need to buy this from you. We accidentally damaged it. I’m so sorry.”

Ms. Goldie chuckled. “Dear, that is low grade silver. It’s meant to bend and give.” She waved her hand, took the ring from Willow. She forced it down a long tube that got bigger at the bottom. When she pulled it back up, it was perfectly round again. “Good as new.”

Willow chuckled. “Well, then, thank you for the loan.”

Ms. Goldie nodded. “Of course.” She dropped the temporary ring into the big glass bowl she’d gotten it from a couple days ago. “Now to the main event.” She turned to the ring box on the cloth. She opened it up.

Willow inhaled sharply and put her hands over her mouth. I saw tears gather in her eyes. “Ms. Goldie, it’s phenomenal.”

Ms. Goldie’s smile stretched wide. “Yes, dear. But that’s largely to Mr. Cartier. I just added some metal, grinded it down, buffed it out, and cleaned it.” She looked up at me. “Mr. Penn.”

I grabbed the engagement ring. My heart was pounding again, just like it had the night I asked her to marry me the first time. Just as I opened my mouth, music started to play. Clair de Lune by Debussy.

Willow sucked in a breath as she looked up at me. A single tear tracked down her cheek.

“Willow, will yo—”

“Yes, Ryker Penn, a thousand times yes.”

Ms. Goldie threw polyester rose petals in the air as I slid the ring onto Willow’s left ring finger.

I put my hands on Willow’s cheeks and brought my mouth to hers. Her lips quivered under mine before she leaned into it. Into me. Into us.

The bright flash of her camera phone pulsed against my eyelids.“That was beautifully done, Mr. Penn.” Ms. Goldie paused. “Now, help an old woman out, and gather those rose petals up. I’m not bending down to clean those up.”

Willow and I burst into laughter as we bent and gathered the fake rose petals. Once we got them all cleaned up, I paid the bill. “Could you send that picture to me, please?”

Ms. Goldie smiled and nodded. She opened her phone, tapped some keys. I felt the buzz of the message on my phone in my pocket and on my watch.

Willow and I headed back out to the car. After I got us moving again, I watched as she kept looking at her hand, turning it this way and that. Every once in a while she would sigh. Cuddle her hand to her chest. Then she would start it all over again.

“You don’t like it, do you?” I teased.

She laughed. “Sorry, I’m probably being a freak. But…it’s so fucking pretty, Ryker. I