Hanging On (Jessica Brodie Diaries #2)(101)

Candace was still confused. I persuaded her to start trying some on. She ended up liking the pear shaped diamond. She chose a plain band of gold, fairly thick. Then we needed to start talking caret, color, and clarity. This was when the budget came into effect.

Candace had a guesstimate from something she overheard him say to his mother. I walked her through picking what was more important: size, color or clarity. Size wasn't too important to her, and she didn't know the difference in clarity, so she got about the best color she could, and used most of the rest of the budget on size. It had flaws, but none that someone admiring it would notice.

The boys, who were long since bored with us, were lounging by the door, watching the people walk by and talking about their ranches. I overheard that William had his eye on a type of bull he wanted to introduce into his current blood lines, but the guy wouldn't sell to him because he was a Davies. Apparently not everyone loved his family.

Which was good for me. Possible Christmas present!

When Candace was set, I had the boys come back over and went over the specs of her choices, noting that should more money be thrown in, which aspects she would like to improve. I then gave them each a direct stare and said, “You guys need to steer Ty. Don’t tell him Candace has been in, but tell him you overheard her. Or better yet, that Lump and I dragged her around by the ear when we were shopping. Steer, got it?”

“Yes, darling,” William said with a placating smile.

Adam was looking at me, but obviously thinking about something else. I knew a bored look a mile away! I shoved my finger closer to his face and his eyes refocused.

“Jessie, get—Willie’s gonna deal with it. I’ll just be around for shits and giggles.”

“Still.”

I got an eye roll from Adam and a pat on the butt from William.

As the sales woman was putting things away, she noticed me looking and asked if I wanted to try anything on.

I turned to Lump, “Shall we? I bet I could out-princess you on rings!”

Lump responded to the challenge more than the content of the challenge, and looked for her perfect ring.

My ring was done first. It was a little over two caret Princess cut stone with excellent color and clarity. The ratio of the cut threw light all around it, making the bling factor large and in charge. It was delicately balanced on a lithe band. This was offset by an eternity band that sparkled all around the finger. I instantly fell in love with it. It was gorgeous. The diamond itself was pure quality. The whole thing suited my hand and finger perfectly. I had never dreamed of the perfect wedding, but had always dreamed of the perfect ring. Marriages lasted in photo albums, rings lasted with you at all times, every day. The romantic teamed with material goods.

I waited impatiently for Lump to finish hers. When she did I saw that she had a significantly smaller diamond that was a radiant cut on a more artistic rather than classic band. Her setting kept the ring low on the finger, but the diamond still threw light around the room. It was unique and elegant and managed, like the necklace she picked, to perfectly capture her personality. She looked at it longingly, exactly the same as I was looking at mine.

“Imagine, some guy liking us enough to pledge his life to us.” Lump laughed sadly.

I agreed. It was a tall order. Especially for ass**les like Lump and I.

"Lump, we're getting soft. Let's put these things back and go start a bar fight!" I said loudly. The boys huffed and the sales people laughed.

"I think they are both beautiful," Candcae admired. "I might pick Jessica's, but Lump's looks really good with her personality."

William and Adam leaned in to view.

"I would have to go with Betsy's. It suits," Adam said quietly.

"Hah!" Lump said.

"Thank you very little, Adam," I told him, turning to William.

"Jessica's, and not because she'll kill me if I picked Lump's," He said laughing.

I got the votes from the sales women and gloated.

"Just average and generic," Lump remarked to darken my win.

"Yes you are, Lump, but I didn't want to say it to your face."

Adam barked out laughter, apparently not realizing that he should always be ready for my fantastic sense of humor. I said as much. The second laugh didn’t sound like it was in my favor…

We gave back the rings smiling and headed for the door.

“I’ll be right there. Gotta get a present,” Adam was lingering at the counter.

“William, maybe you should join him,” I said in jest, lacing my fingers into William’s big hand.

“I already got you something.”

“You did?”

Lump rolled her eyes at my excitement.

“Yeah, coal. You’re welcome in advance.”

“Har har.”

Chapter Twenty-One

The next day I called Adam and met him out at his ranch with Lump in tow. I told him not to let William know anything about it. Adam sounded wary, but told me how to get to where he was.

As we drove around the ranch house on a bunch of dirt, we saw Adam in the back of his truck forking hay into troughs for horses. He was working in a tank top and was sweaty from the exertion. I could go into how the sun was glistening off his body and his muscles were playing across his shoulders and back, but that would be wrong. I'll just say that Lump saw all that, and drooled.