Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
After the third and final tasting, they stood outside the restaurant.
The night was over. They’d be in the car with two other passengers, so Trevor would have to wait until they got back to the hotel to talk to her.
While her brother handed the valet his ticket, Darby huddled up with him. “It’s cold as balls out here. Why didn’t you wear a coat?”
Because he’d been preoccupied. “I wasn’t thinking.” His breath left his mouth in cloudy bursts, and his fingers were stiff.
“I’m sorry about touching you during dinner,” she said.
“I’m not sure it matters. As long as she thinks we’re engaged, I don’t have a chance with her.”
“She’s badass,” Darby said.
Throughout the tastings, Elzy had ignored him, talking about her ideas for the resort and the stores they’d visited earlier in the afternoon. She’d gushed to the chefs about their food, the ambiance of their restaurants, and the kinds of events she thought would be great when they opened.
She was brilliant and animated, and she captivated everyone.
Sitting across from her, he’d basked in her warmth. She was the sun, and he’d happily orbit around her for the rest of his life. He didn’t care what he did as long as he could be in her life.
“And pretty,” Darby said.
“She’s the most beautiful woman in the world.” Even as he watched Elzy and Chris waiting for their car, he could feel Darby studying him.
“Okay.” She pulled out her phone and muttered, “Don’t mess this up.” And then, she sucked in a dramatic breath. “Oh, my God.”
Her brother called, “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Dad.”
“What’s Dad? What’re you talking about?” Chris whipped out his phone.
Of course, Trevor stood close enough to see Darby’s blank screen.
“He fell.” To her credit, Darby delivered an Academy Award-winning performance. “They’re on their way to the hospital.”
“I didn’t get a message.” Chris joined them, features tight with concern.
Trevor didn’t like the deception, but before he could say anything, the black Range Rover pulled to the curb.
“You guys,” Darby said. “I’m so sorry to do this to you, but we have to go.”
“Of course. Go take care of your dad.” Elzy had her hand on Chris’s arm. “Is there anything I can do?”
“I don’t know.” The man looked lost. “I don’t even know what’s going on.”
The only reason Trevor didn’t blurt out the truth right then and there was because he knew Darby would explain it to her brother the moment they got in the car.
As Chris got into the passenger seat, Elzy leaned in. “Text me if you need anything at all.”
They both watched as Darby drove off, a white cloud of exhaust lingering in the frigid air.
“Do you think he’s okay?” Elzy asked.
He said he wouldn’t lie, so he had to come clean. “I’m sure he is.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I saw the screen of her phone. She wasn’t looking at her text messages.”
“What’re you saying? Why would she lie about something like that?”
When the Land Cruiser pulled up, he gestured to it. “Here’s our ride. I’ll explain everything on the way back.”
But she was tapping away on her phone, an obvious ploy to keep from talking to him.
That’s fine. He had two hours alone with her.
The valet came around the car, and Trevor handed him a good tip. “Merry Christmas.”
The guy grinned. “Thanks, man.”
Trevor held the passenger door open for Elzy. “Ready?”
She waved her phone. “Oh, that’s all right. I’m going to stay in the city tonight. There are a few more stores I’d like to see. And you know, it’s Christmas. It’s pretty, and all the shops stay open late.”
He sighed. This woman . She was stubborn, willful, and clever.
All good qualities when you’re on her side. But when you’re not, she’s one formidable opponent.
Well, if she thought he’d give up, she was wrong.
Twinkling white lights wrapped around streetlamps, and festive garlands draped across crosswalks. In the courtyard of a city church, a Christmas tree was all lit up, its branches heavy with ornaments. “That sounds like a good idea. There better be a store that sells coats because I think my organs have frozen solid.”
There it was. That break in her composure. Just the hint of a smile.
If he was lucky, there wasn’t a hotel or B&B with a room in the entire city. “Might be hard to book a hotel though.” He gestured to the pedestrian traffic. “Seems like a popular time of year to come to Iceland.”
“No, I got one.” She waved her phone. “I’m good.”
“Cool.” He caught his spirits before they crashed. Because he’d just turn this into an opportunity to hang out with her. “I’ll walk with you.”
“Trevor—” But her jaw snapped shut, and she pocketed her phone. “You really don’t have to do that.” Abruptly, she walked off.
He loved her fiery nature and couldn’t help wondering what it would take to steer hate to love. What were the magic words to clear anger and resentment? That would make her understand he was a kid who’d made bad choices but with the very best intentions? “Let me take care of the car.” In the time it took to pay the valet to park it in the lot behind the restaurant, she’d gained some distance, forcing him to jog to catch up.
And no, it didn’t warm him up. It made his throat sting and his eyeballs burn.
Jesus, it’s cold.
In a silence that was anything but companionable, they made their way down the crowded street. As they passed restaurants, conversation hit them in bursts. Music from a second-story club filled the air.
“So, you’re going to hire the Westman Island chef?” he asked.
“We haven’t talked about it, but that will be my recommendation. Why? Is that the meal you liked the best?”
“No.” He couldn’t remember a single thing he’d eaten all day. “It was the only one you tasted, so I just assumed it would be your choice.”
She smiled. “You always were too observant. Usually, I’m pretty good about moving food around my plate so it looks like I’m tasting everything equally, but I just couldn’t eat that fermented skate.”
“That was clear to me when you gagged.”
“I did not…” She looked worried. “Was it that obvious? I only threw up a little in my mouth. Did everyone notice?”
He laughed. “Not at all. You kept the conversation going like nothing happened.”
“The conversation was about the uric acid a skate secretes through its skin. They wanted me to eat urine . That’s?—”
“Piss. Yeah, not appetizing.”
“I mean, my God. That smell. Did you notice it? What was it? Ammonia?”
“Yeah, it was pretty bad.”
“You ate every bite,” she said incredulously.
“What was I supposed to do?” He laughed, and it felt so good, like the bindings had broken free. “The chef was right there watching me chew. I thought I had to eat everything.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. You have to learn the tricks of moving your food around and making it look like you’re taking equal bites of everything. But also, the older I get, I’m more like, ‘Screw it. This is Chris’s resort. He has to like the food.’” She gazed up at him with a smile, and she must’ve felt the same zap of electricity as he did because she quickly looked away.
But that was okay. That one single moment was enough. For now.
She stopped outside a store. “I’m just going to pop in here and grab some gifts for my family and staff. You might as well head back. It’s a long drive. I’ll be fine on my own.”
She was cute when she was trying to get rid of him. “You know, I’d like to bring home some gifts too. I have four granddaughters.”
He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. The stark pain in her eyes nearly took him down. But he had to keep moving forward. He couldn’t pretend his family didn’t exist. So, he reached around her and opened the door. “Come on. Let’s see what we can find.”
Unfortunately, her stony look told him he’d lost whatever ground he’d gained. “Trevor, I don’t want to be your friend. Do you understand that? I don’t care that you were only twenty when you abandoned me. I don’t care that you thought you were acting out of some misguided sense of purpose. You left me alone in Las Vegas, and you never looked back.”
“Oh, trust me. I looked.” He caught her arms and moved her out of the doorway. “I came back to town to apologize and win back my wife , but you refused to see me. My second attempt was cut short when I had to take a DNA test. And by the third time I came for you, you were married with a child. So, don’t say I never looked back. I absolutely fucking did.”
She reared back. “What are you talking about? I never married, and I don’t have any kids.”
Why was she saying this? He’d seen it firsthand. “You were working at a resort in Idaho, and I came to talk to you, but when I saw you carrying a child, I asked the girl at the desk if you were married, and she said you were.”
“Well, I don’t know who you talked to, but it wasn’t true. And if I was carrying a child, it was probably for one of our guests.”
“No, you had the baby in one of those slings.” He motioned across his chest. “And a man came up and put his arm around you. I watched the whole thing. There’s no way that man was a guest. And I saw the way you were rubbing the top of the baby’s head. That kid was yours.”
“Idaho?” She glanced at the street in contemplation. “That would’ve been seven years after Vegas.”
The bright lights from the store exposed her rosy cheeks and red-tipped nose. Those lips that had given him so much pleasure looked ripe as fresh raspberries.
“Okay. That was Carly. My niece. There are six years between Amber’s daughters.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. “The girl at the desk told me you were married. You looked like a family.” If only he’d gone over there and talked to her. If only he’d said hello.
“So, what, you came all the way to Idaho, saw me holding a baby, and gave up?”
“You’d moved on. You were happy, and I figured the best thing I could do was respect your new life.”
“That girl you talked to probably got minimum wage to check guests in. I doubt she even heard your question.” She drew in a breath. “Do you see how this trip down memory lane only makes things worse? I don’t want to know that you tried to find me. I don’t want to know how close we came to seeing each other. Because, ultimately, neither of us tried hard enough. And that’s what matters. Go back to the hotel, Trevor. We’ve said all we need to say.” She brushed past him and entered the store.
He followed. Of course he did. He didn’t want to hurt her, but they had to talk it through. There was no other way to get back to each other but through the pain.
Because one thing was absolutely clear. The high color in her cheeks, the sparks in her eyes, and the emotion in her tone told him she cared. If she truly didn’t give a shit about him, she’d be neutral. Flat.
Okay, but you have to calm down. Just be friendly.
Nothing more.
He entered the brightly lit store to find knit sweaters imprinted with the Icelandic flag, mugs and T-shirts with a Viking emblem, and tables stuffed with lava cheese and black volcanic salt. He joined Elzy in front of a bookcase crowded with slippers. They ranged in style from playful wool socks to high-end leather. He held up a pair for babies. “I’m going to get these.”
“Oh? Are you and Darby expecting?” She had a cool tone, like she was pretending not to care.
He burst out laughing. “Nope. They’re for my granddaughters. Cole, my son, adopted two little girls after his high school friend passed away. He married the co-guardian, and now, they have twins.”
She studied him for a moment, and he must’ve passed some kind of test because she let down her guard. “You’ll need to know their shoe sizes. Those are for newborns.” She picked up a pair of slipper socks with reindeer on top. “So cute.” She grabbed four pairs. But her gaze kept wandering to the suede slippers.
He slid a hand into the thick, shearling footbed. “These are nice.”
“I have a whole collection of slippers. I’m obsessed with them.”
“Yeah?”
“I wear heels most days, so the only thing I can think about when I get home is getting into my slippers and sweatpants.”
“Get them.”
“Believe me, I don’t need another pair.” When she moved on to a table of skincare products, he followed.
Other than the words vegan, herbal, and volcanic, he barely noticed anything. Because this is Elzy. And he was standing next to her in a store in Iceland.
It was surreal and, strangely, perfect.
For all the scents swirling around him, the only one that connected with his very core, that excited his molecules into a frenetic dance, was the one emanating from her. It was a mix of her shampoo, her rich perfume, and the essence of Jessica Elsworth.
My Elzy.
He wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her close until their hearts beat in sync.
“My sisters will love this.” She held up a basket of bath products.
Maybe he didn’t deserve the privilege of asking about her life, but the only way to earn it was to be consistent. “How are they? Are they still in Riverton?”
Distracted from sniffing a bar of soap, she said, “Oh, no. They’ve all come to Calamity with me.”
“No kidding? That’s great.” He got a strange pinch in his heart. Without his parents, he rarely returned to his hometown, so he’d lost that community. “You always understood your priorities.”
She stopped sniffing to look at him. “Yes, I did.”
Towering over her like this, seeing the indignance in her eyes, he wanted to cup her cheeks and tell her how pretty she looked, how she was always right about everything. Because it was clear—the barrier between past and present was as thin as a butterfly’s wing.
At least in his mind. So, instead, he gave her a soft smile and said, “You always were smarter than me.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” She reached for a bottle of lotion. “But somehow, I managed to convince my sisters, their husbands, and their kids to get into the hospitality industry. We’re all co-owners of the resort.”
“Your mom would be so proud of the way you’ve kept your family together.”
She gazed up at him, and he saw the moment awareness hit. Everything about her softened, and she broke into a radiant smile. “Thank you for saying that. You know, it’s funny. In my mind, I did it because my dad died while my sisters were in college, and since I’d already moved away, they didn’t have a home base anymore. My whole motivation for getting out from behind the reception desk was to give them a home for the holidays. But I don’t think I realized until recently how much the loss of my mom impacted me.”
“Sounds like you worked your ass off to get where you are today.”
“I’m not going to lie. It wasn’t easy. But isn’t that true for all of us?”
It sure as hell was. For thirty years, he’d filmed in driving rain and blinding snow, he’d had to reshoot physically grueling scenes dozens of times, and he’d played therapist and negotiator to all the difficult personalities who made it so damn hard to get anything done. “How many nieces and nephews?”
“Six. Both my sisters have three kids.” She sniffed a candle. “I love having all of them with me.”
“And both husbands work at the resort?”
“Yes.”
He noted the hesitation in her tone. “But?”
“I don’t think Kelly’s husband wants to be in Calamity. Well, maybe that’s not the issue. He’s a farmer, you know? He likes physical work. He likes to be outside.”
“What’s his role now?”
“He’s our director of operations. Which is a big relief for me because I’ve always had that role.”
“Ah, okay. So, a desk job. What if you made him a tour guide? He could organize fly-fishing trips. Hiking. Heli-skiing. Things like that.”
Holding a stick of incense, she gazed up at him. “We don’t have a role like that.” It only took a moment for her to flash him a dazzling smile. “But we should. That’s a brilliant idea. It’d be great for us, and I know he’d love it.” She took a moment to appraise him. “Thank you.” Then, she moved on to a table of T-shirts. “Of course, that puts operations back on me.”
“You can hire someone to do that.”
“Well, that’s not going to happen until we’re in the black. Fingers crossed that’ll happen sooner than later.”
“How long’ve you been open?”
“Oh, we’re brand-new. Not even a month. Our hard launch is New Year’s Eve, and we’re not sold out yet. So, that makes me nervous.”
“Yeah, people have their traditions. It might take time, but eventually, through word of mouth, they’ll choose your place.”
She gave him a funny look.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just… That’s exactly what I was thinking yesterday. Calamity has a lot of great events on New Year’s Eve. Mine has to be so unique, so special, they’ll be fighting to book a room.”
“What’s your plan?”
Excitement lit up her eyes. “It’s a mix between a black-tie party and a polar plunge.”
“I’m not seeing a connection between the two.”
“Well, everyone shows up in tuxes and gowns for a fancy dinner. Then, at eleven, they’ll change into swimsuits and go into the lake.”
“No wonder you haven’t sold out. I’ve done a lot of crazy things in my life?—”
“Like driving off-road and winding up in the mud flats?” It was barely noticeable, the way she leaned toward him like that.
But it stirred him down to his very soul. Here she is . All of her. Not the brittle, angry part—which he deserved—but the soft and warm parts. “Hey, I was a dumb kid. But yes, like that. Even I wouldn’t do a polar plunge in the Teton mountains in winter.”
And it felt fucking fantastic.
“Would you do it if the water was warmed by a natural hot spring?” She had a mischievous grin.
“Are you saying your resort has thermal features?”
“Yep. It took me years to convince the town to give me permits, but they did. And the springs flow into the lake, so the temperature’s bearable. But after, we’ll all sit in the specially designed hot tubs and watch our very own fireworks show.”
“That’s brilliant. Where can I buy tickets?”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” She moved onto a table of glassware. “We have a very strict dress code.”
“And what is that?” he asked, amused by the smile she was fighting.
“No kilts or combat boots.”
He burst out laughing. “I deserve that, I know. But I hope you believe me when I say it’s not my choice. I don’t get off on people shoving a selfie stick between my legs.”
“Then, why do you do it?”
He moved closer. “Can you keep a secret?”
“We don’t exactly move in the same circles, but sure, your secret’s safe with me.”
“You know how we thought the producers were newbies and didn’t know what they were doing? Turns out, they were extremely savvy.”
“Just cheap.”
He shrugged. “I think they were smart. They went with first-time actors who would take their offer, which meant they could put their money into production and marketing. But anyhow, as soon as the franchise took off, the media descended. None of us were prepared for it, and I had a son at that point, so they helped me broker a deal. In exchange for my privacy, I had to give the paparazzi something publishable.”
“I get that, but what about all the random people who happen to catch you drunkenly making out with your co-star in a pub or leaving a married woman’s home at four in the morning? You can’t have deals with everyone.”
What she really wanted to know was how debauched Hollywood had turned him, and he was glad for the opportunity. “You’re right. And there’s a foolproof solution for that.”
She waited for his answer, working hard to conceal her interest.
“If you don’t want to be caught doing bad things, don’t do them.”
“Oh, come on. You never did anything bad? In thirty years?” She wanted to believe him.
He heard it in her voice. “I never did anything that would embarrass my son or my parents.” He hesitated on saying more but screw it. He was taking his shot with her. Balls to the wall. “And to be perfectly honest, I never wanted to give you a reason to turn me away.”
“Why would you even think like that? We weren’t in each other’s worlds at all.”
“I never gave up believing we’d find our way back to each other. It didn’t seem possible that I’d never see you again.”
She studied him for a moment. “You must’ve had a lot of temptations over the years.”
Good. Push me for answers. Because I’m ready . “I think we’re born with a bent, you know? You’ve either got a kink or addiction, or you don’t.”
“And you don’t?”
“I’ve got a bent for you.” He said it matter-of-factly. “None of those temptations, as you call them, really interested me.”
“Okay, you’re being ridiculous. In all this time, you’ve never had a passionate fling or a wild hookup? You’ve never gotten blind drunk?”
“Did you hear my story about how I came to have a son? Trust me, that was my one and only hookup, and I haven’t been drunk since.” But he’d said enough, and it was time to go back to the plan of being friendly and not pushing. So, he picked up a mug with a Viking design and wooden handle and pretended to consider it. “Your event sounds great.”
She seemed lost in thought and didn’t move for a moment. But then, she said, “Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. Even better, my oldest niece is getting married on Christmas Eve.”
“That’s a strange choice. Won’t their anniversary take second place to a big holiday?”
“We tried to warn them, but they met at a Christmas Eve party, so it means a lot to them. They were on the same team for a gingerbread house competition and spent the whole night talking and drinking cocoa, so the table decorations are?—”
“Gingerbread houses?”
“You got it. And we’ve got an elaborate hot chocolate station, so yeah. It’s really sweet. Also, they jokingly like to say it’s a date they know they’ll remember.”
“I get that. My parents never remembered their anniversary.”
“Well, no. They probably did. They just didn’t believe in celebrating themselves.”
A prick of awareness sent a shot of adrenaline through him. Funny how he’d never seen it like that before, and yet, it was so obvious.
“You look like I just rocked your world. You were the one who complained they had no joy.”
“Yeah.” He clamped a hand at the back of his neck. “But I never thought about it like that .” How fucking sad. “You know, I don’t have a single memory of them laughing.”
“Or celebrating you. Your mom would bake cakes for the farmhand’s kids, but she never once threw you a birthday party.”
Sometimes, she’d make him a special dinner. A chicken casserole and lemon meringue pie. But no parties. Not even for graduation. “But you did. You celebrated all my victories.”
“Well, sure. I felt sorry for you.” She flashed him a teasing look before picking up a travel mug. “Oh, look. Puffins. How cute is that?”
“Hey, now. No need for pity. I got my mom’s special chicken casserole.”
He could see her try to fight it, but the laugh broke free. “I loved your mom. I really did. But she was the worst cook.” She held his gaze with true compassion. “I’m sorry for your loss. Losing them so close together had to have hit hard.”
“Couldn’t have been more fitting for them though, right?” His dad died of a heart attack, sitting in his tractor, alone in a field, and eating a ham sandwich. His mom passed away less than a month later. She just didn’t wake up one morning.
It was unbearably sad.
Elzy’s arms were loaded with gifts, so he jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Let me grab you a basket.” He moved quickly, lowering his head to keep from being noticed. He’d expected to spend his time in cars and kitchens, so he hadn’t bothered with a disguise.
He didn’t see any baskets by the entrance, so he bought several large recyclable totes and a wool beanie. Bumping into Trevor Montgomery in a tourist shop in Iceland was out of context, so he wouldn’t need more than a hat.
After pulling it down over his ears, he held a tote open for her and jammed the others under his arm. “Here.”
“Perfect. Thank you.” She dropped her items into it but kept her gaze on him. “You’re hilarious if you think no one will notice you in that hat. You’re a movie star with one of the most recognizable faces in the world. There’s no disguising it.”
“I’ve been retired three years.”
“Okay.” She rolled her eyes. “Stay humble.”
“What? I’m in Iceland. No one would expect to see me here.”
“Are we really going to do this?” She gave an exaggerated sigh.
“Do what?”
“You’re an unusually handsome man. Even if you didn’t star in the Clan Wars franchise, people would still notice you.”
He broke into a grin. “You think I’m handsome?”
“Says the guy who was chosen Sexiest Man Alive a record-breaking three times.”
Without thinking, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. “You counted. I’m touched.”
Laughing, she shoved him away. “Yes, because those were the only times I’ve ever had to abandon my cart to go throw up in the parking lot. They really shouldn’t put magazines at checkout counters.”
“But you bought them, right? Now, if I look under your pillow, which one will I see? The one with me shirtless in a kilt? That one shows my rippling muscles.”
“Did I call you humble?” She shook her head. “What I meant was egomaniac.” She dropped four insulated tumblers into the now-full tote bag. “These are perfect for my nieces.”
“Here. I’ve got another one.” He handed it over.
“Oh, thank you.” At the next table, she picked up a box of crackers and read the ingredients. She stared long enough that he figured she wasn’t really paying attention to the list.
And then, she looked up at him. “I’m sorry I didn’t go to their funerals.”
He wasn’t prepared for the intimacy of direct eye contact, and heat exploded in his chest. “That’s okay.”
“I was still in my petty phase. It took me a while to get over the fact that you had a son.”
“I don’t blame you. That would’ve destroyed me.”
“It almost did.” She set the box down and picked up a saltshaker. “Are you sadder that your parents died alone or that you weren’t closer to them?”
He let out a bitter laugh. “No one’s ever asked me a question like that.” Someone bumped into him, so he moved closer to the table. “I hate that they died alone, but you know, that’s the life they chose. As for not being closer to them…” Years of training had him crafting an acceptable answer, but it was Elzy, and he didn’t need to do that with her. “They wouldn’t let me be close to them. I took care of them as best I could…” He shrugged.
“You paid off their farm, and they still continued to work.”
“Yep. They were set for life, and other than buying a new couch and some farm equipment, their lives didn’t change. That was a real wake-up call for me. So, yeah, I made peace with my relationship with them.”
“Do you miss them?” She asked it casually as she picked up a box of cookie mix with a mini whisk attached.
He doubted she was in the market for any of it, but if this was the only way she could talk to him, he’d take it. “I wish I could say I did.” He had to speak truthfully. “But I don’t.” His relationship with them was centered on duty and obligation. “There was no affection in my house.”
“No, there wasn’t.”
But I got it from you.
All those mornings when she’d slip a note into his hand on their way to homeroom. The Saturdays when he’d back his pickup to the loading dock, grab her hand, and tug her into the storeroom so they could make out. She breathed life into him. She was his happiness. His home.
His entire heart.
She returned to a display of bath products. “I’m going to get two of these. My sisters will like it.”
“Your sisters or you?”
“Yeah, you’re right.” She unscrewed the lotion and sniffed. Pleasure suffused her features, but she tightened the cap and set it back. “Scent is so personal. Who knows if they’d like it?” She looked into the bag. “But I do need a few more things for them. I’ll keep looking. You can go if you want. It’s a long drive back.”
“That’s okay.” He pulled a third tote out of his back pocket and snapped it open with a flourish. “I’m getting gifts too, remember?”
She shook her head with a smile. “Tenacious.”
I just want you so damn much.
But instead of responding, he returned to the glassware table and grabbed a couple travel mugs with puffins on them. “The older two grandkids will like these. I’ll get slippers for all the girls.” He headed back to the bookcase display.
“Size, remember?” Elzy called with a laugh in her voice.
“Yep.” But he wasn’t there for the kids. He was there for the shearling slippers. Did women’s feet change in size? Because she used to wear a seven. That’s what I’ll get .
On his way back to her, he watched her touch and scrutinize every single item, taking such care with each purchase. And that was one of the things he’d loved about her. She remembered what you said, what food you liked, what colors you favored. She gave a hundred percent to the people she cared about.
But who made her feel special? The moment she moved past the bath products, he grabbed the basket she’d liked. And actually, why not get the same scent in a candle? Before she could find out what he’d done, he quickly headed to the cash register. He snatched a wool scarf off a table and included it in his purchases. He’d make sure no one recognized him tonight.
He wouldn’t let anything pop this bubble with Elzy.
When they headed back out into the icy cold night, he tried to take the heavy bag from her.
But she resisted. “You have enough of your own stuff to carry. I got it.”
“You’ll need your hands free for the other shops.” He paused outside a boutique. “Like this one.”
She took in the window display. “You’re not wrong.” Laughing, she shoved the tote at him and headed inside.
Right away, she went to town, buying T-shirts and sweaters. “Oh, my God. Look at these.” She stood before a wall of slipper socks with puffins, reindeer, Vikings, snowmen…all kinds of winter and Icelandic designs. “They’re one-size-fits-all, so I’ll buy a pair for my entire staff.”
As she went to the desk to arrange the purchase and shipping of the gifts, he found a few more things he thought she might like. At the counter, he showed her a knit hat with a white puff ball on top and a braid hanging down on either side. “This would be cute on the girls.”
“It’s adorable. They’ll love it.”
“Don’t you need a hat?” He set it on her head and gently tugged the braids until it fit her head. “Oh yeah. That’s the one.”
Her grin was pure light, piercing the darkest parts of him and warming him to the soles of his feet.
Until she yanked it off. “Oh, I don’t need one. But you should definitely get it for your granddaughters.”
He did, but he also bought one for her.
As they continued down the street, he noticed the streetlamps were decorated with old-fashioned candleholders. Most of the stores on this street were for tourists and sold similar items, so they didn’t need to go inside.
But when they passed a jewelry store, something caught her eye. “Look at that.”
He pressed closer to the window to see bold, heavy pieces. “You like them?”
“I think Chris would, don’t you? They’re made of black lava. What a cool present for a man living on a lava field.” She headed inside, flagged down a salesperson, and got into a conversation about the Nordic symbols on the sturdy silver jewelry.
As he wandered around, a case of diamond rings caught his eye. They’d married on an impulse, so they’d never exchanged real wedding rings. He didn’t know her taste anymore, and it certainly wasn’t his place to buy her jewelry.
And yet…he carried two large tote bags filled with silly stuff. Nothing real. Nothing meaningful. And she’d just spent the last hour thinking of everyone but herself.
He shouldn’t do it. He knew that, but while she was preoccupied with buying something for her client, he found another salesperson to help him.
Because he’d found the ring. The only one in the world Elzy should wear on her finger.
“Can I see that one?” he asked.
“Way to pick the nicest ring in the store.” She pulled out her keys and unlocked the case, setting the stunning diamond on a velvet pad. “It’s actually three rings.” She showed him each band separately.
He held them in the palm of his hand. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“That’s because each piece here is one-of-a-kind.”
“Like her.”
The woman smiled. “Yes, that’s the idea.”
In the center, the beveled oval diamond glittered. The three diamonds in the top ring formed a crest. Altogether, it was designed for a queen. “I’ll take it.”
“Don’t you want to check the certification? This totals five carats of diamonds.”
“I don’t care.” If the stones were shitty, he’d replace them. But he’d never find a band so intricately carved. The rose gold was unusually pink and shiny. It was undoubtedly made for Elzy.
“Okay. And what about you? Do you have your wedding band picked out?” She reached for a display at the other end of the case.
He cut a look over his shoulder to make sure Elzy wasn’t listening. It was more than presumptuous of him to buy rings for an event that might never happen.
She’d given no indication of any interest in even talking to him, let alone sparking a relationship.
And yet, he was driven. Because a world where they weren’t together didn’t make sense. If they didn’t get back, it would not be because of him.
When she set the rings down, his eye was immediately drawn to a dark band.
“What’s this one made of?”
“Oh, good. That’s the one I was thinking about for you. This is sandblasted palladium, and the inlay is genuine Gibeon meteorite.”
He grinned. “I’ll take it.”
“You’ll need to try them on.”
Elzy was wrapping up her purchase. He didn’t have time. “They can be sized, right?”
“Of course.” Shaking her head, she laughed. “You’re the easiest customer I’ve ever had.” She glanced at Elzy. “I’ve been doing this a very long time, and I know you’ve made the right choices. If you give me your credit card, I’ll get everything handled in the back room, and she won’t notice a thing.”
“Perfect.” Was it presumptuous? Hell, yeah. But he’d never find anything better. He was sure of it.
Once outside, she said, “Did I see you buying something?”
He wouldn’t lie but hoped she didn’t ask for specifics. “Yep.”
“I noticed Darby’s not wearing an engagement ring. Did you get her something?”
His heart galloped. As much as he wanted to tell her the truth, it was only thirty minutes ago that she’d told him to go back to the hotel.
But he could lead her to some insights. “We got engaged the day before yesterday, and it was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”
“That seems like the most romantic way to do it.” She used her professional voice. “When you’re overcome with feelings.”
Ha . If by feelings you mean loneliness and a lack of purpose, then, sure . He was overcome. “We were saying goodbye at the airport. She was at the international gate, and I was headed back to Calamity.”
“And you couldn’t bear to be apart from her, so you proposed?”
She was probing, and he was here for it. “Well, like I said, we’d only known each other a month. You’d have to ask her what went through her mind.”
“She proposed to you?”
He nodded. “It was either that or never see each other again.” As they passed a restaurant, he inhaled the scent of roasted meat. “Hungry?”
Her features softened, and the tight lines at either side of her mouth slackened. “I’m starving.”