162
After brunch, Amanda and Sam lingered a while longer, watching the city shimmer beneath the afternoon sun. Once the last of their plates was cleared and the check paid, Sam stood, slipping on her sunglasses.
"You ready?" she asked with a sly grin.
Amanda blinked. "For what?"
Sam tilted her head toward the street. "Ring shopping, remember? My calendar is cleared for emotional support and good taste."
Amanda laughed, shaking her head. "You're way too excited about this."
Sam shrugged. "Someone's gotta make sure you don't buy her a vending-machine ring."
Amanda rolled her eyes. "Please, I have standards."
"Mm-hmm," Sam teased, leading the way out of the café. "Then let's see those standards in action, Mrs. Mathews-in-the-making."
The jewelry store was tucked into a quiet corner of downtown sleek, modern, and lined with floor-to-ceiling glass. Inside, everything gleamed under warm lights: rows of velvet boxes, diamond halos glinting in perfect symmetry, and a subtle instrumental track playing in the background.
Amanda paused at the entrance, taking a slow breath. The reality of it all of it settled on her chest like something sacred.
Sam nudged her gently. "You good?"
Amanda smiled faintly. "Yeah. Just... trying to take it in."
"Take your time," Sam said, lowering her voice. "Big moment."
A soft-spoken jeweler approached, her smile professional but warm. "Good afternoon. Are we shopping for something special today?"
Amanda nodded. "Something very special. Three somethings, actually."
The woman's eyes widened slightly, intrigued. "Tell me more."
Amanda glanced at Sam, then back to the jeweler. "I'm getting married Monday courthouse wedding. But I also want a proper engagement ring and wedding band for next weekend. Something for her family to see. Something that feels like us."
The jeweler's expression softened. "Congratulations. That's beautiful. Let's find you something worthy of that story."
They started with the promise ring. Amanda wanted something delicate symbolic, intimate, not flashy.
"This one," the jeweler said, laying out a slim gold band with a single marquise-cut diamond nestled in the center. It wasn't large, but the shape caught the light in a quiet, elegant way.
Amanda leaned closer, her heart tugging. "That's perfect," she murmured. "Simple. Meaningful."
Sam smiled. "It's understated but powerful. Like her."
Amanda nodded, her voice soft. "Exactly."
The jeweler wrapped it carefully, slipping it into a small white box tied with gold ribbon.
Next came the engagement ring.
Amanda gravitated toward one particular display a collection of minimalist designs with unique, hand-set stones. Her eyes stopped on a radiant-cut diamond set in a low gold bezel, its edges softened by the light.
"This one," Amanda whispered, almost to herself.
Sam leaned in. "That's... wow. It's subtle but it has presence."
Amanda smiled faintly. "It feels like her. Strong, but not loud. When she moves her hand, it'll catch the light just enough — not to show off, but to remind her she's loved."
Sam's grin widened. "That's the one."
The jeweler nodded approvingly. "That's a stunning choice. The craftsmanship is timeless just like the sentiment."
Amanda laughed quietly, a little emotional. "You sound like a poet."
The jeweler smiled. "Love brings it out in people."
Finally came the wedding band the piece Amanda wanted to represent their forever.
She looked at several platinum, rose gold, pavé but kept coming back to one. A gold band etched with the faintest pattern of intertwining vines, like two paths winding into one.
It wasn't overly feminine or masculine just them.
Amanda picked it up, turning it between her fingers. "This one," she said softly. "It's grounded. It's... home."
Sam nodded. "You nailed it."
The jeweler smiled. "Would you like the inside engraved?"
Amanda thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. Write, 'It's always been you.'"
Sam exhaled, hand over her heart. "Okay, I might cry in public."
Amanda laughed softly. "Don't start, or I will too."
The jeweler noted everything carefully, her voice warm. "We'll have them ready for pickup by Wednesday. The promise ring you can take today."
Amanda reached into her bag for her card. "Perfect."
When the transaction was done, the jeweler slid the smallest box toward her. The white-and-gold packaging seemed to glow under the soft lights.
Amanda held it in her hands like it was something holy.
Sam smiled at her. "How does it feel?"
Amanda exhaled slowly, her chest tight in the best way. "Like I'm finally doing something right."
As they walked out of the store, the late afternoon sun washed over them warm and golden, like the start of something new.
Sam looped her arm through Amanda's. "So... you've got the ring, the plan, the girl. Now what?"
Amanda smiled, looking ahead with quiet confidence. "Now I make it official. Monday, I marry her. Saturday... I remind her why."
Sam grinned, shaking her head. "You're gone for her. Completely."
Amanda laughed. "Yeah," she said softly. "And I wouldn't change a thing."