Chapter 47
47
JARED
I scrubbed out of the surgery, rolling my shoulders and stretching my neck to work out the kinks.
The procedure had taken longer than expected.
I hated when shit didn’t go to plan.
But I also secretly loved it.
I loved the challenge.
It was probably not something my patients or their families ever wanted to hear, but I loved a little excitement.
I performed so many surgeries, it was easy to get bored.
The unexpected got my heart racing.
Not that I ever let it show.
But now I was running behind schedule.
I finished washing up and made my way to the waiting room to talk with the patient’s family.
Being sick sucked. Being sick and confined to a hospital at Christmas was really shitty.
But in our case, I was kind of hoping we’d be in the hospital.
Things were going good with the pregnancy, but I knew Amelia was uncomfortable.
After answering all the questions from the family, I headed to the locker room and quickly changed into my street clothes.
It was nearly Christmas, but you wouldn’t know it in Florida.
The air was warm, the palm trees swaying gently in the breeze and it was a beautiful day.
I didn’t have time to appreciate it, though.
I had somewhere to be.
Roger, my driver, was waiting for me outside the hospital.
He nodded as I slid into the back seat, his expression calm and professional.
“Where to?”
“The address I gave you earlier,” I said, checking my watch.
“And step on it, Roger. I’m already late.”
He didn’t ask questions, just nodded and pulled away from the curb.
I leaned back in the seat, my mind racing with all the things I wanted to say and do.
This was it. The moment I’d been planning for weeks.
The moment that would change everything.
When we arrived at the nondescript little shop, Clair was waiting outside, her arms crossed and her foot tapping impatiently.
She looked up as I approached, her expression a mix of annoyance and amusement.
“You’re late,” she said.
“I thought you were going to chicken out.”
“Surgery ran long,” I said, shrugging.
“You know how it is. And there is no way in hell I’m chickening out.”
She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue.
“Well, you’re here now. Are you ready?”
“Yep, I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life.”
Clair smiled, her expression softening.
“Good. Let’s go.”
We stepped into the shop.
It was a high-end jewelry store that catered to VIPs.
It didn’t look like much from the outside, which only added to the excitement.
Glass cases filled with sparkling rings, necklaces and other jewelry.
A sales associate greeted us with a bright smile.
Clair took charge immediately, steering me toward the engagement rings.
“What are you looking for?” Clair asked.
“Something… perfect,” I said, my eyes scanning the cases.
“Something that says ‘I love you’ without needing words. Something that isn’t ostentatious. Something she can wear to work. And something that won’t maim our son.”
Clair raised an eyebrow.
“That’s a lot for a simple ring.”
“Just help me find the ring, Clair.”
She laughed, shaking her head, and started pointing out options.
We spent the next hour going through rings, Clair offering her opinion on each one.
She was brutally honest, which I appreciated.
If a ring wasn’t right, she didn’t sugarcoat it.
I was beginning to think we would never find the right one.
I thought this would be a lot easier.
“What about this one?” I asked, pointing to a ring with a simple, elegant design.
Clair studied it for a moment, then nodded.
“It’s beautiful. Classic. Amelia would love it.”
I felt a surge of relief.
“Good. Let’s?—”
Before I could finish, Claire’s phone rang.
She glanced at the screen, her eyes widening.
“It’s Shawn,” she said, her tone surprised.
I smirked. “Answer it.”
She did, putting the call on speaker so I could listen in while she continued to peruse the case.
“Clair, I… uh… I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner with me tonight.”
Clair’s eyes lit up.
She looked at me with a huge grin on her face.
“Well, it’s about damn time, Shawn,” she said.
“We can talk about your timing later. I’ll meet you there at six, okay?”
“Uh, okay,” he said, sounding very unsure of himself.
I shook my head. Shawn was the very opposite of charismatic.
I was going to have to give the guy some pointers.
He was embarrassing.
“Look, I’m picking out a ring with Jared right now, and I figure since you’ve waited two years to ask me out, we might as well cut to the chase and move things along. How soon do you want to get married, because I could pick up a ring right now!”
I burst out laughing, unable to help myself.
Shawn sputtered on the other end of the line, clearly flustered.
Clair was clearly a woman fed up with the chase.
She was ready to be caught.
“Clair, I—I didn’t mean?—”
“Relax, Shawn,” Clair said, her tone teasing.
“I’m just messing with you. But seriously, six o’clock. Don’t be late. I’m a little irritated. Amelia’s getting a ring from Jared, and she’s known him half the time I’ve known you. The biological clock is real, Shawn. No more playing.”
She hung up, a satisfied smile on her face.
I shook my head, still laughing.
“You’re going to give him an aneurysm.”
“Lucky he’s a neurosurgeon, then,” she said, winking at me.
“Besides, I’ve been waiting for him to come to terms with his feelings. And I have you to thank for that, Jared. Seeing you finally accept the fact that you’re not a total alpha jerk has given him the push he needed.”
I rolled my eyes but didn’t argue.
Clair had a point. Shawn and I were more alike than either of us cared to admit, and if my relationship with Amelia had inspired him to finally make a move, then I was glad.
We turned our attention back to the rings, and after a few more minutes, I found it.
The perfect ring. It was simple but elegant, with a sparkling diamond set in a delicate band.
It was timeless, just like Amelia.
“This is it,” I said, my voice firm.
Clair nodded, her expression approving.
“It’s perfect. She’s going to love it.”
“I hope so,” I said.
“I never imagined it would be this hard.”
“Duh! This is a big deal. Do you know how you’re going to ask? Please don’t tell me you’re going to do it when her feet are in the stirrups, and she’s got a baby in her birth canal.”
I shot Clair a glare, though the corners of my mouth twitched.
“No, Clair. I’m not that clueless. I’ve got a plan. A good one.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Oh? Do tell.”
I hesitated, glancing around the shop as if someone might overhear.
The sales associate was discreetly polishing a display case nearby, pretending not to listen.
“I’m going to do something big and special. Well, not big, but special. Romantic. Maybe the beach. Or the lab.”
“So, you don’t know,” she said.
“I want it to be surprise,” I said.
“And you think I’m going to tell her,” she said.
I flashed a grin and motioned for the saleswoman to come over and open the case.
Clair watched as I pulled out my wallet, her smirk softening into something more genuine.
“You’re really going all in, huh?” she said.
“Yep,” I replied without hesitation, handing over my card to the saleswoman.
Clair studied the case.
“You know, Jared, for someone who used to have the emotional intelligence of a rock, you’ve come a long way.”
I shot her a look.
“Thanks, I think.”
She laughed, elbowing me lightly.
“I mean it. You’ve changed. And it’s not just because of Amelia. You’ve actually let yourself feel things. That’s huge for you.”
I shrugged, not sure how to respond to that.
It wasn’t like I’d ever planned to stay closed off forever.
Life had just pushed me that way.
Gemma’s betrayal, the relentless pursuit of my career—it had all built up walls I hadn’t even realized were there until Amelia came crashing through them.
The saleswoman returned with the ring box, handing it to me with a professional smile.
“Congratulations, Dr. Welch. I hope she says yes.”
“She’d better,” I said dryly, earning a laugh from both her and Clair.
Clair linked her arm through mine.
“So, when’s the big moment?”
“Soon,” I said, slipping the ring into my pocket.
“And you better keep your mouth shut.”
“I’ll do my best, but my zipped lips aren’t forever,” she said.
“Don’t wait for months.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said.
This was it. The final piece of the puzzle.
All that was left was the proposal.
“Don’t overthink it,” Clair said.
“I won’t. Thanks, Claire. For everything.”
She smiled.
“Anytime. Now go get your girl.”
I climbed back into the car, the ring safely tucked in my pocket.
Roger glanced at me in the rearview mirror.
“Where to, Dr. Welch?”
“Home,” I said, my voice steady.
“Take me to the airport. I am so ready to get back to my…girlfriend.”
I couldn’t wait until I could call her my fiancé.
No, my wife. The thought terrified me in the best way.
I leaned back in the seat of the car, letting my eyes close as I played out what happened next.
The ring in my pocket felt like it had its own pulse, a steady reminder of what was coming.
I could feel the weight of it, not just physically, but emotionally.
This wasn’t just a ring—it was a promise, a commitment I’d never thought I’d make.
Not with anyone. Not after Gemma.
But Amelia…Amelia was different.
She always had been.
We were going to have a baby. A family. A future.