Chapter 40
CHAPTER
FORTY
LINDY
After a quick and fierce sex session in the shower, we got dressed and got into Wes’s truck.
“Where are we off to?”
“I have a few surprises lined up for you here in town to celebrate.” He pulled out of the driveway.
“Babe, this is the best surprise ever.” I took in the glittering ring on my hand. “I can’t stop staring at it.”
Grinning, he planted a kiss on the side of my face and swung out onto the road, taking my hand in his. We found parking on Clay Street, and hand in hand walked into Tania’s antique store and art gallery, the Rusted Heart.
“Hey, guys,” Jill greeted us. I held up my hand with my precious engagement ring on it and hugged her. “It’s so beautiful. I love it. And I love that you made it.”
“I’m so glad. It’s perfect on you, Lindy. It suits you. I was so excited when Wes called me and asked about a ring.”
Wes spoke with Tania and Willy, who was the eldest member of the One-Eyed Jacks. “Congratulations!” Tania hugged me.
“Congrats, honey,” said Willy.
“Thanks, Willy.”
Tania and Wes shared a look, and Tania turned to me. “I have a special piece here that Wes asked me about when he came by for your ring, and we thought you might like it for your home.” She and Willy moved to the side, and behind them stood an antique vanity table with a large curved three-part mirror attached.
I blinked. “It’s…it’s gorgeous.”
“I found it at an estate sale in Colorado,” said Tania. “It’s from the thirties, kind of Art Nouveau in the detailing, beautiful solid wood. It has these three roomy drawers on each side along with this wide and shallow drawer up top.” She opened the wide drawer, which had small compartments built into it. “This big mirror is what had caught my eye to begin with…I’ve never seen anything like this shape. It needs some work, and that’s where Willy comes in. He’s an amazing carpenter who works with me on renovating pieces and custom building all sorts of goodies.”
Willy rubbed his hand along the surface of the vanity. “Luckily, her structure is solid, but she’s going to need stripping down and sanding, varnish and paint, and then I’d replace the hardware because what’s on here isn’t true to the period, but that’ll be up to you.” His hand went to the back of the mirror. “Mirror’s in good condition, but I’d like to create a new support structure in the back for it ‘cause it’s worn out and wobbly.”
Tania pointed out a faded cushioned stool by the side of the vanity. “This is the original matching stool, but it needs reupholstering.”
Wes’s hand squeezed my hip. “What do you think, Lind?”
“It has such personality and character. And it has actual storage space, not a dainty table with one small useless drawer, so it’s functional. And I like that it has feminine lines without being fussy or busy. It’s sophisticated and elegant. I really like it.”
“I agree on all counts,” said Tania. “Have you ever had a vanity table before?”
“Never.”
Wes’s hand stroked my back. “I wanted you to have something special that you could use for work and play. And when I saw this I thought it would be a forever kind of piece that you’d enjoy using and would always remember today. But it’s up to you if you like it.”
“Baby….” I squeezed his hand, my face heating. This sort of thoughtful gift from Wes was beyond any kind of fairy tale romance happy ever after that I had ever imagined. “I love it.”
“Yay!” Jill clapped.
“It’s settled then,” said Tania. “And this is a gift from me and Butler for your engagement.”
Wes shifted his weight. “Tania, you guys don’t have to?—”
Tania raised a hand in the air. “I’m so pleased this piece is going to Lindy, and you saw it, Wes. You knew. Let us do this for you. Butler and I are so happy for you.”
“Now where to?” I asked Wes as we walked down Clay. The setting sun filtered through the orange red and yellow leaves on the trees lining the street. A chilly breeze raced around us, and I snuggled next to Wes. “I swear I can smell pumpkin spice in the air, can you?”
“It’s that time of year. Erica’s been making all kinds of goodies at the Grand to kick off the season.”
“I might need one of her gooey cinnamon buns and a caramel latte in a bit.”
We turned the corner and headed into Trash Ink. There they are!” Jet shouted out. “Congratulations!” Jams and Rachel clapped and whistled. Alicia and Ronny greeted us with hugs. Champagne bottles popped open, and the frothy booze was poured, its icy-cold sweetness rushed down my throat and into my veins like an injection of pure joy.
“Such a beautiful ring.” Alicia held my hand. “Stunning.”
“My fiancé has great taste.”
She cupped my chin. “He certainly does, sweetheart. Oh, Lindy…” Alicia’s eyes filled with water. “I’m so glad you have each other. I’m so happy for the two of you.”
My heart squeezed, and I hugged my mother-in-law-to-be. “I am too.”
“Cake anyone?” Lenore burst through the door, holding a big box from the Meager Grand.
“Lenore!” I ran toward her.
“Oh shit!” Jams let out a loud gasp as he plucked the cake box from Lenore before I could smash it with my hug.
“Ah, honey, I’m so happy for you. You deserve this.” Lenore squeezed me tight. “Both of you do.”
“Look at my ring. Jill made it.” I showed her my engagement ring.
“It’s gorgeous. Way to go, Wes!” she shouted out, and everyone cheered.
I hugged Lenore again. “I’m so glad you’re here,” I whispered in her ear, my voice breaking. Lenore was family. Mentor, Flames old lady, a mother, my friend.
Her embrace tightened. “I’m glad I’m here too. Wouldn’t have missed this for anything.”
“There you go.” Jams handed us two dishes with thick slices of cinnamon and toffee buttercream layer cake with pure white frosting showered with gold confetti-like candy on top.
“So pretty.”
“Isn’t it?” Lenore and I dug into our cake. “Mmm and so good…”
“We ready?” Ronny shouted out, rubbing his hands together.
“Let’s do it,” replied Wes.
“What are we doing?” I garbled through a mouthful of luscious cake.
Ronny gestured for me to come forward, and Lenore took my dish as Wes took my hand and led me to the front of the store. “I texted Ronny before to let him know you said yes, not only for this little party but because he’s got a special gift for us.”
“Holy shit, Wes. You plan, you go big. You are your mother’s son.”
Alicia laughed loudly along with everyone else. Wes grinned. “And proud of it, babe.”
On the counter, Ronny laid out a piece of drawing paper with two ring designs sketched out. One said “Wes Forever” and the other said “Lindy Forever.”
Wes cleared his throat. “I wanted to celebrate today with a tat from Ronny that marks us forever because for me this is the first day of our lives together. A tatted ring where our wedding rings will go soon.”
My heart throbbed in my chest. Lucky, blessed, grateful, that was me. “Let’s do it!”
The music flared loudly and everyone cheered. Wes, Ronny, and I went into a back work room and Ronny inked our rings on our fingers.
With every stroke of Ronny’s ink, the bond I had with my man embedded in my body, saturating me with our color, curling and connecting like each letter on my skin. As the ink appeared on my flesh, the love that I had for this extensive and extraordinary family of ours—a family Wes had given me—took root deep inside me.
So much deeper than I ever thought possible.