13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Jamie
“ T here’s so many choices, how do you decide?” Sage muses. Her hand slides over the glass surface, an assortment of rings in all shapes and sizes glittering beneath. We’re in a jewelry store not far from campus, hidden on a small street set off from the main shopping area.
I’m a simple guy. I like jeans and t-shirts and occasionally, I’ll throw on a smart polo. I like flannel and beanies and comfortable clothing, and the only jewelry I’ve ever bought were the necklace and bracelet I got for the twins for their birthday. I know nothing about rings and what I do know about precious metals is better suited for inlays, fixtures and accents in architectural designs than it is for picking out the perfect engagement ring.
“Hmmm.” My lips purse as my eyes browse the selection, coming to land on a row of plain silver bands. “I’m hoping I’ll just know it when I see it.” I remember my mum telling me that when she looked at me after I was born, she just knew I was a Jamie. I’m putting a lot of hope in having that same sort of ‘ah ha’ moment when I finally spot the right ring.
After our weekend in the cabin two months ago, I made the decision that I was going to marry Cooper sooner rather than later. Since the topic was brought up, it's been on my mind. What’s the point in waiting when you know you’re with the person you’re meant to spend the rest of your life with? And if he’s not ready, I’ll wait for him. I will always wait.
“How about this one?” Sage points to a shiny black ring with a red gem in the middle. It’s not nearly delicate enough for my boyfriend; I shake my head and we continue looking.
“Mind if I offer some suggestions?” The lady behind the counter asks. She must be in her early sixties, with short silver hair and a friendly smile. She’s wearing a navy blue suit with the jewelry store's logo on it.
“Please,” I say, my hand doing a sweeping motion above the cabinet. “I’m looking for something for my boyfriend.” She introduces herself as Anne and then asks me a bit about Cooper and then about my budget.
She nods while I speak, her attention focused on my words.
“He sounds like a lot of fun, and it’s clear that you love him. Have you considered something with a gemstone of some sort? Maybe something to match his eyes? Or perhaps there is a stone that holds meaning to you both.” Anne gestures to another cabinet to my right. Moving over to it, Sage and I watch as she pulls out a red velvet lined tray. Then she carefully moves around collecting up a selection of rings which she places on the velvet.
“These are all platinum, it's a really durable material and as you can see, it’s elegant too.” She smiles and I lean in, getting a closer look. “This one has a sapphire in the middle, and this one,” she picks up another, “has a topaz.” The blues are very pretty, the sapphire does match his eyes but neither are quite what I’m after.
Sage is quiet next me as Anne puts the rings back and busies herself taking out a few more when my eyes snag on one she hasn’t shown us. “That’s it, that’s the one!” I exclaim, my very own ‘ah ha’ moment hitting me hard. I grab Sage’s wrist and point at the solitary ring at the far end of the glass cabinet. Anne smiles, then pulls it out and places it on the tray.
“This one is stunning. It’s a little out of your budget which is why I hadn’t shown you earlier.”
It’s a solid platinum band about two millimeters deep with a diagonal line of diamonds. Four sparkling diamonds that remind me of that night we lay outside and watched the stars.
“Diamonds are a wonderful choice, they symbolise love and commitment.” Anne says, and I test the ring out on my finger, picturing it on Cooper. Seeing his grin as I get down on one knee and then slip it on him.
“Forever,” I say under my breath, because that’s what I’ve heard people say diamonds mean.
It’s absolutely perfect.
“I’ll take it.” I pull out my bank card, knowing full well that once I pay for this, I will have no savings left. But he’s worth it, so fucking worth it.
“Can I get this engraved please?” Anne nods and we go through the details of what I want. She tells me it will take around a week to ten days, and that she will send me a message when it’s ready.
“You’re really doing this?” Sage asks as Anne rings up the till and takes my card.
“I have absolutely no doubt that he is it for me, Sage.” We thank Anne then head out the store, ready to grab a bite to eat before I have to head back for family game night. A new idea Mum came up with and one I know Cooper is really excited about.
“You have always been an old romantic.” She bumps me with her shoulder then throws her arm around my waist and pulls me into her. Outside, the sun is shining, the air thick and heavy with the promise of rain. By the time we reach the pub for lunch, a fine layer of sweat has formed on the back of my neck and I’m regretting the long sleeve Henley I threw on this morning.
A poster for open mic night at the pub next week catches my attention. “Why don’t you sign up and bring the twins?” Sage asks.
I haven’t been brave enough to let them see me sing yet. I know I don’t suck - at least that’s what my friends have said - but I still feel a bit embarrassed by the idea of it. It’s just a silly hobby afterall.
“Think about it,” Sage says when she notices my hesitation. “You could sing something ultra romantic. God, I can picture the cartoon hearts around his head already.”
A plan starts forming in my mind. One that starts with a song and ends with a ring on Cooper’s finger.
“Yeah, okay. I’m going to do it.”
I speak to the barman who says that it’s best to sign up to guarantee a spot, so I do that then order our food and drinks.
We take a seat at a small table next to the window. “So, when are you going to ask him?” Sage asks as she sips on her ice cold drink.
“If the ring is back in time, then next week. It doesn’t mean we have to get married right away, I just want him to know I’m serious about us.” Condensation builds up on the side of my glass and I draw patterns in it, watching as drips fall to the table.
Sage chuckles when she replies. “I’m sure he’s well aware.”
There’s no doubt in my mind, but the way I see it, showing and telling someone you love them should be something you do every day of your life. One day, you may wake up and not have that option any longer so why waste the precious minutes when they’re right there in front of you? I press my mouth shut, not saying those awfully soppy words to Sage. She’ll only mock my hyperbole.
By the time we’ve eaten, I’ve found out a lot more about Sage’s ‘friend’ who we are still not calling a boyfriend and we’ve discussed our plans for the summer. As far as Cooper knows, his twin is still planning to go to Spain so we’ve made tentative plans to drive to France. Where exactly, we haven’t decided.
“You sure you can’t make it tonight?”
Sage shakes her head as she stands up.
“Afraid not, I have a study group that I can’t afford to miss. I’m majorly struggling with this module but hopefully it’ll click soon enough.” Sage and I had celebrated hard the day we both got our acceptance letters to the study at the engineering facility at Grove Park University. She’s studying to be a quantity surveyor and as we are both in our third year, she’ll be graduating come September. I still have at least another two to four years depending on the route I take, plus countless hours of continued development before I’m done. I’m both excited for her to start the next part of her life, but sad too that I won’t see her around campus.
Sage hugs me goodbye and we head our separate ways. I swing by the cake shop where I got the twins’ birthday cake last winter and pick up some cupcakes that I know my mum will love. They’re vanilla and lemon - her favourite - and each one has a fondant sunflower on it.
Though I am over an hour early, I walk into the house and hear laughter coming from the dining room. Following the sound, I find Cooper and Caiden sitting at the table, a game of Uno laid out in front of them, and a pizza box open to one side. Caiden is laughing, a deep, hearty laugh that I have only heard once before. It makes my stomach do something unfamiliar and I rub at it before realising what I’m doing and drop my hand to my side. What’s more though, is that he looks good. His skin is always a darker shade than his brother’s thanks to working outdoors year round but his cheeks look fuller, pinker and his eyes sparkle as they land on me.
I put the cupcakes down just as Cooper turns and looks over his shoulder, following his brother's gaze. He jumps out of his seat and springs into my arms. I catch him, my hands coming to rest under his ass. Caiden’s eyes don’t leave me as Cooper kisses my neck, murmuring how much he missed me into my ear.
“Who’s winning?” I ask, shuffling Cooper onto his feet and following him back to the table.
“Caiden,” he pouts and I kiss it away, feeling his lips tip into a smile. “He had multiple plus fours, and three reverse cards. I think he rigged the game, but I would never call my brother a cheater.” He winks at Caiden who smirks back at him.
“Told you, Coop, I got a lucky hand.” Caiden’s voice is softer than usual, rich and warm and so very much not like him. There is some serious parallel universe shit going on here but I like it. This Caiden is…friendly. He actually keeps smiling and the look is so unfamiliar on him but so beautiful too. Cooper told me after our disastrous non-dinner with his mother that Caiden had finally spoken to a doctor and was seeing a therapist. With school and work, I haven’t made many Sunday lunches lately and he’s also missed a few, so it’s been a while since I’ve seen him.
“How are things, Caiden?” Absent-mindedly, I pick up the middle stack of cards and shuffle them while waiting for him to reply.
He eyes me for a minute, his head tipping ever so slightly to the side. It’s like he’s trying to read my mind, looking for my motives for asking him because as yet, we don't have this sort of relationship. Not the kind you would expect brothers, even stepbrothers to have.
“Good, things are good.” His answer is clipped but he smiles. Next to me, Cooper shuffles closer and rests his head on my shoulder while gently prying the cards from my hands. He gathers up the rest of the cards on the table and deals three piles.
“Have you heard from Mum lately?” Cooper asks.
Caiden’s shoulders straighten and the muscles in his neck tense but he shakes his head and settles his hands palm down on the table.
“She called me a few days after the dinner and apologised. Said she got caught up with work. Not that I know what exactly she’s doing these days. And she’s called a few times since.” Caiden picks up the stack of cards that Cooper placed down in front of him. He fans them out and frowns, his eyes narrowing at his twin.
“Now who’s rigging the game? This is a shit hand.”
Cooper laughs but holds up his hands. “You were both watching me deal, I did not cheat. You just got unlucky.” I pick up my cards and it’s a reasonably good hand as far as a hand of Uno goes.
“Are you still going to Spain with her?” Cooper asks, and is met with a half-hearted shrug.
“I’m trying really hard not to get my hopes up where Mum is concerned. My therapist and I have talked about how much pressure I put on myself when I believe she’s changed. I also know that -” he swallows thickly before speaking again. “I know that every time she lets me down, I let you down and that’s not fair. It’s not really fair to either of us.”
Cooper reaches a hand across the table and rests it on his brother's forearm. “You’ve never let me down, I just worry about you and want you to be happy and safe, is all.” Caiden rests a hand over his brother’s and offers Cooper a small, shy smile.
“I know, and I appreciate every time you’ve picked up my pieces and put me back together. But I want to stop relying on you to do that. I am feeling better these days. Therapy and medication are helping, though it's not some overnight cure, they’re definitely helping.”
Cooper starts the game by turning over the card on the top deck, a red seven. He places down a red three and the game moves to me.
“So Spain?” he asks again, placing down a card, after Caiden's turn has passed. He hits me with a plus two and I playfully lean over and bite his neck, loving the way his skin pebbles while he tries to hide his cards from my view. “Stop trying to peek at my cards,” he says, swatting me away.
“Spain is still happening. I have my flight booked. Mum says she is waiting for a bonus from work before she books hers. But she’s been emailing me itineraries and places she wants to see and I feel like she’s really getting involved.”
Cooper and I share a look as Caiden studies his cards, selecting a yellow two to put down. Disbelief flashes in my boyfriend's eyes before he plasters a smile on his face, just as Caiden looks up at him.
“I’m happy for you, I really am. Just, if for whatever reason it doesn’t, don’t let it set you back okay?”
Caiden rubs at the back of his neck but nods in response.
“Did you bring cupcakes?” Cooper asks, changing the subject after the mood in the room dimmed.
“Yep, sugar for my sugar.” Pulling the box which I’d left at the far end of the table towards us, I open it, take one out and press it to his lips. Cooper takes a huge bite and moans in much the same way he does when he orgasms. It’s highly indecent and I can’t help the chuckle that bubbles out of me.
“You two are quite disgusting, you know that right?” Caiden grumbles and I’m hit with the thought that it’s the first time he’s said anything remotely nice about our relationship. If you can call the playful disgust he’s aiming our way ‘nice’.
By the time Mum and Duncan get home from wherever it was they were, we’ve played enough games to have started a war between the twins. I had no idea either of them were so competitive but I am now certain that games night is a very bad idea.