Chapter 22 #2
It was gold with a nest of diamonds and one large oval-cut emerald in the center. He pretended to admire it for a moment, then looked to Evie, who was clearly impressed. Her wide eyes glanced from the ring to his face.
“I grew up with so little love in my life. From the moment I first met you, I felt the stir of something completely foreign. The brief time we’ve shared has left me assured that I want only to spend the rest of my life with you. Evelyn Turner, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Evie looked at him with such tenderness that Max had to refrain from pulling her into his arms. She gave a slight nod of her head, and Max reached for her gloved hand. Before he could attempt to take off her glove, Evie removed it in flash.
Max slipped the ring onto her finger. The fit was perfect. “You’ve made me the happiest of all men.”
“And I’m the happiest woman alive. Max, I never planned to fall in love like this.
I figured to be caught up with nursing and laboring alongside my father.
I must admit, I much prefer the idea of marrying you.
” She gazed for a long moment at the ring, then turned back to him. “I love you with all my heart.”
“And I love you, Evie. Forgive me.” He pulled her into his arms. “I am going to kiss you.”
She smiled. “If you hadn’t, I would have kissed you.”
Evie sat in the garden, writing out the last of the invitations to the next fund raiser.
The day had been unseasonably pleasant. The leaves all around had changed colors and showered a carpet of red, gold, and orange on the ground.
She’d never been happier. Along with the invitations for the early December fund raiser, she knew she would soon need to get out invitations to her wedding.
She gazed at her engagement ring and couldn’t help smiling.
It was a magnificent ring, but she would have been just as happy with a simpler one.
Max was the prize as far as she was concerned.
Jewels and other baubles had never really meant that much to her.
When one was a nurse, such things couldn’t be worn anyway.
Now that she’d given up that line of work, she supposed she could wear the ring without fear of it being in the way.
They had made their announcement to the family two weeks earlier that they planned to marry around Christmas. Everyone was excited and welcomed Max into the family as though he’d always belonged.
Thankfully, they remembered to be gentle in their celebration.
Max had just gotten Father’s permission to remove his sling.
Although still a little tight, Max was able to move his arm without too much difficulty, and his burns were nearly completely healed over.
Only the very worst of them remained tender.
“I knew somehow I would find you out here,” Evan announced as he joined her under the large oak. “Mother said you were going over the list for the charity ball in December.”
“Actually, I’m preparing the final invitations.” Evie smiled up at him. “Do sit and tell me what’s going on with you. It seems we’ve hardly had time to speak.”
“Well, that’s because you’re constantly with Max instead of your twin brother.”
“And I might add you’ve been quite busy with Miss Christina.”
Evan took a seat and stretched his legs out in front of him. “That’s why I came to find you. I want to know what you think about Christina.”
Evie put aside her pen. “I’ve told you before that I feel quite good about the two of you being together.
I used to hope it would be Amelia, but then when Christina started spending more time in our circle of friends, I couldn’t help but see how perfect she was for you.
I think not only should you ask her to be your wife, but you should do it soon. ”
Evan laughed and slapped his thighs. “She is perfect for me. I plan to propose tonight after our family games. I will walk her out in the garden, get down on one knee, and ask her to share the rest of our lives together. In fact, here’s the ring I’m going to use.
It was our grandmother’s. Father gave it to me. ”
Evie took the ring. It was a lovely white gold ring with a large marquise-cut diamond in the center. On either side of the diamond were several smaller diamonds clustered together.
“Mother told me how Grandmother Turner had to sell this ring when hard times befell them. Thankfully, she sold it in secret to a family friend, and when they died, their will insisted the ring come back to her. She was so surprised and touched. Father said she cried for hours.” Evie handed it back.
“There’s so much history in that little ring. ”
“I thought so too. I intend to tell Christina all about it. I almost feel as though it will anchor her into the family.”
“Your love will do that. And of course we will love her too.” She met his eyes. “I’m so happy for you Evan.”
“And I’m happy for you, sis. I knew from the moment I met Max that he would play a special role in our family. Seems we’ve always had that connection with each other.”
Evie could hardly believe they were about to embark on an entirely new life that wouldn’t intimately include the other.
“I’ve loved being a twin,” she said, her emotions getting the best of her.
Tears dampened her eyes. “I’ve never once felt alone, even when living hundreds of miles away. You always seemed so close.”
He smiled and nodded. “We’ll never lose that. Mother says it’s a special bond twins always share.”