Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
JAY
Jay slipped the ring onto his pinky and held up his hand.
The center stone, surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds, caught the lights overhead and scattered brilliance in every direction.
The stone looked large, but not obscenely so.
It looked classic. Elegant. It embodied Claire in platinum and diamond form.
He hadn’t measured her finger, so he couldn’t confirm the size, but a jeweler could fix that later.
He snapped several pictures with his cell phone and texted them to Rob.
When Rob didn’t respond immediately, Jay called him.
"Did you get them?" Jay asked impatiently.
"Give it a minute. My phone’s about five years out of date, and it takes time for this many pictures to download," Rob said.
The two men remained silent for another minute. Jay leaned against the glass counter and smiled at the salesman behind it.
"Good God, Jay!" Rob said. He followed this comment with a whistle, a signal that he was more than impressed.
"Is that a bad Good God or a good Good God?" Jay asked.
"That’s one hell of a ring. It looks damn-near like the Hope Diamond. Well, what I mean is… the famous one Harry Winston… not the one you gave to—"
"Rob. Stop,” Jay said. “It's okay. I know what you mean."
"Wow. I gotta be honest. I wasn’t expecting this.” Rob said. “Are you just looking, or ready to make a purchase or what?”
"Not sure yet,” Jay studied its shimmer. “but this ring is pretty perfect."
"Wait? Would you propose to Claire tonight?” Rob asked, a hint of doubt in his tone.
"I don't know, Rob. I don’t have a definite plan. I just popped in to check out some rings and this one caught my eye. It has Claire’s name written all over it."
"You'll know when the time is right. Might be tonight. Might be tomorrow. Might be months from now."
Jay thought back to his conversation with Calvin and his reminder of the frailty of time.
Sure he and Claire hadn’t known each other long, but their connection couldn’t be denied.
His parents had met and fallen in love fast. His father had popped the question after only two weeks.
Maybe his urgency to take the next step had a genetic, inherited tie.
God, Jay…stop thinking like a science nerd and go with your gut.
With his phone balanced against his ear, Jay tucked the ring safely back inside its box. He gave the salesman a firm nod and a thumbs up. The salesman nodded and turned to ring up the sale. Jay took a few steps away from the counter to continue the call out of earshot.
"I can't stop thinking about the meeting with Calvin. He's lost time that he'll never get back. He pushed the one woman he’s ever loved away, and he’s been working like hell on himself, hoping to bring her back into his life. I’m gonna work just as hard to make sure Claire’s in mine.
I love her, Rob. If I've learned anything in all this, it's the frailty of time. "
"Then get your ass in a cab and get to your woman," Rob encouraged.
“So, no cautionary sermon? No 'don't you think you should slow down?’"
"I've told you a million times. The only timetable you can operate on is your own. And I wouldn't lecture you about it anyway."
"Why not?" Jay asked.
"Because this time,” Rob said confidently. “I think you got it right."