Chapter Twelve
“I still don’t see why you’re going to all this trouble,” Coop says as he fiddles with a display of gimmicky rings, some made of seashells and some shaped like turtles, among other things.
I figured going to an actual jeweler would end with us empty-handed, given neither Georgie nor I want to spend a lot of money on these rings, so I picked a tourist shop not far from one of the many Willow Cove beaches. They have some nice stuff, but there’s also a lot of cheesy options like the ones Coop is playing with.
I sigh and glance across the store to where Georgie and her friend are deep in conversation while they peruse a shelf full of little trinkets. I’m not sure what to make of Cecily, but Georgie seems a lot happier than she has the last couple of days. Not that I’ve seen her often enough to really make a judgment call on her happiness, but she’s not the sort of person who can hide what she’s feeling.
Her smile hasn’t been completely real since the morning Prince Harry escaped.
My heart throbs in my chest, the same thing it’s done every time I’ve seen my temporary wife. Turns out avoiding her has done nothing to curb my returning feelings for her, and I’m going to have to come up with another strategy for survival. I’m pretty sure being away from her has only made things worse.
“We have to make sure Vanderman thinks we’re in this for good,” I tell Coop. “Rings will make it all seem more authentic.” I blamed this excursion on Coop, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about getting Georgie a ring since Beck mentioned it last night at the pool hall.
Coop slips a turtle ring onto his little finger and holds it up to admire it. “Why didn’t you just give her the ring you bought ten years ago? I know you still have it.”
A jolt of terror spurs me forward, and I clap a hand over his mouth as if that might stop him from saying what he just said. Georgie and Cecily look over in curiosity, but I ignore them as Coop tries to struggle out of my hold. “How do you know that?” I hiss.
We scuffle until he gets himself free and scowls at me. “I don’t need to breathe. It’s fine.”
“Answer the question, Heyes.”
“Because I helped you move into your house, you moron.” He straightens his t-shirt and pushes his hair out of his face. “And I might have rifled through your underwear drawer a time or two.”
I groan. “Why do I put up with you?”
“Because you and I are the same, man. We’d be alone without each other.”
Rolling my eyes, I start searching through a nicer array of rings, hoping to find something that Georgie might like. It’s not like I know her well enough for that. She doesn’t seem all that different from the girl I knew, but I know I’ve changed a lot over the last ten years. I’m sure she has too. “Still not interested in dating?”
“Why would I willingly subject myself to torture? I’ve got plenty to keep me occupied.”
I know Coop’s dad has been sick, leaving more of the business to Coop, but I doubt there aren’t moments when he wishes for more than just work. Then again, perpetual singleness seems to be the theme of the guys of Willow Cove. “Do you ever get tired of flying tourists around?” I ask, running my finger along the many ring options.
Coop tugs on the ring he put on his pinky and shrugs. “Nah. Plus, I get to fly an irritating turtle nut around for a couple of weeks, which is going to be…” He shudders. “So much fun.” He tugs on the ring again, his eyebrows dropping lower.
Leave it to Coop to get a cheap ring stuck on his finger.
Sighing, I pick up a ring that has a bit of sea glass in the setting in place of a precious stone and look at it more closely. “How’s your dad?”
“Nope.”
I’m not surprised when he wanders off after that blunt response, which is partly why I asked. He hates talking about anything personal, and there’s nothing more personal than his dad. Plus, he seems determined to free himself from the too-small ring, so that will keep him occupied for a while and give me a chance to do what I came here to do.
With the sea glass ring in hand, I move to the other side of the store and approach Georgie slowly. It’s as much because I don’t want to interrupt her conversation as it is because I don’t like the way Cecily looks at me. I know nothing about her, but I get the feeling she sees more than the average person.
Sure enough, Cecily is the first to notice me, and the look in her eyes is sharp and calculating. “Find something?” she asks.
Georgie turns around, and her eyes drop to the ring pinched between my fingers. “Oh, that’s beautiful!” When her fingers brush against mine as she grabs the ring, I feel her touch deep in my chest.
“What is that, jade?” Cecily asks.
“Sea glass,” Georgie and I say at the same time.
I meet her gaze, hating how much her smile warms me. Maybe avoiding her was my best option after all because now that I’m standing next to her, I don’t want to leave.
Why is this so difficult?
Her tongue darts across her lips, the movement holding my attention completely, and then she turns to give her friend a closer look at the translucent green ring. “I used to love walking on the beach collecting bits of sea glass,” she says. There’s a fondness in her voice that sparks memories of doing that very thing with her.
I don’t especially have an interest in the smooth glass pebbles, but I always liked the way Georgie found them fascinating. I kept trying to find one that matched the color of her eyes, but I never did. I still find myself searching the sand sometimes without meaning to.
“Interesting,” Cecily says, glancing from the ring to Georgie to me.
Georgie scowls. “Don’t go analyzing us, Cece. I don’t need your marriage counselor ways making this whole thing more complicated than it already is.”
Ah, that’s why she’s so observant. Suddenly I feel like I need to keep on my guard when I’m around Cecily. “How long are you in town, Cecily?” I know the question is out of left field, but it’s an important bit of information I need for my sanity.
She gives me a sweet smile. “That depends.”
“On what?”
“Ow!” There’s a bang as Coop shouts, pulling all our attention to the other side of the shop where he seems to be attempting to use gravity to pull the ring free. I’m not sure how jumping is supposed to help him, and it looks like he’s already crashed into the hat display next to him.
“Is he okay?” Cecily asks.
I shrug. “He got stuck in a turtle ring.”
“Does he need help?” Georgie asks.
“Probably. Does it fit?” I nod toward the ring she’s holding.
Georgie slips the ring onto her left ring finger and holds it up so it catches the light. A knot forms in my stomach when I notice how similar the green color is to her eyes. Far closer than anything I found back then, though it’s not an exact match. I doubt there’s anything in the world that can match the vibrant color of her eyes. They’re as unique as she is.
Cecily clears her throat.
“Yes!” Georgie drops her hand, her cheeks blossoming with pink. “Yes, it fits.”
I smile. “Good.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Sighing with exasperation, Cecily pulls a bottle of lotion out of her purse and then stomps across the store to Coop, leaving me alone with Georgie.
I’m both annoyed and grateful.
“I found one for you too,” Georgie says and gives me a thumbs up. It takes me a second to realize it’s because she’s wearing the ring on her thumb. It’s a silver band with a wave etched into the metal. “It’s kind of cheesy, but I figured we could use all the cheese we can get to sell this thing.”
Before I can say anything, she grabs hold of my left hand and slides the ring on for me. Surprisingly, it fits decently well. I’ll have to be sure to leave it in the office before I take students out to the surf so it doesn’t slip off in the water. I have a sudden, heart-gripping fear that I’ll lose the stupid thing within hours of Georgie giving it to me.
“It’s dumb,” she says and goes to pull it off again.
I grab her hand to stop her. “I like it.” Just like how I like holding her hand. Her skin is soft beneath the pads of my fingers, though a bit dry because she has to wash them so often when baking. I should pick up some lotion for the bakery. I don’t know if she is the sort to need one of the super fancy kinds that can only be found in specialty stores in the city, but regardless, I should get her something. These hands can work miracles in a kitchen, and they deserve to be cared for as much as the rest of her does.
“King,” Georgie whispers, pulling my eyes from her hands to her face. Her gaze is hooded. Wary. But there’s plenty of desire in there for me to know it’s not just me who hasn’t liked the last couple of days of being apart.
“You’re going to leave,” I remind myself out loud.
“And you never will,” she says in turn.
Our hands slip apart as we simultaneously turn to see if Cecily has managed to free Coop from his predicament.
In the end, we leave the store with three rings. Mine, Georgie’s, and the one that is currently cutting off Coop’s circulation.