Chapter 30
“This doesn’t count as our first official date, okay?” Jessica said as she and Teddy stood in front of a vintage jewellery store she’d found online. She’d arranged for them to come and look at rings before they’d kissed in the treehouse.
“In fact, I don’t know what I was thinking. We don’t need fancy rings. I can get something from Lovisa?”
Teddy tilted his head and raised his eyebrows at her. “I’m not buying you a ring from a bargain fake jewellery store.”
“I like them! And this is, like, the opposite of taking things slow.” There. He wouldn’t be able to argue with logic.
Another thing that was true? They were getting married this weekend.
And spending their ‘honeymoon’ with Teddy’s whole family.
Jessica sighed because the complex emotions swirling inside her body had to come out somehow.
“Come on.” Teddy nudged her forward. “Soon I’ll think you don’t want to marry me or something. It’ll be terrible for my ego.”
But Jessica didn’t move. “I don’t want it to be weird. We just started dating.”
Things had been so good lately. Teddy had joined her and Sam for dinner most nights—almost always eaten picnic style in the new treehouse—and it had started to feel like she had a real partner again.
Someone who was invested in her happiness and Sam’s.
And not just because Teddy spent hours playing with her son.
He’d even stopped bringing a new dinosaur or car each time after she’d explained that he didn’t need to impress Sam with toys.
She’d tried to make the same point about the bouquets that kept appearing around her home—today’s had been a gorgeous bunch of peach tulips—but Teddy had shaken his head and said those were a non-negotiable.
“It’s not weird. Let’s be honest,” Teddy said. “These rings aren’t really wedding rings—”
“Then why can’t we go to Lovi—”
“Because you deserve something nice. I want you to have a ring that you can wear for as long as you like and remember how we went on this crazy adventure together.”
Damn, he knew all the right things to say.
“I would also like for it not to turn your finger green or lose all its shine. So …” Teddy pulled open the door and gestured for Jessica to go inside.
He shifted next to her, pressing closer as he bent over to get a better look at the display case in front of them. There were rings in a variety of metals, some with diamonds, others with Celtic designs, and even some with a swirling metal pattern that looked like woodgrain.
“Can I help you?” asked an older man with a tweed waistcoat and glasses with clear frames. His name tag read ‘Miguel’.
She’d specifically come to this antiques store to try and find something unique because Teddy always stood out in a crowd.
“We’re looking for wedding bands. I’m Jessica and this is Teddy”—she swallowed, realising this was the first time she’d described Teddy this way—“my fiancé.”
Teddy straightened, and Jessica kept her gaze forward, hoping he wouldn’t notice the blush that stained her cheeks.
“Congratulations.” Miguel smiled warmly at them.
“Thank you,” Teddy murmured, slipping his hand into hers and squeezing.
“Do you have a style in mind?” Miguel asked.
Jessica glanced at Teddy. His hair was up in its usual bun, and his beard neat and trimmed. His lashes lowered as he scrutinised the rings in front of them. He was so handsome, and he was her boyfriend. For real, unlike their engagement. This was going to take some getting used to.
“I don’t know,” she said.
Miguel’s smile didn’t waver. “No problem. I usually recommend trying on a variety to see what feels right.”
Miguel gestured towards two leather stools a little bit further down the counter. “Why don’t you two get comfortable, and I’ll bring a selection over. We can start there.”
Jessica slid onto the stool and placed her canvas tote on her lap, folding her hands primly over the top of it. When Teddy’s knee hit the bottom of the glass counter, and he said a quiet “oops”, some of her nerves melted away.
Teddy was right. Neither of them were operating under the assumption that this engagement was real. The rings were just rings. End of story. And she really liked the idea of giving Teddy something nice.
Teddy wriggled around on the small stool, trying to stop his long legs from hitting the display case.
“You’re just too big for the world sometimes, aren’t you?” she asked.
Teddy tossed her his signature smirk. The one that made her insides go all fluttery and her body feel like she’d finished a hot yoga class.
“I’m never too big, Starshine.”
She snorted.
“Good,” he murmured.
“What?”
“That’s better. You’ve had a bit of a deer-in-a-headlights thing happening ever since we arrived.”
Miguel returned, setting a small red velvet tray in front of them. “Before we start, do you know your size?”
Teddy’s smirk widened, and Jessica elbowed him in the side. “Your ring size, Teddy.”
“I don’t,” he replied, his face straight, eyes bright with mischief. Miguel turned around to retrieve the metal ring sizer, and Teddy winked at Jessica, who shook her head, laughing softly.
He kept doing this. Recognising when she was overwhelmed and knowing how to get her out of her head, demonstrating how he’d noticed all the things that so many people had never even tried to see. Jessica leant into his side, and one of Teddy’s hands slipped onto her thigh.
Once they’d figured out that Teddy had (no surprises here) big fingers to go with his big hands and big feet and big—nope, she wasn’t going to think about that—it was time to start trying on rings.
“Which one grabs your attention the most?” Miguel asked them both before adding, “Don’t tell me yet. It’s always interesting to see which couples agree straight away.”
Must be awkward when couples didn’t agree.
After initially being thrown by all the variety, Jessica was surprised to quickly find her choice for Teddy.
The ring was an in-between width. Not as chunky or large as some of the bigger ones, but not small either.
Teddy was too big—in size and personality—for a small ring.
It was yellow gold with a hammered effect.
It was classic with a twist, a hint of quirkiness.
Exactly how she’d describe Teddy. He was stereotypically handsome, and his long hair and beard added to his allure.
“I know which one I like,” Teddy said.
“So do I,” she added.
“Excellent. Do you want to point at the same time?”
Teddy looked at Jessica, who nodded, and he answered for them. “Yes.”
Miguel nodded. “Ready? Three, two, one …”
They pointed at the same ring.
“I love it when this happens,” Miguel continued. He picked up the ring, murmured, “It should fit,” and offered it to Jessica. “Might as well practice.”
“Oh,” she squeaked. “Sure. Okay. Yes.”
Teddy offered her his hand, splaying his fingers out. His skin was soft, and she longed to feel it against her body. Jessica swallowed and slid the ring on, her breath hitching when it fit perfectly.
“What do you think?” she asked Teddy, drinking in his shy smile as he looked at where their hands were touching.
Teddy rolled his lips before he said softly, “I like it.”
“You can picture wearing this every day for the rest of your life?” Miguel asked.
Teddy lifted his gaze to Jessica’s, and thank goodness she was sitting down, or the emotion in his eyes would’ve knocked her over.
“I can.”
Impulsively, she ran her finger over the ring, felt the little bumps from where it had been hammered. It looked like it had a history. Like it had faced trials and still bore the marks of its past, but it was still beautiful.
“Are there any others you wanted to try?” Miguel asked.
“I don’t think so.”
“One and done, huh? I like a decisive customer.”
Teddy shrugged. “I know what I like.”
“I think we have—” Miguel stretched to the side, unlocked the next section of the counter and pulled out a different ring. “Ah, yes, here it is. It’s almost a direct match.” He held up a smaller ring that wasn’t as wide as Teddy’s, but it wasn’t hard to believe that they were meant to be a set.
“What do you think?” Miguel asked, and Jessica nodded. Nothing about her life had ever been bright or shiny or brand new. She liked that this ring would reflect that.
“I love it.” It was the kind of ring she’d be happy to wear every day without the wedding connotations.
Miguel handed it to Teddy, and Jessica held out a shaking hand.
Stop being ridiculous, she told herself. They’re just rings.
Carefully and slowly, Teddy slid the ring onto Jessica’s finger.
“Another perfect fit!” Miguel smiled. “This hardly ever happens. I’d say that’s a very, very good omen!”
“We’ll take them.” Teddy pulled out his wallet.
Jessica settled her hand on his forearm. “I’d like to pay for them.”
“That’s not happening.”
She’d expected him to say that. Her cheeks heated as Miguel watched their conversation with interest.
Teddy tucked a loose curl behind her ear. “What if we buy these for each other?”
Miguel placed the EFTPOS machine on the counter. “Can never go wrong with compromise in a marriage. You two will be fine. I can already tell.”
The little voice in the back of Jessica’s mind agreed with him, which was terrifying.
She should’ve known better.
Been expecting this.
“I don’t understand.” Jessica did her best to keep her voice even. “You said I’d be able to access a quarter of the trust as soon as I was married.”
Phillip Mathers’s voice came through the line clearly, like the universe really wanted to make sure Jessica knew it was about to screw her over. “Unfortunately, sometimes there are delays.”
“But it’s meant to be straightforward. You don’t understand, I—” She pinched the bridge of her nose, tried to stave off the tears that were already gathering. She was so close to having everything she’d ever wanted. “I need that money.”
Without it, she could lose Joan’s house. And without the house, she could lose Sam.
Jessica wiped her eyes and tried to breathe silently. Her chest ached from the effort.
And, yes, okay, she could buy something else in time.
But Joan’s house was her and Sam’s home.
Jessica blinked rapidly and tried to breathe silently. If she pretended to be calm, maybe she could be calm. But it was no use. Her thoughts were spinning out of control.
“When are you getting married?” Phillip asked.
“In four days.”
“Starshine?” Teddy called from the front door, and she wiped her eyes, shook out her curls.
“What’s causing the delay?” Jessica asked Phillip as she hurried down the hallway. She got halfway before she realised what had happened. Her mother. Cara had been silent for longer than normal. Was this why? Was she plotting and scheming? “Did someone contest the will?”
“No, nothing like that. It’s just an administrative delay.”
Teddy’s eyes darkened as soon as she opened the door.
What’s wrong? he mouthed.
She could only shake her head and point at her phone before holding up a finger and hoping he understood her ‘one second’ gesture.
Teddy slipped his arms around Jessica’s waist, and she sagged against him, pressing her cheek into his chest.
“Okay. Well, call me when you have an update on the timeline, please? I’ll send through all the paperwork once I have it.”
Once the phone call was finished, she stowed her phone in her back pocket. “There’s a problem with the trust. I probably won’t be able to get the money fast enough to buy this place.”
She congratulated herself for not falling apart, steadying her breath and hiding the tears that had escaped on Teddy’s jumper.
“Come with me.” Teddy shuffle walked sideways down the hall, keeping her safe and secure in his arms. He didn’t let her go until they were in front of the couch, and even then, it was only for a second. As soon as he was seated, he guided Jessica into his lap.
“Let’s talk to Joan. Explain that there’s been a delay and you need more time.
If I lend you”—Jessica’s insides seized up—“what I have, then she’ll know you’re serious.
That lets you keep your savings in case you need them to fight Rob for custody.
As soon as your money comes through, you pay me back, give Joan what you need to. ”
“Teddy.”
This was too much. Too generous. Too much pressure. This thing between them was already so complicated, so precious. She wiped her eyes and tried to find a better solution, but there wasn’t one.
“I trust you and you trust me, yeah?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Then please let me do this for you.”
Jessica bit her lip, relaxing when Teddy kissed her softly. “Are you sure? Really sure?”
Teddy tilted her chin up and slid his hands into the curls at the nape of her neck. He licked his lips, and his expression turned serious. “Yes, I want to help, and this is something I can do. It means a lot to me that you’d trust me like this.”
It meant more than a lot to Jessica. It meant everything. It meant Teddy saw this thing lasting long-term. It meant he trusted her. And—she swallowed—realising it also meant that she trusted in them.
“Hopefully, I can convince Rob to stay in Somers Gully, and then I could pay you back straight away.”
“See?” Teddy smiled. “It’s all going to be okay.”
“Okay. We can talk to Joan. Thank you, Teddy.”
“What can I say? I really like you.”
His words made it impossible to not blush, to not smile, to not respond. “I really like you, too, Teddy,” Jessica whispered.
“And tomorrow we’re going to secure this house for you. I promise.”
She should tell him not to make promises he shouldn’t or might not be able to keep, but Jessica couldn’t help it.
She believed in Teddy James.
Just like she believed in them.