Inseparable

eing a little girl."

“All right,” I said, grinning. “I’m sold.”

“Would you like to see the necklace first?”

“Nope, not really. I won’t be able to tell anything about it. Why don’t you just go ahead and wrap it up?”

“Of course! And while I tend to that, is there anything else I can do for you? Anything else you’re interested in looking at?”

“There is, actually. Do you think you could show me some engagement rings?”

"Oh, my!" She giggled, whether at the request itself or at the shock on my face after making the request, I couldn't be sure. "This is an exciting shopping trip for you, isn't it?"

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

“What kind of rings would you like to see?” she asked.

“Something simple, classic. I think that’s the kind of ring she would like.”

“Of course! That’s my favorite kind of woman. Give me just one moment. I’ll be right back with a selection for you to choose from.”

I nodded at her in response, seeing as I had spontaneously lost the ability to speak. As far as I knew, I had only come into this store to get something for Emma and leave. If that was the case, though, what in the hell was I doing looking at engagement rings? Was I planning on buying one? Was that the real reason behind me choosing a jewelry store to look for Emma's gift in the first place? There were about a million fucking questions clamoring inside of my head all at once. Out of nowhere, I started to feel more than a little bit queasy. The saleswoman must have noticed it, too, because when she returned, she took one look at me and went into repair mode.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure, I guess.”

“Is the ring a surprise?” she asked.

“I should think so. I don’t think she has a clue.”

"No," she said, smiling gently and making me regret my initial judgment of her. "I'm not asking if it will be a surprise to her. I'm asking if it's a surprise to you."

“Is it that obvious?”

“A little. Plus, I’ve been doing this job for a long time. It’s normal, you know. A lot of guys get freaked out when they get ready to take this step. It’s not a bad thing, either. It shows you’re really thinking.”

“Can I ask you a question now?”

“Sure, you can. I can’t promise I’ll have an answer, but I’ll do anything I can to help.”

“My girlfriend and I. We’ve only been together for a couple of months. Is that too early? Am I crazy to even be looking at these?”

“Ha! Well, my official line is that it’s never too early.”

“And your unofficial line?” I asked.

“I’m not sure that there’s any kind of magic timing to make something like a marriage work. Love is love. I’m not sure there is any such thing as too early. It’s all about what your heart tells you.”

“My heart tells me that it’s been so long since I’ve been in love that I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with it anymore. What I do know is that I think about my girlfriend all the time. I know I want her to be happy.”

“Want my advice?”

“So badly,” I said, laughing sheepishly, more out of my depth than I could ever remember being before.

“Think it over for a week or two. This trip showed you that it’s something you’re ready to consider. Now take the time to do that. Think about it for a week or two, and if you decide it’s what you want, I’ll be more than happy to help you pick out a ring.”

Chapter 20: Jess