Page 66 of Eighteen Bowties and Counting

He turned in the direction of the familiar voice, and he found Mason entering the jewelry shop. “Hey, Mace.” He moved over to his college best friend and man-clap-hugged him. “You made it.”

He scanned the jewelry cases in front of him, his eyes landing on Ben for a moment, and then the saleswoman for another. He then switched his eagle-eyed gaze to Beau. “You’re buying a ring for my sister.”

“Yes, sir.” Beau grinned and rocked back on his heels. “We’ve looked at a lot, and I’ve narrowed it down to three. I’d love your help in choosing one.”

“You’ve picked three?” Mason asked, seemingly determined to be grumpy. “Where are they?”

“I’m getting them now.” Beau went back down the counter with the saleswoman, and he pointed out the three rings he liked best. The three he hoped Charlotte would like the best. She set each of them on a black velvet tray and set them in front of Beau, Ben, and Mason.

Mason whistled and said, “Whoo-ee, Beau. You can afford these?”

“Yes,” Beau said without further explanation. “Mason, I’m in love with your sister, and she loves me.”

Mason looked at him fully then, maybe for the first time since he’d moved to Three Rivers, despite the dinner he and Charlotte had gone to a couple of weeks ago. He searched Beau’s face, and he apparently found what he was looking for.

Everything about him softened, and oh, Beau had seen that exact same thing happen to Charlotte. They really were cut from the same DNA.

“I see that.” Mason slung his arm around Beau’s shoulders. “All right then, brother. I’d go with this one.” He pointed out the middle ring, the one with the smallest diamond and the most white gold. “My sister doesn’t like gold, and she’s not flashy. She just wants to be seen and appreciated, and this will convey that just fine.”

“I like that one too,” Ben said.

Beau didn’t want to hem and haw. He wanted this job done, so he could move on to the next thing: Asking Charlotte to be his wife.

“That’s the one then,” he said to the saleswoman. “Oh, and I did get her ring size.” He tapped to open his phone, where he’d noted it after Felicity had gotten it for him. “It’s a seven.”

While she went through the paperwork and started checking him out, Beau looked at the two men with him. “Thank you both,” he said.

“Of course,” Ben said while Mason barked out a “Yep.” He gave Beau a squinted look and then started to smile, then laugh. “I can’t believe I came to town to do this.”

Beau grinned back at him. “And you’re not done yet. Now, I’m going to need some help with this proposal….”

Beau pulled up to Mason’s mansion on his million-dollar ranch, a familiar pinch of jealousy making his lungs tight. When he didn’t get out and grab the bags of salad they’d brought to contribute to the meal, Charlotte hesitated too.

“Do you really want to be with me?” Beau asked as she looked at him.

“What kind of question is that?”

“It’s a real one,” he said, watching the house. “Look at this place. I’m not this, Charlotte. I have a cabin that isn’t mine, on a ranch that isn’t mine.”

“I want everything you have,” she said firmly. “Beau.”

The use of his name got him to turn and look at her. She gave him a pretty smile with those pink, pink lips. “I don’t want a big ranch that I have to run. Can you imagine me hosting lunches and holiday parties and being friends with all the cowboys?”

Beau smiled at her, but he felt tired. “No, ma’am.”

“No, ma’am is right.” She reached into the back seat and picked up their grocery bag of salads. “Now, let’s go. The wind is howling, and I just want to be inside for the next few hours.”

He followed her inside, and they entered the homestead together, Charlotte calling, “We’re here.”

Beau’s heart started to freak out, and if he had her health condition, he felt certain he’d be slumping to the floor right this moment. He swallowed when he saw Charlotte’s only nephew.

“Beau,” the boy said. “Come see the new kittens.”

“Oh, boy,” he said. “They were born?”

“Last night,” Felicity said as she entered the living room with a smile. “Hey, you two.” She beamed at them with only sunshine in her soul, and she hugged him and Charlotte at the same time.

“Where did Tabby have them?” Charlotte asked.

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