Page 73 of A Dream for Daphne

“Because I spent years with someone else who wanted a ring from me that I never wanted to give. Then Laurel had her fastengagement that she broke off before the wedding. Maybe she wasn’t ready to do it again. Or that I wasn’t what she wanted.”

“Dude,” Abe said. “We’ve both spent a lot of time wondering if who we were with really wanted us. I’m not doing that anymore. Maybe I’ve seen what you’ve got with Laurel and it gives me hope I can find it too.”

“You can,” Easton said. “I think you might have. I noticed your truck wasn’t home Friday either when we got back.”

“I think I found it too,” he said. “But she’s not ready to hear it. She’s got a lot of insecurities of her own that I’m helping her with.”

“Like what?” Easton asked.

“Not bad. She doesn’t think she’s worthy of anyone either. Just in a different way. I know who I am and how I can be with someone. My biggest obstacle in life was my career. I think there is more with Daphne, but she’s not always one to volunteer it.”

“Do you think something bad happened to her?” Easton asked, frowning.

“No,” he said. “At least I hope not. I know that she didn’t have the best relationship with her parents. She’s close with Aster, but he’d been in the service for years and then moved here. She wants to stand on her own two feet.”

“Sounds like she’s doing it to me,” Easton said.

“She is. She just has to believe it,” he said. “And we are getting off-topic. “Where is your future wife? I want to congratulate her.”

“She ran to the store quickly. She’ll be back soon.”

“I can’t wait to see her,” he said. “Are you staying or heading back today?”

“Staying,” he said. “I’ll go back next weekend. Why?”

“I want to take you both to dinner to celebrate.”

“I might let you,” Easton said.

“I am thrilled for you,” he said. “My mother is going to be over the moon.”

“Does Aunt Carrie know about Daphne?” Easton asked.

“She does. And you know she wants to meet Laurel, so this will push her visit up some.”

“I’d love to see her,” Easton said. “I know you had your fill of her for a few months earlier this year.”

A horrified look came over his face. “Never say that to my mother. Oh my God. I’ll be disowned.”

Easton laughed and slapped him on the back. “Do you think I’ve got a death wish?”

His cousin left after that and Abe resumed looking for the part he needed without much luck.

Laurel pulled into the driveway and he walked over to hug her.

“Let me see that ring,” he said.

“Don’t you sound just like a woman asking to see that first?”

He squinted one eye at her. “I figured you’d want to show it off. If I know my cousin, he went all out.” Abe looked down at the sparkling diamond solitaire ring. It was massive. Not to mention two more pink stones on the sides. “Are those pink diamonds?”

“They are,” Laurel said. “Your cousin knows me and my girlie side well.”

“He does,” he said. “Bougie and all like he is.”

Laurel laughed. “We both know that’s not true, but it’s fun to say it.”

“Welcome to the family,” he said. “I told Easton I want to take you both out to dinner tonight.”

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