Page 104 of Meant to Be

Elna made a face. “I’m not a huge Wendy fan, but it’s actuallynot a bad idea…. I feel like it’s the kind of thing she’d have discussed with Cate—”

“Do you think you could get me her number?”

“Yes,” she said. “Just be careful. Wendy’s the type to parlay you asking her ring advice into taking the credit for your entire marriage—and acting like she’s your best friend forever.”

“Yeah. But I already have a best friend,” I said, grinning. “And I’m fixin’ to marry her.”

—

That evening, Icalled Wendy and asked if she was coming into the city anytime soon, that I’d love to meet up with her for coffee.

“Sure! How’s tomorrow?” she said.

“Great,” I said. “Please don’t tell Cate that we spoke.”

“Mum’s the word,” she said.

The following afternoon, we met in a coffee shop near Madison Square Park. I cut right to the chase. “I need some ring advice,” I said.

“Oh my gosh! This issoexciting!” Her voice was loud, and I caught the barista glancing over at us.

I didn’t know Wendy well enough to shush her, but I leaned toward her and lowered my voice, hoping she’d get the hint. “Yeah. I’m so excited. But this is obviously a huge secret. Nobody can know about this conversation.”

“Ofcoursenot!” she said, sitting up as straight as she could. “And I’m so honored that you’d come to me. Truly. This is amazing. Thrilling.”

I didn’t burst her bubble by telling her that I’d asked Elna first. I just said, “I know how close you and Cate are—and how long you’ve known her.”

“Yes. Cate is like a sister to me,” Wendy said, tearing up.“Truly. I just love her to pieces, and I’m so happy she’s getting the fairy tale—and Prince Charming—that she deserves.”

I nodded and smiled but was starting to feel slightly uncomfortable. There was something about the wordsfairy taleandPrince Charmingthat came off as slightly condescending toward Cate. I told myself I was being too critical and pressed onward. “So…thoughts on the ring?”

“Well, let’s see…I know Cate loves mine,” Wendy said. She put her hand on the table, then stared down at a mammoth rectangular stone that looked more like glass than a diamond.

“It’s very pretty,” I said, though the last thing I was going to do was copy Wendy’s ring.

“Thank you. My husband did a great job. It’s an emerald cut. Fun fact: less than three percent of the world’s diamonds are emerald cut. So, they’re the rarest…which makes them the most expensive….”

I nodded and smiled.

“Oh—and good news. Cate tried it on once, and it fit her to perfection. So, we know her ring size is a six and a half!” Her voice was loud again, and this time I put my finger to my lips.

“Oops! Sorry,” she said.

“It’s okay. We just want to be careful.”

“Oh, totally.”

“So. She’s never mentioned her favorite cut?”

“Hmm,”Wendy said. “Would you believe that I can’t recall a single instance? Which is so strange. I mean—I had mine picked out by the time I had my first kiss!”

I nodded, glad that Cate wasn’t like that, even though it made my project trickier.

“My only advice?” Wendy said with a smirk.

“What’s that?” I said.

“Go big or go home, ya know?” She laughed, then said, “Also, don’t do a pear, marquis, or God forbid, heart-shaped. Barf.”

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