Page 71 of Forever Fallen

“Those?” she said, looking almost disturbed or aghast at his selection. “There’s some that are much nicer.”

“What’s wrong with those?”

“They were returned… yesterday, in fact.”

“Why?”

“Because the husband hated the engraving,” she said, pulling out a different tray of rings and setting it on the glass display case. “This one is a very nice…”

“I want to see those,” Ryan interrupted, pointing at the rings again.

She put the other wedding bands back and pulled out the ones he’d selected, putting them down on a padded velvet tray. Ryan picked up the first one, looking over it for an engraving… and hesitated before smiling.

Perfect.

Sliding the band on his left hand, it slipped past his knuckle as if it was made just for him. Picking up the other band, he looked inside and chuckled easily.

“I know…” the woman said flatly. “We suggested their initials or something else – anything else – but they flatly refused, claiming this was ‘their thing’. Then they returned them yesterday, demanding their money back, because they decided not to get married.”

“I’ll take them,” Ryan said happily.

“You will?” she gaped, horrified. “Are you sure? We can buff the insides and try to get the engraving off.”

“Nope. Leave it,” Ryan ordered and slipped the woman’s ring onto his pinky, hoping that this fit Sophie’s finger. She had long delicate fingers that he loved touching.

Sliding both rings off, he smiled openly, feeling like this was destiny, and understood exactly what Sophie had said.

One small change and things wouldn’t have happened as beautifully as they had. If he hadn’t decided to talk to Armadillo about marrying Sophie again, he would have passed this place up or gotten something else.

“Are you absolutely certain?”

“Positive.”

“No refunds on used items.”

“Won’t need one,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “They are perfect for us, and I couldn’t have picked better if I tried.”

The woman looked at him strangely, muttered something under her breath, and walked away towards the register. Ryan watched as she placed the bands together in a velvet box that had two slots inside, before putting them in a bag.

He paid, got to the car, and then pulled out his phone again before texting Armadillo back.

Friday is perfect – I just got Sophie a ring!

CHAPTER22

SOPHIE

Sophie was feeling so lost,angry, and betrayed.

Ryan had barely over a week left before he had to leave and was working overtime supposedly – only to call Flyboys to see if he could pick up a loaf of bread and a package of dinner rolls on the way home.

A woman answered… and it wasn’t someone she recognized.

“Flyboys – can I help you?”

“Who’s this? Is Reaper still in class?”

“Reaper? No. He left about two hours ago… can I take a message?”

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