Xavier must have read uncertainty in my face.
“You can still back out,” he said quietly. “I’ll understand.”
I hesitated a moment, all the possible consequences flooding into my head. But when Xavier took my hand, everything cleared and I knew exactly what I wanted.
“Not a chance,” I replied. “I can’t wait to be Mrs. Xavier Woods.”
Xavier slammed his hand down on the tabletop, frustration momentarily clouding his face.
I jumped. “What did I say?”
“Damn it, I forgot about the ring!”
“We can worry about that stuff later,” I placated.
“No, we don’t need to,” he said with a smile.
He reached into his trouser pocket and teasingly withdrew a closed fist. When he opened it a round antique ring box sat neatly in the palm of his hand.
“Open it,” he suggested.
I gasped when I lifted the tiny metal clasp and the lid sprang open. The box contained a rose-cut diamond ring so perfect it took my breath away. As soon as I set eyes on it, I knew it was my ring and I was never going to part with it. I’d never felt such a strong connection to a material possession before. The ring seemed made for me. I didn’t even stop to consider it might need resizing. I just knew it would fit. There wasn’t anything showy or ostentatious about it. I’d been with Molly and the girls when they’d admired the displays in the local jewelry store. I’d always feign interest to be polite, but the gaudy modern diamonds they gushed over left me cold. They looked so colorless and harsh. My ring was as delicate as a flower. Its design could not be improved. The multifaceted central stone was set in a platinum band and peaked like a tiny dome. Encircling it were smaller diamonds that recessed down the shoulder of the ring.
“It’s perfect for you,” Xavier observed.
“It’s so elegant,” I breathed. “Where on earth did you find it? I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
“My grandmother left it to me in her will. My sisters were pretty pissed off that she wanted me to have it. It’s a ring made for an angel. Aren’t you going to try it on?”
I nodded and reached hesitantly for the ring, still struggling to believe that something so intricate and so precious was to be mine. But I never got the chance to try it on. Just as Xavier’s words were spoken, the very earth beneath us began to shake as if Heaven itself were in revolt.
The ring slid off the table and tumbled onto the trembling floor.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you, Mom — for everything. I don’t even know where to start.
Thank you, Liz Kerins, for being my adopted big sister and dear friend. Our Texas road trip was epic.
Thank you, Janna, Gail, and all the Memphis girls, for making me fall in love with the South.
Thank you, Christopher, for understanding that “creative” is pretty much code for “crazy.”
Thank you to each and every one of my fans. Without you, none of this would have been possible. I love y’all!
Thank you to everyone at Feiwel and Friends, for their commitment and dedication to this series.
Thank you to my agents, Jill and Matthew, for believing in me.
Thanks to my dear friend Lisa Berryman — your intelligence, grace, and insight have helped shape me as a person, as well as a writer.
Lastly, thanks to my country music heroes: Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kitty Wells, and Alan Jackson, for being my constant inspiration.
