Ian

For a man who was about to experience the miracle of wedded bliss—I hoped—this journey was not off to an auspicious start.

I’d already put this trip to look at rings off for two days. Two days of mostly enjoyable bonding with family and friends. We’d made good food and sung holiday carols—bastardized versions of them anyway—and had a generally pleasant time, along with Zoe and I enjoying the occasional shag by the sea.

There had even been that one time under a palm tree decorated in lights that made it look rather like an erect and, ahem, erupting male member.

That had been fitting in more ways than one.

“There’s a farmer’s market not far from here.”

“Farmer’s market? Are you serious? He’s trying to buy an engagement ring, not a ripe melon.”

“Hello, there are numerous stands inside that place. They have jewelry,” Nick said stubbornly, holding out his mobile toward Simon.

Simon had one hand on the wheel and one eye on the phone and I did not feel safe in the back of this open-air Jeep.

For one thing, I nearly levitated right out of the vehicle when my brother hit a rut in the road. And he seemed to hit a lot of ruts. For another, Simon and Nick were arguing too much to pay any attention if I went flying, seatbelt or no seatbelt.

Nick would probably rejoice anyway. Yay, roadkill!

The weather wasn’t helping. This sort of transportation was not ideal when the winds were tossing everything to and fro. Branches, rocks, small children. All went hurtling in front of the vehicle and my brother barely seemed to bat an eyelash.

“Did you buy Li a trinket like that? I’m amazed she married you. Even if you didn’t buy her a trinket, I’m amazed she married you.”

“Her ring is five carats, thank you very much. She loves it. Just because you emptied out your piggy bank to pay for Margo’s because you knew she wouldn’t marry your sorry ass otherwise. Did you write her a check too?”

I frowned as I gripped the back of Nick’s seat. He shot me a look so I transferred my grip to Simon’s. “I can’t believe you two are best friends. You sound like you absolutely hate each other.”

Yet I’d seen how they were together when Margo had been kidnapped. They were as tight as any brothers I’d ever seen. Leaning on each other in a way I’d truly envied.

I’d wanted something like that for myself, and I was beginning to find it. Not only with my brother, but with my friends Flynn and Rory.

I would never take such friendships for granted.

“Yes, and we’ve sounded this way for going on twenty years. Deal with it, spud.”

Spud? I didn’t even know how labeling someone a potato counted as an insult.

“What kind of ring are you hoping to get her?” Simon looked at me in the rearview mirror. “Please tell me you’ve done some kind of research.”

“Yes, some. She’s not the usual, so—”

“Definitely not the usual if she’s marrying you.”

I ignored Nick. His life’s work was getting a rise out of people, and I was his favorite target. “She likes unique pieces. But she wouldn’t object to something vintage either, I don’t think, with some history to the design. Maybe a piece with an Art Deco feel.”

Both men said nothing. If I could have seen their faces, I knew they would register puzzlement. And possibly glazed eyes, because few men enjoyed discussions of wedding rings.

I didn’t either, but it was important to me I pick something Zoe would love, not just tolerate. Part of why I’d stalled on deciding to ask. What if I couldn’t find the right one? I couldn’t buy just anything and hope it would do.

Now I was under the gun. I had to ask her while we were in paradise—assuming we didn’t get blown off the island by the storm—so that the memory of our engagement would be extra special. I couldn’t ask without some fanfare and focus on the ceremony itself.

Oh, and our life together. That too.

That wasn’t how women thought. Or so I’d been schooled by the two experts of matrimony themselves.

God help me.

“Art Deco is a style of art and architecture popularized in the—”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. You know her tastes. But I recommend some bling. All chicks dig bling.”

“Zoe really isn’t the kind of woman who enjoys large baubles. They would only get in her way while she’s working. She does a lot with her hands.”

“He’s trying to go cheap already. Told you. So, let’s go to the Farmer’s Market and get our asses home before we get tossed out to sea.”

“Rubbish. I’m not trying to go cheap. I’m trying to make sure I don’t get a generic ring, because my Zoe isn’t generic. It doesn’t matter if it’s large, I’m not buying her just anything.” I crossed my arms. “If I have to wait to find the perfect piece, I’ll wait.”

“Now he’s pussying out. We might as well have not made this trip. Waste of gas.”

“You’re a waste of gas,” I muttered, flipping him the middle finger when he looked back at me. “How can you be a crochety old man when you aren’t even thirty? That doesn’t compute.”

“Wait until you have children.”

Simon snorted. “Right. Because you shot rainbows out of your ass before then.” He signaled and pulled up near a strip of shops. “I’ll go park. You two can get out here.”

All I saw was a stand for Indian food, a variety-type store, and a store advertising colorful women’s dresses. “Where are we supposed to go?”

“Over there, there’s a jewelry shop.” Simon pointed vaguely up the street, though I couldn’t tell where he was indicating between the palm fronds bending in the wind and the clusters of people hurrying past. “I’ve bought a few things for Margo there before. She loved them. Take a look. See if there’s anything Zoe might want.”

“You better not be dropping us off and going home. If I get stuck here with this chucklehead—”

“Jesus, I’ll be right back, conspiracy theorist. Go.”

We got out and lo and behold, I noticed the small shop Simon had indicated a little ways away. We rushed toward it, hunching our shoulders against the wind, Nick muttering about how he was never going on vacation with Simon again, not even if he paid him.

“I doubt that’s much of a threat for him,” I yelled back over the rising wind. “You’re not exactly jovial.”

“Sorry I’m not Rainbow Care Bear like you are.” He grabbed the door and motioned me inside.

We hushed up the moment we stepped inside the rarefied air of the jewelry store. They were playing classical music, and the woman and man behind the glass-fronted counter stared at us as if we’d been dragged in by the storm.

Which we had been, sort of.

“How may we help you?” The woman spoke in accented English and patted her dark updo with a hand covered in rings. “We’re closing soon, due to the hurricane.”

“Tropical storm,” Nick corrected her. “It’s been downgraded.”

“Are you from the islands?”

“No. I’m from California.”

She smiled. “Then we are closing soon because of the hurricane.”

I coughed into my fist. “Hello, I would like some help purchasing an engagement ring, please.”

“He needs a lot of help. He’s virtually clueless. Do you even know her ring size?”

“Six. My Zoe has dainty hands.”

Nick rolled his eyes. “Christ, save me.”

“Of course, sir. We have a selection of rings that should suit. If you don’t mind if we should be so bold as to ask your budget?”

I named a figure that made Nick slap his hand across my mouth. “He doesn’t have that much money. Really. He just heard he can’t buy a nice ring for any less.”

I shoved him back. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“One second.” He held up a finger and gave the woman and man a gritted-teeth smile before dragging me away from the counter. “Do you not know anything about haggling? Especially haggling on the island? With talk like that, they would’ve sold you a colored piece of glass and emptied your wallet.”

“I’m sure that’s not true. They seem like nice people.” Then again, when I looked back at them over my shoulder, the woman was laughing behind her hand and pointing at us. I frowned. “Okay, maybe not.”

“Trust me, you have to drive a hard bargain. Watch and learn, boyo.” Nick strutted up to the counter and slapped down his wallet, naming a figure that made me choke on a laugh. “My friend will pay no more than that. What do you have?”

The woman removed a ring cushion from behind the glass counter and set it on top. She removed one ring, then another and another until only one plain band remained. It wasn’t even gold. It was just…plain.

“What is this?”

“This is the ring in your price range. Suitable or no?”

“No. That won’t do.” When Nick tried to talk, I spoke over him, naming a price between my original one and Nick’s ridiculous low-ball figure. “Do you have anything in that range?”

The door opened behind us and I glanced over my shoulder as Simon came in, looking harried. “Fucking zoo out there, Jesus fuck.” He did not use his indoor voice.

The man behind the counter cleared his throat. “One of your friends?”

“My brother.” Saying it was still weird, in a good way. “Come help me decide.”

“I’m here too, you know. I’m somewhat of an expert on wedding rings.”

I glanced at Nick. “Oh, are you now?”

“Yes. I helped Gray with his, and of course got Lila the most magnificent ring in the history of rings.”

“Of course.”

Simon elbowed between us and poked at the new tray of rings that had been produced in response to my much more reasonable price range. “That one’s pretty.”

The ring he indicated was a giant pink stone. “No, not for Zoe. She wouldn’t like it that large and she’s not a pink sort.”

“What about that one?” He indicated a cluster of diamonds with a big center stone surrounded by pinpricks of sapphires. “It’s classy.”

I shook my head. “Not Zoe’s style.”

Nick sighed. “This is going to take years.”

“It better not take years. I just talked to Margo.”

I shifted toward Simon. “Is Zoe okay?”

“Zoe’s fine.”

“Are you sure? What about the baby? We should go back. I knew I shouldn’t leave her when the weather is poor.”

“Hi, not sure if you remember, but my wife is the one about to pop.”

“Oh.” I swallowed. “Right. Of course, you’re right. How is Margo?”

“She’s acting strange. She kept insisting she was fine, but her voice was all…edgy.”

“You didn’t have sex with her, right?”

The woman behind the counter clapped a hand over her mouth and turned away.

Even Simon had the decency to look chagrined as he frowned at Nick. “Am I not allowed to have sex with my wife now?”

“Oh, God. I knew you didn’t read that chapter. I just knew it. Li had more faith in you. She should know better. You’ve never made it through a whole book in your entire life.”

I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. I just wanted to buy my ring and go. Assuming one even existed in this shop that would come close to what my Zoe deserved.

She put up with me, so she deserved extra sparkle. But sneaky sparkle, because anything ostentatious she would immediately veto.

“What book are you even talking about?”

“The preggo book you stole from me. In the section about inducing labor, it says very clearly that orgasm can cause a woman to give birth. It’s, like, a known fact from the beginning of time.”

I didn’t know who gasped louder—me, Simon, or the two people behind the counter.

“You’re exaggerating. Besides, it’s not time yet. We’ve had lots of sex before now and she hasn’t given birth yet, has she? And she has tons of orgasms. Tons.”

“Sir, this really isn’t the place for—”

“Right, but she’s basically like a gremlin now.”

Simon’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you calling my wife a gremlin?”

“No, I said she’s like a gremlin. Don’t feed them after midnight, don’t get them wet, and so on. Same for a woman that close to giving birth. Getting them wet is a big no-no. You never know when they’ll blow.” Nick made an exploding noise that made Simon jerk back into me.

I truly didn’t know which of us was more horrified. Probably Simon since the information Nick had just shared was more imminently important to him. I still had seven months give or take to come to terms with the idea.

But one thing was for sure—I would not be having sex with Zoe after the seventh month or so. Unless she agreed to no orgasms, for her anyway. Though that seemed dubious.

“You just think you’re an expert.” Simon sounded traumatized. He even wavered on his feet when I gave him a nudge to stop leaning on me. Heavily. Like a redwood about to fall.

Nick crossed his arms. “Li had the twins perfectly on schedule. We followed doctor’s orders. Didn’t go off flying half-cocked to an isolated island during a tropical storm watch.”

“Hurricane,” the man and woman behind the counter said in unison.

“A C-section is not the same thing.”

“Really, guys, I don’t think this is where we should be discussing this,” I said weakly, trying to refocus on the tray of rings. My vision was hazy.

Dear God, Margo wouldn’t really give birth on this island, would she? If unexpected sex pushed her along, surely there was a way to nudge the baby back in.

“How do you reverse it?” I asked suddenly.

Both Nick and Simon stared at me.

“If you slip and…engage in sex, and she edges near labor—”

“Edges near? If she’s in labor, there’s no reversing it, spud. Welcome to fatherhood.” Nick walked around Simon to clap me on the back. “Next time, maybe you’ll consider taking your time before you get her knocked up.”

“Well, if we’re going to have six children, we have to—” I stopped at their twin looks of surprise. “Possibly.”

“Was he dropped on his head as a baby? Or last week?” Nick asked Simon, who just shrugged.

“I never had a regular family, so I want a big one.” My voice cracked a little. Great. Could I embarrass myself any more today? “Is that so wrong?”

“I think it’s sweet,” the woman behind the counter said with an encouraging smile.

“No, it’s not wrong.” Simon cleared his throat. “Just whoa, the idea of one is freaking me the hell out. I thought I was calm about it. I was sure I was. And now?” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yeah, I might need a paper bag.”

Nick gestured toward the ring tray. “Let’s move this along.”

I nodded and zeroed in on the selection. Still none of them were right. Maybe I needed to check out the scope of what was available rather focus solely on price. I stepped back, scanned the case, and caught my breath as I saw it.

The most perfect ring.

“That one.” I could barely get the words out as I pointed. I put my face near the glass, trying to see as much as possible. “On the red cushion. That’s the one.”

The man moved forward to remove the ring and set it down before me. A circlet of smaller diamonds surrounded a pear-shaped center stone. Around the first circle was another circle of diamond points. It reminded me of the solar system. A million stars and planets weren’t enough to encompass my love for her.

My fingers shook as I pried it out of the cushion. The ring had a vintage look, and I’d never seen anything like it before.

“I’ll take it. How much?”

The woman named a price and I started to nod, already pulling out my wallet. Nick stepped forward and slapped a hand over the ring. “Before we buy, we’d like to see the loupe.”

“Before we buy?” What the hell was a loupe?

Simon let out a long breath. “You’ve been assimilated. Just deal.”

I didn’t know what that meant either, but I waited while the man retrieved something that looked like a small magnifying glass. Nick looked through it and murmured about “noting the inclusions” while Simon huffed and puffed and generally sounded as if he was ready to sprint out of the store at a moment’s notice.

“My. Wife. May. Be. On. The. Verge. Of. Childbirth.”

Nick ignored Simon and continued making noises about diamond quality. The woman noted a few things down on the invoice before she presented it to me. The price had been lowered quite a bit.

I glanced at Nick. “Seriously?”

“Told you I was an expert. Everyone thinks my skills are just playing guitar and the art of pleasing a woman.” He shrugged and walked past me toward the door, tugging a dazed Simon along with him. “We’ll pick you up in five. No dallying.”

I was waiting when they pulled up. Nick was driving. Simon was in the front seat with his head between his legs, an impressive feat.

“Get in,” Nick barked. “Margo’s in labor. Score one for the stud.”

“Oh my God, really?” I’d no sooner climbed in that Nick rocketed the Jeep away from the curb. My leg wasn’t even fully inside.

“She’ll be fine. Women have been doing this since the beginning of time. They’re far more capable than we are.” Even Nick seemed stressed as he tightened his hands around the wheel. “Besides, the midwife and Li are with her. Li never freaks out.”

I nearly shuddered. Amen to that. We needed someone who was calm and in control.

The baby was coming.

Dear God.