James didn’t take my words seriously at all.
He brushed past me and waved at Chloe. “Let’s go.”
“Take me with you,” I said. I needed to swing by the pharmacy for more headache pills.
Both of them turned to look at me—one with sheer resentment, the other with deep annoyance.
“Relax, I’m not going to ruin your date,” I added.
I glanced at the shoe rack by the door. Sitting right in the prime spot was a brand-new pair of fuzzy slippers, Winter was months away, but James had already prepped a cozy pair for Chloe.
I looked away, pulled out my own shoes, and put them on.
“You can drop me off on the way. Let’s go.”
James and Chloe walked ahead of me, laughing and gossiping about the pajama party—who chose dare, who drank too much and made a fool of themselves.
When we reached the car, Chloe bypassed the back doors and slid directly into the passenger seat. She reclined it, draped a little fleece blanket over her legs, and yanked open the glove compartment. She completely trashed my perfectly organized lipsticks and sunscreens just to fish out her compact mirror.
James looked at me awkwardly, lowering his voice. “Why don’t you…”
“I’ll sit in the back,” I volunteered.
He visibly exhaled in relief.
The car drove smoothly down the avenue. James’s hands rested on the steering wheel. Still no diamond ring.
“Did you find the ring?” I asked suddenly.
The car jerked slightly.
James didn’t say a word.
Chloe, meanwhile, was reviewing the video James had edited for her. When it hit the highlight reel, she let out a piercing squeal. “Oh my god!”
A noise that loud, fed directly into a hearing aid, gets infinitely amplified. It can cause a screeching feedback loop that makes your skull feel like it’s splitting open. That was why James hated noise. Even when I spoke to him, I had to keep my voice below a certain decibel level.
But with Chloe screaming right next to his ear, his expression didn’t even twitch.
Only his hands, gripping the wheel, trembled slightly.
“James, you are amazing!” Chloe cheered. “I love you to death!”
James forced a smile. “As long as you like it.”
Between the two of them, my question was buried and forgotten.
Whatever.
It didn’t matter. It was just a ring. I was about to throw mine away, anyway.
