Page 107 of The Coppersmith Farmhouse (Jamison Valley 1)
“Yep,” we said simultaneously, our faces pressed together, smiling.
“You guys sure kiss a lot. Why do grown-ups kiss on the lips? Do you like kissing? How do you breathe? Did Jess get his spit on you, Mommy?”
As she blathered, she collected more presents to take upstairs.
I sucked in a few deep breaths between my giggles but kept the huge smile on my face.
“I take it you’re going to move in?”
“Yeah,” Jess said.
“Good.”
“I’m gonna take my shower and head into town. Maybe grab the rest of my clothes while I’m there. Tomorrow, we can clear out the garage. Not much else over there I want. That okay with you?” he asked.
“No.”
He tilted his head and his eyebrows came together.
“I want your washer and dryer,” I said.
He grinned. “Anything else?”
“My Christmas present.” I held out my hand, palm up. “Fork it over, Sheriff.”
“Bedroom. Drawer in my end table,” he said.
“Yours is—”
“In the top of your spice cabinet.”
“Wha
t are you doing in my spice . . . never mind. Since you know where yours are at, you can go get them yourself. It will save me from getting out the stepladder.”
I raced upstairs as he padded to the kitchen. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I opened the drawer.
Inside was a beautifully wrapped, long, skinny box. The gold foil paper was tied with an intricate bow made of silver, gold and white threads.
I carefully pulled off the threads and paper. When I peered inside the box, my eyes blurred with tears.
“Do you like them?” Jess asked from behind me.
I whirled around and saw him in the doorway.
“Shit.” At the sight of my tears, he rushed to my side.
“They’re beautiful, Jess. I love them. Thank you.”
Inside the box was a necklace and earrings I would wear all the time. The necklace was on a thin, white-gold chain. Dead center was a single solitaire diamond, the jewel at least a carat. Not too big and ostentatious but certainly not a chip. When I put it on, the diamond would sit perfectly at the base of my throat.
It was exactly the type of necklace I would have picked out for myself. I could wear it to work and not worry about it hanging too low and getting in the way.
The earrings were two diamond solitaire studs. The stones were slightly smaller than the necklace’s diamond and unless the occasion called for a larger pair of earrings, I would wear these almost every day too. Even on pajama days.
“Jess, these are too much,” I said.
“Not too much at all.”
