Reece leaned in close and noticed a small black speck in the diamond. Kirk turned over the stone.
“Now look again,” he instructed.
Reece squinted his eyes but couldn’t see it.
“So the underside doesn’t count?” Reece asked.
“When it’s mounted, who will see it?”
“Is it cheap to purchase a flawed diamond?”
“Depends on what’s important to you. She’ll never see that speck unless you point it out. If you look at the surface of the stone, it’s bright, clear, and big. For most women, that’s all that matters,” Kirk said, glimpsing Erica for agreement.
“You got that right,” Erica said.
“You said two flaws,” Reece reminded the salesperson.
Kirk turned over the stone and pointed out the second speck—a dark gray pinprick dot. Barely noticeable.
“You and Bailey,” Erica said.
“Huh?”
“The two flaws. They’re you and Bailey,” Erica explained.
“That’s cute,” Reece replied, rolling his eyes.
“I’m being serious! This is your diamond, Reece. It’s real and flawed and gorgeous.” She snatched the diamond from Kirk and held it under Reece’s nose. “Look at this thing! It’s breathtaking.”
“Is it?” Reece asked Kirk.
Kirk nodded. “If that diamond didn’t have inclusions, it’d be twice the price.”
“TWICE?”
Kirk nodded.
“Inclusions are good,” Erica said. “Inclusions are real.”
Reece rubbed his jaw. “And she’d like this cut?” he asked Erica.
“Oh yeah.”
“And she wouldn’t want yellow gold?”
“Does she look like a yellow gold girl to you?” Erica asked. “I mean, nothing against yellow gold, but that’s not her.”
Reece nodded, thinking.
“Would you like to see some settings?” Kirk asked.
“We sure would,” Erica replied cheerfully.
Christopher and Camden cracked up as Reece relayed the entire visit to the jeweler.
“So basically Bailey’s best friend is proposing,” Camden said.
“You’d think. She bossed me the entire time,” Reece replied.
“You oughta be happy she was there. She kept you from buying an ugly ass ring,” Christopher pointed out.
“It wasn’t ugly!” Reece argued. “Just not her style evidently.”
“No, her style happens to have a one-carat minimum requirement,” Camden said.
The men laughed.
“Women,” Christopher muttered, shaking his head. “They don’t know what they put us through. I fear the day when I gotta diamond shop.”
“A Honda Civic,” Camden said.
“For real,” Christopher replied. “How she gonna justify wearin’ a Honda Civic on her finger?”
“I don’t think they look at it that way,” Reece said.
“I’m practical,” Christopher went on. “I’d save that money for a down payment on a house.”
Camden laughed. “Man, no you wouldn’t! As soon as you find the girl you’re gonna marry, you’ll plunk down all your cash for the ring she likes. That’s one area where women have all the power.”
“One of many areas,” Reece added.
“How come we do anything they want?” Christopher asked as he chomped.
“You know the answer to that,” Reece replied.
“Tits and pussies,” Camden explained.
Reece rolled his eyes. “You didn’t have to say it.”
Camden grinned. “Tits. And. Pussies.”
“Stop saying ‘*.’ Kids are in here,” Reece admonished.
“So is that a Honda Civic in that box?” Christopher asked.
“You wanna see the stone again?” Reece replied.
Christopher smirked and finished his slice.
“You taking her somewhere special?” Camden asked.
Reece shook his head. “Nope. I’ve got it all planned out in the back yard.”
“The back yard?” Camden said doubtfully.
“You’ve seen Bailey’s back yard,” Reece said.
“You mean y’all’s back yard,” Christopher corrected.
Reece nodded. “I’ve been cleaning it up and repairing the walkways and everything since March. She’s been helping me plant. It’ll be ready for her birthday.”
“I don’t get it,” Camden said.
Reece paused, deciding how much he wanted to share.
“Don’t make fun of me,” he began.
“Oh, we will,” Camden said. “And then we’ll steal the idea when we’re ready to propose.”
Reece chuckled. “Well, I’m gonna decorate the back yard. She used to have twinkle lights all over before the hurricane destroyed everything. I’m gonna string lights all around, and put candles everywhere, and surprise her with a new and improved oasis. And cook dinner for her. And get her these little cakes she loves from a bakery down the road.” He fell silent and waited.
“I like it,” Christopher said finally.
Reece wasn’t convinced. “She’ll get it. She’ll understand. Her back yard is really important to her.”
Christopher and Camden grinned at one another.
“Dude, it’s a really good plan,” Camden said. “And it’s special. Much better than going to some restaurant. She’s gonna love it.”
Reece smiled. He felt more encouraged.
“Just four weeks to go,” he said. “I’m itching to give it to her.”
“I can imagine,” Camden replied. “But why’d you buy the ring so early?”
Reece thought for a moment, and then he smiled. “She’s turned me into a planner.”
***
It couldn’t have worked out more perfectly. Not that he was happy Erica was sick, but that Bailey would have a legitimate reason to be away from the house all day. She offered to help Erica with the kids since Noah was away on a business trip, and it gave Reece all the time he needed to stage the back yard for optimal romance. Christopher and Camden offered to help. They argued that the job was too big for one man. As much as Reece wanted to take all the credit, he agreed with them and made plans to meet at nine the following morning.
“All right, lover boy,” Camden said. “What’s in your bag of tricks?”
The men sat around the kitchen table drinking coffee and eating Bojangles biscuits before the work began.
“I have a shed full of plants,” Reece said. “I’ve been hiding them for three days.”
Christopher burst out laughing. “How much you spend on those plants?”
“I don’t know. Like four hundred bucks,” Reece replied.
Now Camden laughed. “Reece, you’re an idiot.”