A gentleman puffing on a cigar dropped his stogie to the ground and smashed it out with his brown cowboy boot. He was a robust man with a silver beard and blue dress shirt. “My name’s Tony,” the man said with a brisk nod. “Wheeler’s a friend of mine from way back. He tells me I need to fix you up.”
Jericho slammed the truck door and wiped his nose. “I don’t have much time. Show me what you got.”
“Come inside and we’ll make a deal.” Tony jangled his keys and unlocked the door. Jericho moved to the center of the room, hands shaking, feeling jittery.
Tony’s gait was slow as he went to the left side of the dark room. “Looks like you got it bad. Come over here and I’ll set you up.”
Jericho moved toward the counter and watched anxiously as Tony flipped on a few lights.
“What’s your poison?”
Jericho cleared his throat. “Engagement rings.”
Rings weren’t really the Shifter way because jewelry sometimes got lost during the shift unless you were careful to take it off first or remembered where you’d left it. But Jericho couldn’t help himself—he wanted Isabelle to have the whole damn fairy tale.
Tony chuckled. “You had that look in your eye; I figured as much. Do you have something in mind? Platinum, white gold, marquise, princess cut?”
“I don’t know.” He leaned over the counter and eyed all the glittering jewels.
“Well, tell me about your woman. Is she one of those shy girls?”
Jericho snorted. “Hell no. She’s confident, beautiful, and strong. But she has a kind heart. I don’t deserve someone like her.”
“May I recommend a solitaire? One stone for one girl—the only one. Speaks volumes. If you told me the first three, I’d say go for flashy, but if she’s good-hearted, then she’s the kind of woman who doesn’t give a shit what her friends think.”
“Yeah, that’s Isabelle.”
Tony led him to a display of rings and pulled them out. After a confusing glance around, one ring caught his eye.
“A beauty, isn’t she?” Tony smiled and pulled the ring from the case, holding it between his fat fingers. “This one is special. She’s a one-carat diamond that sparkles like no other because she has over one hundred and thirty facets. It’s like wearing a star on your finger. Fourteen-karat white gold. Hold her in your hand.”
Jericho slid the ring halfway up his finger and grinned. “This is it. She’s the one.”
“If you said that to your woman, then I do believe it is.”
“How much?”
“Free.”
Jericho flicked his eyes up. “Bullshit.”
Tony shrugged and took the ring away, carefully pushing it in a black box. “Wheeler’s picking up the tab. You guys can sort it all out.”
Jericho leaned heavily on his arms. “Look, I’m not having my brother pay for my woman’s engagement ring.”
“And do you have five large on you?”
“Shit.”
Tony sighed and strolled over to the left, sliding open a display. He slapped a white box on the counter. “Or, you can probably dig out what you have in your pocket for this cheap piece of shit. Each time she squints and tries to see the stone, she’ll remember it’s your love that’s important and not the ring.”
He wanted to reach across the counter and strangle Tony. What money Jericho didn’t spend on partying, he gave over to Austin to help with bills. It would only take a few weeks for him to pay back Wheeler. The bastard. “I’ll take this one,” he said, tapping the black box in front of him.
“Excellent choice. You can bring her in later if we need to have it resized.”
While Tony locked up the counter, Jericho made a quick call. “Wheeler, I’m going to kill you.”
“You wanted the best, right?”
Jericho spun around and whispered harshly into the phone. “How do you think I feel, knowing my brother—”
“Save it,” he replied. “You’re paying me back; this is just an advance because of the short notice. I wouldn’t buy your woman’s ring—that’s too fucking weird. Did you tell Austin?”
“Hell no. I think I should tell Isabelle first, don’t you?”
Wheeler grumbled on the other end. “If you say so. Just remember, the Packmaster has the final say in who stays in the pack. It’s common courtesy to tell him your intentions. After what went down with Hawk, he might not let her in.”
“I doubt it. Keep your mouth shut until I ask her. Shit,” he whispered. “I’m fucking nervous.”
Wheeler chuckled darkly. “Where is she?”