Seth knew in his heart that she was perfectly divine as well. Kinky didn’t hurt either.
Chapter Twenty
One afternoon at the end of August, Seth ran a couple of errands during lunch. The bell chimed when he pulled open the glass door to Clay Cook’s jewelry shop. Lily Cook turned from her work behind the glass showcases and her jaw dropped. After checking in with a browsing customer, she met him in front of the case that displayed the diamond solitaire engagement rings.
She practically vibrated with excitement as she whispered, “Please, please, please, please tell me you’re shopping for what I think you’re shopping for.” When he nodded, she bit her lip and rubbed her hands together with quiet glee. “I knew it. I could tell by the look in your eyes. When?”
Lily’s vibrancy brought to mind the first time he’d ever laid eyes on her, when she was still recovering from a wrecked marriage to a horribly abusive spouse. She’d come to Seth to have him cover up a despicable tattoo her husband had designed. Her bold phoenix tattoo was some of his best work, and Seth felt good about being able to help in her recovery. Because they liked it so much, her husbands, Clay and Del Cook, had gotten tattoos on their biceps that matched hers.
In answer to her question about the timing, Seth replied, “I’m waiting for the right moment. Why don’t you show me the perfect ring for Jayne?”
Lily took out a display and removed a ring from its velvet nest. “These are all part of Clay’s new collection.”
Seth examined the gold ring, thinking that Jayne would like the heart-shaped cut of the stone.
“How is Toby doing? Did he get over his cold?”
“Yes, he sounds a little better every day. The bug is going around his day care.”
He replaced the ring, and she handed him another to consider.
“How’s he handling learning English?”
Seth chuckled. “Like a fish to water. Emma told us that at his age, he’d handle the transition easier than he would if he was older. Jayne reads to him all the time, as you can imagine, and he mimics her. We’ve made contact with the woman who cared for him in France. Jayne and Toby are on Skype with her regularly.”
“Does she speak English?”
“A little. The tiny bit of French I picked up while over there is very rusty, but Jayne also speaks some French, so between the three of us, we manage all right.”
Toby had also responded excitedly to being able to see Mimi, if not being able to physically touch her. The contact seemed to ease the transition for him.
After considering several rings, Seth narrowed the choice down to the gold ring with the heart-shaped diamond, and Lily assured him that Jayne was welcome to exchange it if she didn’t care for the cut or setting. With that assurance, Seth handed her his debit card and walked out the door a few minutes later with a diamond engagement ring burning a hole in his pocket. He wanted to go see her right then and ask her, but he held on to it, wanting the moment to be just right.
* * * *
September 1st…
Jayne smiled when she felt Seth’s arms slip around her as everyone sang “Happy Birthday to You” to Toby while he systematically demolished the little birthday cake she’d made especially for him.
“Look at him go,” Seth said with a chuckle, as Toby stuffed a fistful in his mouth and then gleefully pasted another handful in his hair. He snapped a picture with the little camera Jayne had given him for his own birthday the month before. He took lots of pictures of Toby, or of her with Toby, which was fine by her as she snapped just as many of him with his fast-growing son.
They’d all settled in and Jayne spent more evenings with them than she did on her own, and quite a few hot nights with Seth in his bed.
Lucy brought Seth a beer and handed Jayne a fresh glass of wine and toasted them and Toby.
Jayne sipped from her glass of wine, then said, “I’d better get him cleaned up before that dries in his hair, and before he opens presents.”
Seth chuckled and Lucy said, “Might be easier to just hose him down outside.” Toby cackled as he clapped his gooey hands and applied them to his cheeks as everyone laughed.
After a quick cleanup with diaper wipes, Lucy snapped pictures while Seth and Jayne assisted Toby in opening presents until he got the hang of it. Lucy offered to put him in the bathtub as the gang departed until only Seth’s and Lucy’s parents remained.
Looking at Seth’s parents, Jayne could clearly see the familial resemblance. Seth had gotten his piercing blue eyes from Eva Carter, and he’d gotten his black hair and skin tone from his father, Mason.
Eva reached out and squeezed Jayne’s hand. “We want you to know that we appreciate the nurturing you’ve given to Toby and all the support you’ve given to Seth. Toby has grown so much just in the few weeks he’s been here, and he’s settled in so well.”