Put a Ring On It Read Free

pressed.
    â€œNo.” Brighton bowed her head so that her long dark hair hid her face.
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œMy fiancé knows I have simple tastes. He picked out a lovely solitaire. It’s classic. It’s just what I wanted.” Brighton winced at the sharp edge in her voice.
    Their boss entered the room, dimmed the lights, and launched into a PowerPoint presentation packed with graphs and statistics. Ordinarily, Brighton would have been scribbling notes, asking questions, trying to look at the data from as many perspectives as possible. But today she couldn’t concentrate.
    She couldn’t even sit still. As the presentation dragged on andon, she shifted in her seat, laced her fingers together, and tried to convince herself that everything was going to be fine. Lots of couples had tiffs before the wedding. Colin hadn’t meant all those things he’d said about her. And even if he had, she didn’t deserve it . . . did she?
    The back of her neck felt like it was breaking out in hives.
    As the speaker pulled up another red and blue bar graph, Brighton’s cell phone vibrated in her blazer pocket. She shoved back her chair, raced out to the hallway, and prepared to make amends with her fiancé.
    But Colin wasn’t calling. She didn’t recognize the number with the 302 area code.
    â€œHello?” she whispered as she turned toward a window overlooking the brick building next door.
    â€œBrighton! Hey! I’m so glad you picked up!”
    Brighton frowned, trying to place the soft, feminine voice on the other end of the line.
    â€œIt’s Kira. Long time no talk, huh?”
    â€œKira!” Brighton’s tension ebbed away as she thought of her old roommate. “It’s great to hear from you. How’s it going? I bet you’re the best therapist in all of Florida.”
    â€œWell, that’s why I’m calling, actually. I’m not in Florida anymore. I’m back in your neck of the woods . . . kind of. I just moved to the Delaware beach. Tiny little town called Black Dog Bay.”
    â€œWhat are you doing at the Delaware beach?”
    â€œLong story, but I was unpacking this morning and I found all these old pictures of us on spring break junior year. That road trip to New Orleans.”
    Brighton smiled at the memories. “Ah, our misspent youth.” The two of them had been inseparable in college, but after graduation, she’d accepted a job in New Jersey while Kira had gone off tograduate school in Florida. She tried to remember the last time they’d talked face-to-face. “I’m glad to hear from you. Every time I get one of those alumni magazines, I want to call you, but . . .”
    â€œWe’re all so busy these days. Believe me, I get it. But now that we’re so close geographically, we have no excuse. I’d love to catch up with you sometime.”
    â€œDefinitely. But listen, can I call you back in a bit? I’m technically in the middle of a meeting right now—”
    â€œOf course! Sorry to interrupt.”
    â€œNo, no, I’m really glad to hear from you. I miss you.”
    â€œCome visit,” Kira offered. “I mean it. My spare bedroom is all yours, anytime.”
    â€œThat’s very generous of you.” Brighton glanced at the conference room door. “I’ll definitely take you up on that one of these days.”
    â€œGreat. So when are you coming?”
    Brighton blinked. “You mean, like, what day?”
    â€œYeah. Check your calendar and tell me when you have a free weekend.”
    â€œAbsolutely. Will do. I’ll be in touch.” Brighton clicked off the call and stared down at the phone screen, willing a text from Colin to appear.
    Nothing. The feeling of hives on her neck spread down her shoulders and back. She couldn’t bear another moment in this dry, muted, fluorescent-lit office. And the meeting wouldn’t be over