see you on Valentine’s Day. This brooch meant I had something
to work with, you know? I could use this to make a piece of jewelry for you, and you would be able to wear something more
than that simple necklace I gave you.”
“I like this necklace.” Katie touched the green stone on the end of the chain.
“I wanted to give you something more.” Rick reached over and fingered the ends of her hair. “Something that expresses the
importance of our relationship. We’ve done everything right, Katie. This is working. Our relationship, I mean. We’re good
together. I want you to have something you can wear all the time that symbolizes our success.”
A smile clung to Katie’s closed lips. She knew what Rick meant, but his word choice struck her as funny. The guy’s heart was
definitely in the right place. She just never expected Rick Doyle to present her with an antique brooch and say he wanted
it to symbolize the success of their relationship.
“What?” Rick leaned closer, trying to read the meaning of her mirthful expression.
“This is really, really sweet, Rick. It is. I don’t know what to say.”
“Say that you’re glad I’m your boyfriend and that you’ll decide in the next week what you want to have made out of the brooch
so I can have it finished by graduation.”
“Okay. I’m glad you’re my boyfriend, and I’ll decide as soon as I can.”
“Good. And if you need any help, Nicki might have some ideas.”
Katie pulled back. She still wasn’t used to hearing Nicole referred to as “Nicki.”
“She’s seen this, hasn’t she? Did you show her the brooch?”
“No. She knew about it because my mom told her. I wanted to show it to you first.”
Katie leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Rick. This is really sweet of you. I’ll come up with a suggestion
as soon as I can. And I’m sorry about Valentine’s Day and my confusion over what was going on.”
“No apology needed.” He kissed her before she could protest again. Pulling back and taking her hand in his, Rick said, “Do
you remember what you said last Christmas?”
“You mean about your mom’s eggnog? I told you I apologized to her about that. I didn’t realize she was in the other room when
I spit it out in the sink. I didn’t think — ”
“No, Katie, not about the eggnog. About us. Do you remember what you said about our relationship?”
“I’m not sure. What did I say?”
“A few days after Christmas, we were in my new car. I don’t remember where we were going, but we were talking about how we
would make it through this last semester. The fall months had been intense for both of us, with my working on the cafés and
you with the RA position and changing your major in your senior year. Do you remember?”
“Sort of.”
“I was saying how I didn’t think much would change during the next few months for both of us because I’d still be busy with
my business and you’d be busy with school. You said, ‘Then we’ll just have to learn how to live happily almost after.’ ”
“Oh, yeah, I do remember saying that.”
“Well, this will be your happily-almost-after bracelet. Or necklace. Or whatever you want it to be.” He kissed her again,
and this time it seemed as if even his kiss were intended to symbolize their relationship. It was deliberate and lingering.
Katie pulled back. Rick tried to kiss her again, but she said, “We probably should head back.”
“We will. In a minute.” Rick wrapped both arms around Katie and murmured in her ear, “We’re almost there. You know that, don’t
you? Only a few more weeks.”
Katie definitely would have melted if Rick’s whispered words to her right then had been the defining “I love you.” Those were
the words she was waiting to hear.
But for now, his whispered, “almost there,” seemed one step away from a proposal. She drew in the warmth of his embrace and
leaned her head against his
to work with, you know? I could use this to make a piece of jewelry for you, and you would be able to wear something more
than that simple necklace I gave you.”
“I like this necklace.” Katie touched the green stone on the end of the chain.
“I wanted to give you something more.” Rick reached over and fingered the ends of her hair. “Something that expresses the
importance of our relationship. We’ve done everything right, Katie. This is working. Our relationship, I mean. We’re good
together. I want you to have something you can wear all the time that symbolizes our success.”
A smile clung to Katie’s closed lips. She knew what Rick meant, but his word choice struck her as funny. The guy’s heart was
definitely in the right place. She just never expected Rick Doyle to present her with an antique brooch and say he wanted
it to symbolize the success of their relationship.
“What?” Rick leaned closer, trying to read the meaning of her mirthful expression.
“This is really, really sweet, Rick. It is. I don’t know what to say.”
“Say that you’re glad I’m your boyfriend and that you’ll decide in the next week what you want to have made out of the brooch
so I can have it finished by graduation.”
“Okay. I’m glad you’re my boyfriend, and I’ll decide as soon as I can.”
“Good. And if you need any help, Nicki might have some ideas.”
Katie pulled back. She still wasn’t used to hearing Nicole referred to as “Nicki.”
“She’s seen this, hasn’t she? Did you show her the brooch?”
“No. She knew about it because my mom told her. I wanted to show it to you first.”
Katie leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Rick. This is really sweet of you. I’ll come up with a suggestion
as soon as I can. And I’m sorry about Valentine’s Day and my confusion over what was going on.”
“No apology needed.” He kissed her before she could protest again. Pulling back and taking her hand in his, Rick said, “Do
you remember what you said last Christmas?”
“You mean about your mom’s eggnog? I told you I apologized to her about that. I didn’t realize she was in the other room when
I spit it out in the sink. I didn’t think — ”
“No, Katie, not about the eggnog. About us. Do you remember what you said about our relationship?”
“I’m not sure. What did I say?”
“A few days after Christmas, we were in my new car. I don’t remember where we were going, but we were talking about how we
would make it through this last semester. The fall months had been intense for both of us, with my working on the cafés and
you with the RA position and changing your major in your senior year. Do you remember?”
“Sort of.”
“I was saying how I didn’t think much would change during the next few months for both of us because I’d still be busy with
my business and you’d be busy with school. You said, ‘Then we’ll just have to learn how to live happily almost after.’ ”
“Oh, yeah, I do remember saying that.”
“Well, this will be your happily-almost-after bracelet. Or necklace. Or whatever you want it to be.” He kissed her again,
and this time it seemed as if even his kiss were intended to symbolize their relationship. It was deliberate and lingering.
Katie pulled back. Rick tried to kiss her again, but she said, “We probably should head back.”
“We will. In a minute.” Rick wrapped both arms around Katie and murmured in her ear, “We’re almost there. You know that, don’t
you? Only a few more weeks.”
Katie definitely would have melted if Rick’s whispered words to her right then had been the defining “I love you.” Those were
the words she was waiting to hear.
But for now, his whispered, “almost there,” seemed one step away from a proposal. She drew in the warmth of his embrace and
leaned her head against his
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