Devotion: For Love or Honor by Isabella Harron

Author:Isabella Harron [Harron, Isabella]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Teresa A. Rehm
Published: 2019-07-07T05:00:00+00:00

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Jenny

I can’t believe I walked straight into this stupid conversation with Becklyn, the cousin of the bride. She is expecting to get engaged. Already planning her wedding, asking me questions since I arrived, focused on herself instead of the bride. I have managed to ignore her up until now, tempted to tell her I am planning on moving, but I don’t dare instead I play along until I can make excuses. -Her resentment over where my wedding ring and not agreeing with my statement. Her question shakes my core before I answer honestly.

What am I going to say? I have met this woman only a few times. I feel ready to announce it is none of her freaking business. I fight the urge to laugh to myself. Or I could tell her I have researched the best jewelers who handle second-hand diamonds for resale. But, no, I can’t find the energy to care about the money. My ring? The one Martin insisted, taking me to the upscale jeweler to buy. It wasn’t the one I picked out, but the one he did. That ring remains in the safe in Martin’s house. I feel ready to answer her question.

“My dream ring? Well, first, it would come from my dream guy. And knowing who he is, then the ring would fit us together. It would not be overly expensive, white gold, or platinum at the most. Not a single, massive stone, rising something to get in the way while we enjoy our outdoor adventures, but instead simple, elegant a thin band with tiny inset diamonds in a pattern circling my finger, a circle that does not stop but goes on forever like I imagine our love would.” I marvel at my words, with no forethought to the answer to her question. I spoke from my heart and describe my vision of happiness for my future, and the man in that vision is only Ryan.

I make my excuses to return to the table, to find Ryan returning with two drinks to accompany the pieces of cake. I ate my chocolate cake and sipped my wine, while we wait for the last assignment on our list to photograph tonight. The departure of the bride and groom is the one thing preventing us from disappearing for the night, along with the hour-long drive home. When I accepted two out-of-town weddings back to back, it had been without the insight into myself that I was indeed hoping to avoid Martin’s family or anyone they might know.

Now that I made the first step towards divorce and Martin is tucked safely behind bars for the time being the profound weight of stress that I have been living under for a year is gone.

My eyes meet Ryan’s when the thick pad of his finger skates along the side of my hand onto my palm tracing a heart. I swallow hard, deep within my gut churns, and clenches with an aching need for more and yet, the realist inside of me overtakes the weary me.

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