Page 99 of Set In Stone

Alex

For Alexander and me, our love did dare us to be brave. Together, we beat the odds, and now we were free. Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes. It was a real struggle to keep them from falling, but my mother was right. I had spent an hour perfecting my makeup and I didn’t want to mess itup.

I blinked rapidly and took a deep breath. Once I was more composed, I picked up the box and tore the seam of the gift wrap. Inside was a small jewelry box with an emblem on top. It was one that I recognized well, as I had been running their ad campaigns formonths.

BeaumontJewelers.

I shook my head. Although he never admitted to it, I had a sneaky suspicion that Alexander had something to do with me landing that contract. With everything else that was happening, I realized that I didn’t have the time to worry or care aboutit.

Alex will beAlex.

I smiled to myself. Cracking the lid, I slowly opened the jewelry box until a stunning pair of triskelion earrings came intoview.

“Oh, wow!” Ibreathed.

“This is your something old because the center diamonds belonged to Alexander’s grandmother,” Allyson told me and pointed to the sparkling gems in the middle of the triskelion’s. “They used to be stud earrings. She wore them on her wedding day. He had them removed from the setting and placed into these earrings foryou.”

I stared down at the pair of intricate spirals. Round diamonds and tiny pearls dotted and sparkled throughout the design, but not so much as to take away from the fire and beauty of the center stones. The tears that I blinked back earlier began to well up again and I heard my mother sniffle. I looked up only to find her and Allyson both crying. The sight of them opened thefloodgates.

They hurried to my side and wrapped me in a fierce grouphug.

“My baby is getting married,” my mothersobbed.

“I am,” I choked out, hardly believing itmyself.

A knock at the door interruptedus.

“Who is it?” we all yelled inunison.

“It’s Matteo,” said the familiar male voice from behind thedoor.

“Is it bad luck for the best man to see the bride before the wedding?” Allyson asked. She dabbed the corners of her eyes with a tissue before passing a separate one tome.

“No, I don’t think so,” I said with a shrug. “But who cares? It’sMatteo.”

When my mother opened the door, Matteo took one look at the three of us blubbering and shook hishead.

“It’s not a funeral! Why are you allcrying?”

“Alex gave Krys earrings,” Allysonexplained.

“Ah, say no more. But, as much as I hate to break this up, it’s almost time. Besides, Alex has been pacing like a crazy man all morning. I’ve never seen him in such a state. If you don’t get down that aisle soon, I wouldn’t put it past him to come in here and haul you down the aislehimself.”

“He totally would, too,” Ilaughed.

Matteo and my mother went on ahead and left Allyson and me alone. She picked up her small bouquet and handed me the largerone.

“Are you ready, doll?” sheasked.

“As I’ll ever be.” I smiled at my best friend, suddenly feeling overwhelmed with nostalgia. She was always there for me, and now here she was, with me again, on the most important day of mylife.

We walked out of the master suite and stopped when we reached the bottom of the glass staircase. I gave her arm a light squeeze before she could headup.

“Thank you,Ally.”

“Forwhat?”

“For pushing me to take a chance withAlex.”