He nodded, and there would be no emergency so great that he would not be there for her on the morning of the happiest day of her life.
Or at least, the first of many happiest days, he hoped for her.
He regretted the need to leave her, and if he'd suspected the reason for their meeting today he would have brought the gift with him. As it was, he was relieved that he had worked to prepare it in advance so that it was ready now, with so little time before the wedding day.
The shell he handed over proudly, hinged to hide its secrets, was beautiful in its own right, but he realized when Evie accepted it that he had been a bit too clever in hiding the opening. His smile slowly spread into a grin, bright and joyful as white teeth flashed from dark skin as they embraced and then he pulled back a small distance. "There is a trick to it," he rumbled, the mischief shining fully in his eyes as he pointed to the small inset sapphire on one side of the shell. "Press... here."
And when she did the shell would pop open a hair's breadth, enough to lift the top from the bottom half, revealing the pair of blue pearl drop earrings within, set in gold and matching the light summer-sky blue of Evie's own eyes.
Or at least, the first of many happiest days, he hoped for her.
He regretted the need to leave her, and if he'd suspected the reason for their meeting today he would have brought the gift with him. As it was, he was relieved that he had worked to prepare it in advance so that it was ready now, with so little time before the wedding day.
The shell he handed over proudly, hinged to hide its secrets, was beautiful in its own right, but he realized when Evie accepted it that he had been a bit too clever in hiding the opening. His smile slowly spread into a grin, bright and joyful as white teeth flashed from dark skin as they embraced and then he pulled back a small distance. "There is a trick to it," he rumbled, the mischief shining fully in his eyes as he pointed to the small inset sapphire on one side of the shell. "Press... here."
And when she did the shell would pop open a hair's breadth, enough to lift the top from the bottom half, revealing the pair of blue pearl drop earrings within, set in gold and matching the light summer-sky blue of Evie's own eyes.
