Shattered Beneath the Champagne Tower, I Walked Away

Mallory Dawson's eyes immediately brimmed with tears.

"You said the first ring you'd ever give would be mine."

Reid Callahan fell silent for a couple of seconds. Then he reached out and wiped away her tears.

Standing in the doorway, I suddenly remembered what Mom had said the night before as she held my hand.

"Cora, I don't know how much longer I have. I just want to see you settled down and happy."

So I swallowed everything I wanted to say.

I walked over and reached for my ring.

Mallory suddenly drew back into Reid's arms.

The ring slipped from her finger and rolled beneath the bottom tier of the champagne tower.

Glasses crashed to the floor.

Reid's first instinct wasn't to check the cut on my hand. It was to shield Mallory.

"Cora, do you really have to make a scene today?"

I looked down at the blood welling in my palm.

My ring lay among the broken glass, its sparkle gone.

Some things stopped being yours the moment someone else wore them, even for a second.

"Cora, do you really have to throw a fit right now?"

Reid kept his voice low, but I could hear the impatience underneath.

He kept Mallory behind him as his gaze swept over the shattered glass on the floor.

I stared at my bleeding palm and said nothing.

Mallory stayed tucked behind him, her voice wavering as if she were about to cry.

"Reid, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drop it.

"I was just trying to give Cora her ring back, but she reached for it so suddenly that she startled me and I lost my grip."

As she spoke, she gave Reid's suit sleeve a small tug.

Reid turned to her and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. He carefully wiped the wine from her hand.

"It's okay. As long as you didn't get cut."

His voice was gentle, as if he were soothing a frightened child.

Only then did he look at me.

His brow furrowed when he noticed my bleeding hand.

"Go rinse that off in the restroom. We still have to go onstage soon."

He didn't even ask if it hurt, let alone call for a doctor.

He simply moved on to what came next.

I nodded and headed for the restroom.

"Wait."

Reid called after me.

I stopped without turning around.

"It'll take forever to dig the ring out of all that broken glass, and besides, it'd be bad luck to use it now.

"I'll have my assistant run downstairs and pick up any plain band from the jewelry store to use for now.

"It's just part of the program. We're only going through the motions anyway, so don't make such a big deal out of it."

I looked at my pale reflection in the mirror.

I had spent six months creating that custom pink diamond ring.

I'd sketched the design myself and worked with the jeweler through countless revisions until it was exactly right.

Our initials were engraved inside.

And now Reid wanted to replace it with whatever plain band his assistant could grab at the last minute.

"Okay," I said quietly.

I didn't argue or demand an explanation.

Reid seemed pleased that I hadn't pushed back.

He walked over and reached out to pat my head.

"You've been very understanding today.

"Mal's been emotionally fragile lately. Cut her some slack."

I turned my head away before he could touch me.

His hand froze in midair, and his expression darkened.

"You're still mad?"

"No."

I turned on the faucet and let cold water run over the cut in my palm.

"I just want to clean this up fast. My mom's still waiting out there."

At the mention of Mom, Reid's expression softened slightly.

"I'll go say hello to her.

"Clean yourself up and come back out. Don't keep everyone waiting."

With that, he left backstage with Mallory.

I was alone in the restroom.

The only sound was the rush of running water.

I looked at the cut across my palm, then slowly pulled out a paper towel and patted my hand dry.

It didn't hurt.

It really didn't.

Ten minutes later, Reid's assistant hurried backstage, out of breath.

"Ms. Winslow, Mr. Callahan asked me to bring you this."

He handed me an unbranded velvet ring box.

I opened it.

Inside was a plain silver-colored band.

No diamond.

No engraving.

It was too big, too.

"Mr. Callahan said we were short on time, so this was all we could get."

The assistant watched my face carefully.

"Got it. Thank him for me."

I slipped the band onto my ring finger.

It hung loose.

If I lowered my hand, it would slide right off.