***
Aaron and I moved into a small apartment after college. I worked at a marketing firm, he sold cars, and every Friday we ordered the same pad Thai from the same place.
But every Valentine’s Day, birthday, and Christmas, I caught myself glancing at his hands, waiting for a little box that never came. When I’d gently bring it up, my boyfriend would smile that same soft smile.
« Baby, a ring isn’t the main thing, » he’d say. « I’m saving. I want to do it right. I want to give you everything. »
I believed him. Every single time.
I caught myself glancing at his hands.
