“Max shook his head in dismay. “Man, she’s agreed to marry you, but you haven’t closed the deal yet. James may get away with it, you won’t. He’s after all, officially a husband. Women take a lot of shit from their husbands. Not so much for their fiances. I suggest you get Christy jewelry. The more expensive the better.”“Nah, my woman is a geek. Jewelry doesn’t work with her.”

“Shepley jogged around the front of the Charger, and then slid into the driver’s seat. “I’m still taking the official position that this is a bad idea.”“Noted.”“Then where?”“Steiner’s.”“The jewelry store?”“Yep.”“Why, Travis?” Shepley said, his voice more stern than before.“You’ll see.”He shook his head. “Are you trying to run her off?”“It’s going to happen, Shep. I just want to have it. For when the time is right.”“No time any time soon is right. I am so in love with America that it drives me crazy sometimes, but we’re not old enough for that shit, yet, Travis. And … what if she says no?”My teeth clenched at the thought. “I won’t ask her until I know she’s ready.”Shepley’s mouth pulled to the side. “Just when I think you can’t get any more insane, you do something else to remind me that you are far beyond bat shit crazy.”“Wait until you see the rock I’m getting.”Shepley craned his neck slowly in my direction. “You’ve already been over there shopping, haven’t you?”I smiled.”

“It’s my husband. I think— I think he’s a zombie.” I smiled. “Believe it or not, I get this one a lot. Can you describe his behavior? Why do you think he’s a zombie?” She huffed. “He doesn’t do anything! He sits on the sofa all day watching TV and that’s it.”

“Don't leave a piece of jewelry at his house so you can go back and get it later; he may be with his real girlfriend.”

“A man who respects his wife, does not sleep with other women. And a woman who respects herself does not allow her husband to get away with it”

“When you take a woman away from her man, what you get is a woman who can be taken away from her man.”