As much as I wanted to run out to purchase a ring and secure its place on Cora's finger, that task didn't prove to be as seamless as I believed it would be. I'm not sure what I thought it would cost, but I hadn't anticipated choosing between a diamond and a down payment on a home. She was worth every penny, but it had to be the perfect ring to invest that kind of money. And thus far, it felt like I'd been to every jewelry store in town and left empty handed. At the end of the day, I couldn't tell anyone what I had in mind—I just knew I hadn't found it.
Cora hadn't made an issue out of getting engaged; in fact, neither of us had even mentioned it since we'd left Chapel Hill. We both assumed we'd be together forever…her parents weren't around, and our only family already shared an apartmen
