I was taken aback and instinctively touched my finger. Ever since Noah proposed, I'd worn that engagement ring every day. I was so used to it that I hadn't even noticed it was missing.
I must have left it upstairs.
Even with the courage from drinking, I was still a loser in front of Huston. I only remembered him laughing low in my ear, telling me not to bite him, but I had no idea when he took off my ring.
I calmly replied, "I went home in the afternoon, took it off while washing things, and forgot to put it back on."
Noah's phone rang, and his attention shifted away from me. He lit a cigarette and went to the balcony.
He chatted, and I tried to sleep, but I couldn't rest easy.
After thinking it over, I sent Huston a message, cautiously asking if the ring was at his place. He didn't reply, but he did post a status on Instagram—the only one on his feed.
If I wasn't already thinking about the ring, I probably wouldn't have understood the photo.
In the morning, as soon as Noah took the dog out for a walk, I rushed upstairs.
Huston was still yawning when he answered the door, shirtless. "If you'd slept here last night, I might've been a bit more interested."