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than the other person wants to get it. It’s an interesting
thing.” Jesse bit his lower lip and for the first time looked uncomfortable. “But
back to your grandmother…”
    Part of Christopher wanted to challenge Jesse’s change of
topic and make him explain what was so interesting about it, but then a tiny
crinkle appeared between Jesse’s eyes and Christopher let him move on.
    “Okay, so,” Jesse said. “Do you know if she likes any gems
in particular? Or has any favorite jewelry of her own?”
    “No…well, yes. She wears a ring my grandfather brought back
from Germany after the war. And that’s about it.”
    “Tell me about it.”
    “It’s gold. It has tiny oak leaves that’ve been pinned on
one by one. They hold two baby deer teeth in place. A lot of people think they’re
shiny moonstones or something if you don’t know, but nope, they’re deer teeth.”
    “Deer teeth,” Jesse murmured, making notes.
    “My grandfather left a gold band with a German jeweler and
said he’d be passing back through in a few months if he survived, and could the
guy please make something beautiful for his girl back home.”
    Jesse looked up, focusing intently on Christopher.
    “And when he went back, the guy had made him this ring. It
had deer teeth in it.”
    “For luck,” Jesse said. “It’s called Jagdschmuck .
Hunting jewelry. It’s an old German legend that setting the teeth—or tusk,
bone, or hair—of an animal a hunter had killed into a piece of jewelry would
bring him luck on his next hunt. Interesting symbolism given the war and your
grandfather being a soldier.”
    “You think he was passing on his hunting luck to my
grandfather?”
    Jesse shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe he just thought your
grandfather wouldn’t come back, and he’d made the ring for himself.”
    “It’s a decidedly feminine piece,” Christopher said,
thinking back to the unique ring he’d always seen on his grandmother’s hand.
    “Then maybe he was wishing your grandmother luck on snaring
her wild beast of a soldier upon his return.”
    Christopher chuckled, his heart tripping a little at the way
Jesse’s thick lashes lay against his cheeks as he smiled down at his notes. “I
suppose we’ll never know.”
    “Each piece has a secret story. But the piece will never
tell,” Jesse said, his head down still as he wrote. “I think I have an idea for
the front, but I need some time with it. Can we meet again on…” He consulted a
calendar on his desk. “Wednesday? I’ll have a sketch for you.”
    “I could only meet in the evening,” Christopher said. “I’m
scheduled for performances all day.”
    “That’s fine. How about six o’clock?”
    “Okay, but sometimes I have to take on last-minute shows at
night. It depends on…things.”
    “Let me guess, it depends on if Lash is sober enough to get
on the stage, but drunk enough to put on a show,” Jesse said. “Don’t look
surprised. I’ve known Lash since I was a kid. He was drinking even back then.”
    “Oh. So you’re from around here?”
    Somehow he’d just assumed that Jesse was from somewhere
else. He didn’t have a strong accent, and he had such good taste, and so much
skill. It seemed impossible to Christopher that Jesse could really be from Tennessee,
too.
    Well, ain’t you just a little self-hatin’
hick? Gran scolded in his mind. You’re Appalachian,
boy. Be proud of it because you ain’t never gonna be nothing else.
    Jesse spread his arms wide, encompassing the room, the town,
and the mountains in his next words. “Gatlinburg. Born and bred. Wouldn’t live
anywhere else.”
    “Really?”
    “Absolutely. Okay, let’s plan on Wednesday evening. Just
call me if there’s a problem, and we’ll figure something out. I’m excited to
work with you, Christopher.”
    Jesse licked his lips. They were shiny and perfect, and
Christopher could imagine too clearly the slick slide of them against his own.
A coil of want gripped him, and he was struck