Chapter. 21

There were infinite ring purchase possibilities glittering before us. I paced around the display cases, mentally marking my “maybes.”

Damon camped out at the far end of the case, waiting. “What are you looking for, exactly?”

“I don’t know! It’s all so exciting! I’ve never been ring shopping before.” The display cases were slightly warm from all the lights inside.

“You never thought about it?”

“No, I always knew my dad was saving my mother’s ring for me.” It was a little piece of their love story to carry with me. The heirloom of my late mother. A promise Todd and I made to one another… before he broke my trust and my heart by selling off the company. It was a sign of Dad’s approval, too. Another part of the legacy withheld until I got married.

“Roy won’t give it to me,” Damon said, crossing his arms. It was a statement and a question all wrapped in one.

“Probably not, no.” I sighed and turned to another case. “On the bright side, this means I get to pick my own ring! There are so many styles, it’s hard to know what will look good on me.”

“Why don’t you try a little bit of everything?” he offered, coming forward to peer at the pink diamonds. “In high school, you used to wear that pretty sakura blossom ring. I haven’t seen you wear any lately.”

“Aww, now who has the photographic memory?” I teased, wiggling my finger at his forehead.

He shooed my hand away, laughing. “Will you stop and pick a ring, already?”

“Hello!” A brightly-dressed woman in a tight blouse and pencil skirt scuttled over to us from another jewelry section, her gaze fixed on Damon. “Do you need any assistance?”

“Yes, she’d like to try some styles, please,” he said.

“Anything you need!” she purred, slowly bending over the center register to grab some keys and wiggle her hips.

I rolled my eyes.

Yes, Damon was cute, but he was also taken. Sort of taken. Buying a ring for the woman with him, at least. Would I be coming on too strong if I wrapped my arms around him? I didn’t want to come off as clingy or jealous. This was a business arrangement.

Damon nudged my arm and pointed to a display, asking, “What do you think of pink? Or do you want a classic diamond?”

“I’m open to suggestions!” I said. “Why don’t we both pick three and see what works best?”

“Deal!”

We shook hands hard, then raced around the jewelry case to make our choices. I ended up waving at and calling the saleswoman for attention while Damon only had to breathe in her direction and she was practically leaping over the counter to help him.

She kept complimenting his suit. Listening to them chat about “good taste” was making my blood boil. Especially when I heard her asking, “What do you want? You can pick more than one, you know. I won’t tell.”

Who was she kidding?! Damon wasn’t marrying me for love, but he wasn’t about to pick up a side piece in front of me!

In the end, we had diamonds and bands of six different styles. The saleswoman pulled them from their satin cushions so I could try them on. I wiggled my fingers, getting used to the feel and sparkle of each.

“What do you think?” Damon asked, studying my face intensely.

“They’re all pretty.” I shrugged and flipped one around for the price tag. “What do they cost?”

The sales lady whipped one out of its holster. “This one is the most valuable.” She slid it onto her own finger and stroked her hand. “Diamonds all the way around with the 15 carat centerpiece. What do you think?”

Damon took my hand and brushed his lips across my knuckles, looking up at me under his long lashes. “No ring can compare to my most darling fiance.”

Heat burst across my chest and cheeks. Wow, he was laying it on kind of thick for a random sales lady! Even Todd wasn’t this nice to me.

I fanned myself, laughing nervously. “You’re so sweet!”

He smirked. “Only for you, baby.”

Oh, how he loved to tease.

I squeezed his hand before releasing it to remove the ring. “We’re not interested in your offerings today, thanks,” I told the saleslady.

Her eyes popped wide as she reeled back from the counter. “What?! But—”

“My fiance does have good taste, and he certainly wouldn’t want to tie the memory of us buying a ring to someone disrespecting our relationship in the hopes they could secure a sugar daddy.”

Damon’s mouth fell open. “I’m not old enough to be a sugar daddy!”

I tugged him by the crook of his elbow. “The size of your heart is more important than the size of your wallet, sweetie. And yours is the biggest I’ve ever had the pleasure of...”

He bit his lip, eyes shining with glee.

“Don’t make this dirty!” I chided, playfully slapping his arm.

“I’m not! Honestly!”

By the time we got back to the courtyard of the outdoor mall, he was laughing and I was shaking my head. At least the breeze cooled my warm cheeks.

“Thanks for talking to that saleslady,” Damon told me. “It’s good to know I can use you as protection against any gold digger wannabees.” He looked over his shoulder as we walked on to the next shop and confided, half-joking, “Ever since I started wearing nice suits, they’ve been after me.”

“You’ve always been attractive,” I reasoned.

“You think they appreciate my charming personality?” He grinned.

“I mean, the only reason girls weren’t all over you in high school was because you were with me. I bet as soon as you went to college…” I swallowed hard around the lump in my throat. That would’ve been right after we broke up.

I averted my gaze to the shop windows, trying to look past our reflection as a well-dressed, happy couple.

Damon rubbed the back of his neck. “You’ve got...a lot going for you, too. Were your would-be suitors just as bad?”

“Many were interested in a role at my father’s company.” I sighed and leaned into his side. “Between work and my MBA, I didn’t have much time to date. But now I have a perfectly acceptable arrangement,” I teased, tugging on his arm. “So, what do you say we find a pretty ring on sale and call it a day?”

“We need to have a better story than that!” he huffed, guiding us towards the parking lot. “No, none of these are right. I want a better sense of your style. Let’s have lunch at your place.”

The idea of having Damon over twisted my stomach in knots. “Should we pick up something on the way?”

“Yeah, groceries. I want to see if you’ve gotten any better at cooking,” he teased.

“Great, so now I have to plan a wedding, a merger, and a meal?”

“Try not to burn anything.” He winked.