I hold my breath, afraid she’s going to press the issue.
But then she coughs, her shoulders shaking violently. Once she recovers, she offers me a smile as frail as her body and says to Victoria, “I like your fiancé. I can’t wait for the wedding. It’s what I’m looking forward to most this Christmas.”
Victoria looks at me uneasily, and I give her my most confident smile, silently promising everything is going to be okay.
“It’s gonna be here before we know it.” Anna claps her hands together, frantic energy whipping through her. “I’m already negotiating with the Rose Hotel. They have the best venue in town. But it’s very popular, so it might take a bit of time to finalize things.”
“The Rose Hotel?” Concern crinkles Victoria’s forehead as she gnaws on her lower lip. “Isn’t that really expensive?”
Anna slings an arm around her daughter’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ve been saving for this since you were sixteen. I want to give you the absolute best wedding.”
While I can tell she’s appreciative, I also see the guilt swimming through those endlessly blue eyes. I shift closer and slip her hand into mine, giving it a comforting squeeze.
Our gazes meet, igniting a zip of electricity across my skin, and everything else momentarily fades away.
It’s just me and her, come what may.
Dinner is delicious and filled with happy chatter and laughter, but I catch Anna watching Victoria and I closely a couple of times.
As our meal comes to a close, she slides plates aside and braces her forearms on the table. “All right, tell me, where did you two meet?”
Victoria and I exchange a glance. I’m kicking myself for not thinking up a story earlier, but it’s too late to do anything about it now.
“In a restaurant,” Victoria blurts out at the exact time I say, “On the streets of New York.”
We both freeze, wide eyes aimed at each other.
Suspicion flickers into Anna’s gaze. “Well, which is it? I didn’t expect to get different answers-sounds like y’all need to get your stories straight.”
Victoria lets out a nervous laugh. “I mean… we met on the street. Simon fell for me at first sight, and then he took me to a restaurant. That’s when our relationship really started for me.”
Beneath the table, I glide a knuckle over her arm. At the goose bumps that spread across her silky soft skin, my pulse skitters faster. “Yes, it was truly serendipitous.”
Anna studies us for a moment before she seems to shrug off her momentary cynicism. “Your relationship is moving fast. But I guess when you meet the right person, things just fall into place. Your late father and I fell in love at first sight too.”
At the relax of Victoria’s shoulders, my tensed muscles ease as well.
But then Anna frowns down at Victoria’s bare hand, her leeriness returning in a flash. “All this time I’ve been waiting to see it in person, and it’s not even on your finger. If you’re about to get married, where’s your engagement ring?”
Simon
I see the panic in Victoria’s eyes when she stares at her bare ring finger, and I’m glad I took the measures that I did yesterday so I can step in and fix it.
“Clumsy girl,” I tease, with an affectionate tap to her cute button nose. She crinkles it up when she thinks or when she’s nervous, something I feel the urge to instantly soothe. “You almost lost the ring while washing your hands.”
I reach into the inner pocket of my jacket and withdraw a black velvet box. “Good thing I kept it safe for you.”
Victoria blinks, soft pink lips parted slightly. She looks from the ring to me, eyes a little dazed, and
God, I want to capture her mouth with mine and chase away the last of her concerns.
I wink, giving her a beat to catch up, and she shakes herself out of it.
“Oh right, good thing I have you,” she says with a beautiful smile that kicks me square in the gut. “I can be so forgetful. I’m fortunate that Simon always has my back.”
Now I’m the one paused in place, ring box resting in my palm. I’m not sure if she said it for show or if she truly means it, but I plan to prove to her that it’s one-hundred percent accurate.
She extends her dainty hand, so much smaller than mine, the important finger nominally lifted. My heart thunders within my chest as I slide the ring onto her finger. I inwardly pump my fist when it not only fits perfectly, it’s even prettier on her finger.
The large, three-carat cushion cut diamond winks in the light. The pave-set diamonds lining the band shimmer as well, enhancing the brilliance of the center gemstone without overshadowing it.
Not only does it look like it belongs to her, it also triggers a potent combo of possessiveness and pride that has my inner caveman declaring her
Mine.
Anna leans in, eyebrows arched up to her hairline. “Whoa, that diamond’s huge. Simon, I must say I’m impressed-it’s breathtakingly beautiful.”
“Just like its wearer,” I say, genuinely meaning it. Scoring me points with her family is just a bonus.
Victoria admires the ring, her smile almost cautious as she studies the way it glitters under the light.
She sways closer to me, speaking through one corner of her mouth and whispering, “Where did you get this? It looks like a real diamond.”
I mirror her posture, our shoulders knocking together as I whisper back, “That’s because it is a real diamond.”
At that, she blinks, blinks, blinks. First at me, then again at the ring. Her features smooth as she lifts it closer to study the design.
“How did you know?” she asks. “This ring looks just like the one I pinned on my dream-board. Classic and elegant, I move it the tiniest bit and?-“
She demonstrates, and we both watch it glitter in awe.
“It’s everything I’ve always wanted and more,” she whispers. “Thank you. I don’t know how you did it, but I seriously can’t thank you enough.”
“No need,” I say, extra glad I saved the board from the trash. It’s going to come in rather handy. Luis is nothing if not precise. He blew the both of us away with his pick, and I can’t wait to shower Victoria with all the gifts and the wedding she deserves.
Grandma Naomi yawns, which causes Anna to push away from the dining table.
“It’s getting late.” She steps through the open archway and grabs hold of our luggage. “You two must be tired from the trip. Let’s get you settled in. I’ve prepared a honeymoon suite for you.”
Pink flares through Victoria’s cheeks, something I’d be content to watch happen again and again if I had my way. Perhaps I could even inspire it.
“Mom! We haven’t had the wedding yet, so it might be awkward to sleep together… in the same room, I mean. For you guys’ sake,” she tacks on, and she’s bungled it so thoroughly not even I can fix it.
Well, I probably could, but I simply lack the motivation to do so. Watching her squirm is proving to be too much fun.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.