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“I would be delighted,” I say. It’s not even a lie. Not really. The ring has me converted. “Until death do us part—or the contract expires, I guess.”
In a gesture as sweet as it is unexpected, he grasps my hand, kissing my knuckles.
“And not a minute longer,” he promises.
Yeah, way to completely detonate my heart.
Sighing, I smile.
“Until then, Junie, I promise I’ll do everything I can to make it as painless as possible.”
“How romantic.” I wiggle my fingers so the ring catches the light. Damn, these diamonds are enormous. “You didn’t need to do this, you know. You could’ve just sent the ring with one of the letters you love sending.”
“Call me old-fashioned. I believe in doing this romance shit properly.” He leans down to stroke Catness one more time.
But there’s nothing proper about this. I zoned out on him, and he was probably worried I was about to send him packing with his ring and bow out of the whole thing.
Maybe that’s why he came over in the first place. To make sure I wasn’t going to bolt and toss the ring in the trash.
“Well, thanks,” I say, following him to the door. “At least now I can honestly tell people I’ve been engaged, though with this thing, they won’t need to ask.”
“I won’t ask you to wear it all the time. Just keep it with you.” For a second, he looks troubled, before a thin smile crosses his face and warms his eyes. “Just in case.”
I hold up my hand. “Um, there’s no way I’m losing this thing. It’s worth more than my IRA.”
“Thanks again for humoring an idiot who ought to know better, Sweet Stuff.” He leans forward and kisses my cheek before turning and heading out the door.
I watch it close behind him with my heart skipping.
But as soon as he’s gone, I flatten myself against the door, idly slumping down to pet Catness as he rubs my ankles and purrs loudly.
Once upon a very stupid time in my life, I dreamed Liam would propose like this.
Well, not exactly like this, maybe—I dreamed of grander settings—but with the same sort of ring and the same heat in his eyes.
With the same sense that my life is finally going in the right direction and he’s ready to share it.
Instead, I get Dexter Rory.
Gorgeous, rich, totally unobtainable Dexter, whose proposal is just a joke to keep the biggest scheme of my life going.
I wasn’t good enough for Liam. I’m barely good enough for Dexter to use as a prop.
A glittering, bright-eyed prop with diamonds on my finger just to prove a point.
I can’t forget that.
I can’t forget this ring is nothing more than a weird gesture of gratitude, however amazing it looks.
So I pull it off before it inspires any other bitter thoughts and return to my cold chili, trying not to collapse into the hole in my heart.
12
SWEET CELEBRATION (DEXTER)
Business doesn’t stop just because I’ve got a bone to pick with my dumbass brother and the deal with Haute now hinges on a pretty redhead with another large investment on her finger.
I drive across town to another Kansas City rental—Parisian Oasis—one of our acquisitions last year. It’s a beautiful condo that’s about to welcome its first guests after extensive renovations.
