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“I’ll let you know.”
I head into the bathroom and remove my sweat-soaked clothes. I expect her to come in to discuss this further, but she doesn’t. When I come out of the shower, her suitcase is gone and so is she. I feel the divide starting again. I don’t know why a simple discussion turns into a battle. I don’t want it to. When I get to the office, I text her even before I check my emails.
Are you pissed at me? Please don’t be.
I’m not pissed. I can’t take the day off. Don’t take it personally.
I’m not satisfied with the tone of her text, but I decide not to pursue our conversation further. My assistant, Jan, buzzes my phone letting me know that one of my programmers needs to speak with me. And it starts.
It’s a good thing I didn’t take off today because my phone would have been blowing up all day. It’s been one thing after another. The proposal for Fairfield came back, and Emily won’t be in the office for another two days. She’s the only one that I trust to check it over to make sure we crossed all our T’s and dotted all our I’s. I have two other attorneys, but Emily is familiar. It will have to wait until Wednesday.
Jordan Grayson calls me to ask if I want to have drinks after work. I’m surprised, but since he’s an investor, I say yes. I’m going to have to let Lana know I have a business dinner.
I’m going to be late tonight. Jordan Grayson wants to discuss the investment.
I think I should sleep at my place then. I don’t want to be alone.
Lana, please sleep with me tonight. I won’t be that late.
Why don’t you just come to my place when you’re done? You never do.
Okay. I’ll call you when I’m on my way. I love you.
I don’t dislike Lana’s apartment, but I prefer the comfort of my own. Her bed is only a queen, and the shower stall is not as large as mine. Maybe I should ask her to move in with me; that would solve the problem of two places. Of course, I would need to find the right time because we’re a little rocky right now.
Chapter 7
“Paige, do you think this is the right one?”
“I think so. I took her shopping with me a couple of weeks ago, and we looked at rings. She wanted something simple.”
I’m standing in front of the jewelry case in a store in midtown, holding the engagement ring up to the light. It’s a simple three-carat emerald cut diamond with a gold band. We’ve been getting along great for the past two months, even though I’m still working late some days.
I recently asked her to move in with me for the fifth time, and she finally said yes. This weekend we’re packing up her personal things and moving her to my place. She’s keeping her apartment and will rent it starting in December. She has no idea that I’m going to ask her to marry me.
I spoke to her parents a couple of weeks ago and asked permission to marry her. Her father was a bit reticent, but I promised him that I would love her and treat her well. He grumbled but gave me his blessing. Libby was a lot easier to convince and agreed that we made the perfect couple right away.
I’m taking Lana to Albany to meet my parents for Thanksgiving. Paige is staying in the city to celebrate with Ben. I told her she should introduce Ben to our parents, but she isn’t ready for them to meet him. They can be somewhat critical of her choices, which is why she went to USC and moved to Manhattan rather than go back to Albany.
I hand the ring back to the clerk and tell him that I’ll take it. While he’s wrapping it up, I find a delicate gold chain with a small round locket, which I ask him to add to the purchase. After we’re done, ring box securely in my front pocket and the necklace in a bag, we head to dinner.
Paige has been the one pushing me to ask Lana to marry me. She’s right. We’ve been together for six months, and I knew it before, and I still know that she’s the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.
I pull the collar of my pea coat up when we get outside. The wind has picked up, and I should have worn a hat. It’s an unusually cold day for nearing the end of November, and I wonder if the Thanksgiving Day parade will be as chilly. We take a cab to my favorite steakhouse, Molly McGiven’s. After we’re seated, Paige begins to question me.
“Where are you going to do it?”
“I haven’t decided.”
“You should do it at mom and dad’s on Thanksgiving.”
“No, that’s silly. I want it to be just us. Maybe I should take her to dinner and drop down on one knee.”
“That’s a cliché. How many guys do that? I hope Ben doesn’t.”
I raise an eyebrow, “Want to tell me something?”
“No. We aren’t even close to getting married, but I love him. He’s different.”
