Page 114 of Temporary Vows

“We’ll go with whatever you want.”

“Don’t you want some say in it?”

“No. Sorry, Little Lamb, I don’t have time for things like that. I just want it done.”

She blinks, then straightens. “Right. I guess I’ll just go with what I think is best.”

“Perfect.” I stand, but she doesn’t take her eyes off me. “I’ll be away for a few days.”

“Business?”

I could say yes. I am heading to Chicago to meet a client. It’s the truth. But if we’re to live separate lives, she needs to understand that from now on. So do I.

“Elodie,” I say her name in a low voice.

“Yes.”

“It’s probably wise to stop asking me where I’m going. It may not always bebusiness. Separate lives, remember?”

The light in her eyes dims before I even finish speaking.“Right. Of course.”

Just then, Albert appears at the door. “Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Vale.”

“What is it?”

“Miss Susan called. She’s confirmed for this evening. She asked if you’ll be meeting her at the restaurant or if you’d prefer I arrange the suite.”

Elodie tenses, and I can see from the way her shoulders settle she’s already formed a conclusion about who Susan is from the message.

I won’t correct her.

“The suite,” I reply to Albert.

He dips his head and leaves.

Elodie keeps her gaze lowered, her jaw tightening as if she’s forcing herself not to react.

And for the first time in my life, I feel like an asshole, but I walk out anyway, leaving the tension between us to linger.

Chapter 26

Elodie

Skylar watches me with caution as I hold my engagement ring up to the light.

We’re sitting opposite each other on the grass in the school quad. It’s early—before school. Usually, we’d meet in the breakroom and have coffee, but I needed the air.

I keep my eyes glued to the ring. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.

The sunlight instantly catches it, making the diamond sparkle like a million stars are being held captive within the glass. I swear everyone can see it from here.Everyone in the world.

I’ve hardly seen real diamonds in real life, let alone one like this. And there’s no way I thought I’d everownone.

Assholes don’t tend to buy things with such sentiment for people who don’t matter. Then again, not even the ring is about me. It’s about him—Dorian. When people see me wearing such a lavish piece of jewelry, it makes him look good.

It’s from Graff, and I think it might be custom made. It looks it.

My mother loved jewelry. She said you could tell when a piece was uniquely designed because there was alwayssomething about the craftsmanship that felt personal. Mom could go a step further and tell you about unusual settings, mixed metals, and design details I never would’ve noticed.