Page 47 of Fall Over You

“We can’t just hard launch an engagement, right? No one will buy it.”

Becca waves a hand through the air. “Yeah, so line dancing night Wednesday, a whirlwind romance, then boom, proposal.”

A waft of her pretty, flowery scent hits my nose and I resist the urge to step closer and get a better whiff. “When, next week?”

“I think we have to go on a date this week, don’t you?” she asks.

“This is your territory. You’re the good liar.”

She squints at me. “I’m going to pretend that’s a compliment so I don’t tweak your ear right off your head.” She reaches up to pinch the offending appendage. I fully deserve it. “I think you should get me a big ol’ ring. Let everybody know that you’re so proud I’m yours. You need to scream it from the rooftops.”

“I can’t afford a big ring,” I sigh. “Try again.”

She picks up her laptop from next to me and opens it, typing in her password. “They make fakes. They’re pretty good these days.”

“Right, but if we get you a big ring then go ask for money, that’s not the best look to the banker,” I explain.

She shrugs. “Yeah? We tell them how frugal you were with the fake.”

I chuckle. “Knowing you, they’ll think you stole it.”

Her jaw drops. “I know they don’t trust me, but I don’t think they think I’m a thief!”

I loll my head at her. “Reba. Come on. They don’t think highly of you. And I’m pretty sure I’ve watched you steal something before. Might have even driven the getaway car.”

That memory makes my stomach dip. Dusty made me do it, saying Becca had something to “take care of.” All she did was run into the house of some girl who did her wrong, swipe something, and dash for the car so I could drive us away.

She sticks her tongue out, and I have to brace myself to keep from letting that affect me. “That was different. Colby cheated and got her due.”

I laugh and her grin is so wide. I forgot how fun it is to make her pleased with herself. She opens a browser tab, goes to a bargain site with fast delivery, and starts browsing ring sets.

“Ooh, Ty, look at that one.”

I lean in, looking at what must be a football-sized stone. This is all so strange. I thought marriage was no longer a possibility for me after CJ left and I’m too beaten down to even think of dating. And now I’m entertaining marrying CJ’s best friend, my best friend’s sister? It’s not a normal marriage, but my mind starts to imagine what it would be like if it was. Becca lying naked in bed, examining that massive rock on her hand, grinning because I gave it to her. Sneaking up behind her and pulling her hair away from her neck, placing kisses all down her neck and spine until⁠—

“Ty?”

I shake my head to clear it. “What? That one? No. That’s huge.”

She scoffs. “Three carats isn’t that big.”

“It’s enormous!” I object. “No one’s going to believe I can afford that.”

“But you can afford it, Big Daddy,” she tries, batting her lashes at me. I clench my jaw because I was just imagining her naked and now she’s calling me that. “The whole set is only eighty bucks.”

“Yeah. No.”

“I’ll go halfsies with you,” she offers.

“It ruins the whole story we’re trying to sell!”

“No, it doesn’t! It tells everyone that you’re so swept away by my love that you had to give me the biggest ring money could buy.”

I scrape my fingers over my forehead. “It’s going to look like a bubblegum machine ring. No one will believe a bubblegum machine ring.”

She puffs out her lip and turns toward me. “Aww, Ty. Are you saying you want me to have a nicer ring?”

My jaw clenches. “I’m saying you need to have a believable ring. One where I did the best I could with my modest means.”