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“That’s what you want to know.”
“Fuck yeah. How long ago was this, and don’t leave out any details. If I’m your fiancé, I certainly need to know that you were almost engaged before me.”
She points her finger at me. “I was never almost engaged. I said no.”
“Clearly. Why?”
Her hands fly up. “Because we dated only a year, and that’s not enough time to know if you want to spend your life with someone.”
“Sounds like it could be.”
She rolls her eyes. “Says the man who breaks up with a woman at six months because …”
“Because I know by six months that we aren’t meant to be. Sometimes sooner.”
Grace pulls her bottom lip into her mouth.
“What do you think people will say when we get to six months and still aren’t married?”
“They won’t have anything to say, because we will still be engaged.”
“Oh, come on, Preston. We might fool the world for a few months, but six months is your MO. If we don’t set a date or take another step by that time, someone is going to come snooping.”
“Maybe, maybe not.”
She groans and tries to walk by me, but I reach out, my palm flattening against her stomach to stop her.
She turns her head toward me, and I turn mine, our lips dangerously close.
“You’re upset about this,” I state the obvious.
“Yes. We need to be smart and stay one step ahead of everyone.”
“So you’re saying we should set a date?”
“God, no.” She laughs. “We aren’t actually getting married, Preston. You know this.”
“Yeah, Sunny, I’m aware.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Why not? Couples have nicknames. We’ve established this.”
She’s backtracking.
I don’t like it.
“Not this couple,” she quips. “And I was referring to the fact that I don’t have a ring. It’s a detail Brad noticed and we didn’t.”
She opens her door, pausing when she sees the coffee in my hand. Her gaze finds mine for a brief moment. “Thank you for bringing me my coffee.”
She takes it from me and starts to walk out.
“Did you eat lunch?” I ask, ignoring the ring comment. I already have plans for that.
She looks over her shoulder. “Not yet.”
“Let’s go eat.” I leave no room for argument.
