Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16810 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 84(@200wpm)___ 67(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16810 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 84(@200wpm)___ 67(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
She seems breathless, despite sitting down and not doing anything.
I raise my coffee cup to her, out of lack of other options. “Then cheers. Let’s hear it for the start of something absolutely beautiful.”
She raises her cup too, and we bump the paper together, the meeting lacking the satisfying ‘clink’ of glass colliding. There would be plenty of time to enjoy the finer things of life together.
Olivia nervously sips her coffee. “So, uh... now that we’ve agreed to get married, what’s next? I kind of didn’t expect it to happen this fast so I didn’t exactly research what’s supposed to happen.”
“Well, first things first. If we’re going to get married, you’re going to need an engagement ring, sweetheart.”
“And you’re going to buy some girl you just met an expensive fancy ring?”
“Hey, I’m not buying some girl I just met a diamond ring. I’m buying a ring for my future wife. It’s different.”
“Even when it’s exactly the same.”
“Come on. Unless you already had other things planned for the day,” I say as I finish my coffee and stand up, offering my hand.
“My schedule is clear. I didn’t know where this date would go, so I didn’t make plans.”
“Fantastic. I know just the place.”
I lead her out of the coffee shop, her looking up at me, absolutely bewildered.
It was adorable. I could absolutely see myself falling madly in love with her.
Because really?
I think I already was.
5
OLIVIA
This is all so insane.
I went out to meet a guy who would be interested in marriage, yes, but I didn’t expect to go to that coffee shop only for my next stop to be a high-end jewelry boutique.
I’m surrounded by fine pieces, with exorbitant price tags.
“It’s perfectly fine if you want to get something more modest and pragmatic,” I say, dazzled by the shininess all around. “It’s not like this is the culmination of years of passionate courtship.”
“You’re going to be my wife and I intend to do this right, Olivia.”
“Meeting me for the first time in a coffee shop and immediately proposing to me? That’s the right way to do things?”
“Not the typical way to get engaged, I’ll admit. Maybe I just want to cut out all the waiting.”
“This is all happening so fast. It’s so hard to keep up.”
“I thought you wanted to get this done fast.”
I take a deep breath. I think about all my struggles to find a worthy man and how badly I wanted to skip over all the looking. It’s about more than that silly pact, although not letting Piper rub failure in my face would be nice too. “I do want that, yes.”
“Then let’s get you a ring, and after we can move on to the other things on our agenda.”
“Such as what?”
“Getting you wed, then getting you bred.”
I giggle. If it was anyone else saying those things, I’d be horribly offended. But Cameron saying them just feels different, like this is a good idea after all. He’s got a charm that I can’t resist, and while that may not be everything, he gives me good vibes about something that should damn well be absolutely insane.
“What can I get you two lovebirds?” a clerk says as she walks up to us with a smile.
As if on cue, Cameron pulls me closer in a side hug, rubbing my shoulder, making us look the part of the more traditional couple. “We’re looking for the finest engagement ring that you have. I’m sparing no expense for my beloved here.”
I stare at him with wide eyes. There’s no point in him acting like this. It’s not like the jeweler is going to refuse him the sale of any engagement or wedding rings if it seems that our love isn’t true.
“Well then, may I suggest one of these? Freshly in, from some of the world’s leading designers.”
She pulls out a display with half a dozen rings presented on it. All of them seem magnificent. Shining gold bands, huge diamonds, brilliantly designed filigrees. I’m stunned looking at them, and I’ve never imagined that such treasures could ever be for me.
“You got one you have your eye on, Olivia?”
“Can you afford one of these? They have to be absurdly expensive.”
“I wouldn’t have brought you here if I couldn’t afford it. Take your pick, sweetheart. Any of them you want, it’s yours.”
Their reflections glisten in my eye. Most of them are a bit excessive, to be totally honest. Way more extravagant than they have any right being. The gems are beautiful, but way too big and awkward to be on a ring of that size. My eyes focus on the slightly more restrained one, with the diamond that actually fits.
“Uh, I guess I’ll go with that one,” I say, pointing to the item in question.
“Ah, good taste,” the jeweler says as she removes it from the display and presents it to me. “It’ll be absolutely charming on your finger.”