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The door opens, and in she walks.
I swear the whole room gets brighter with her in it. She looks just as cute as this morning, maybe even more-so, because a few curly wisps of hair have escaped from her braid.
“How was school?” I ask, making an effort to sit up straighter. I’ve kind of slouched down in the bed as the day’s gone on.
“Fine. I guess. I couldn’t focus.”
I smirk.
“Too much texting?”
She shoots me a harried look as she sets down the school bag I bought for her.
“Technically you sent more text messages than I did,” she replies sourly. “And you didn’t need to tell Enzo to take away my phone, by the way. I don’t even usually text in class.”
“You did today. You messaged me first.”
“Yeah, because I needed to make sure you hadn’t passed out or something without me here to watch you.”
It’s adorable the way she tries to mask her concern behind irritation. She looks pissed, but even now she can’t stop her feet from carrying her towards my bedside. There’s a little worried divot between her ginger eyebrows that I want to poke. I would do it, too, if lifting my arm didn’t feel like such a pain in the ass right now.
“How are you feeling?” she asks quietly. “You look flushed.”
“Probably because my fiancée just walked in.”
Her mouth twists.
“Could you be serious for two minutes? Also, I’m not sure how comfortable I feel about you calling me that. I haven’t exactly-”
Her words go silent when her eyes settle on my bedside table.
She sees the ring box. I left it open specifically for this moment, the single solitaire diamond luminescent on its wings of platinum.
She stares and stares. And doesn’t say a thing.
Nerves prickle along my spine. It’s the perfect ring for her. I’m sure of it.
I… think.
Fuck.
I am going to tear Bruno a new one I swear to fucking God.
“If you don’t like it,” I say without emotion, “we’ll exchange it.”
She didn’t get to pick her groom. I guess I can at least let her pick her ring.
She startles, like I’ve woken her from a dream.
“Oh, no. It’s not that,” she whispers quickly. “I definitely don’t dislike it.”
Satisfaction spreads through me, hot and venomous.
“Try it on.”
“Oh, Elio…” She shakes her head. She’s shutting down. Trying to put distance between us.
“Deirdre,” I throw her name like a grappling hook, trying to pull her back. “I told you before that I would get a ring on your finger even if you were trying to claw my eyes out. Are you going to put a sick and injured man through all that? Or are you going to be good and do what I ask?”
