“Okay, I’m just going to say the thing. And I know you’re going to dismiss it but I’m going to put it out there. I can pay your tuition and other expenses while you’re in school.”
“You want me to quit my job?”
“Not quit. You own the agency. But you could take a hiatus. Hire another realtor and collect a percentage of their sales. That would be additional income, so you didn’t have to deplete your savings. And with your tuition and mortgage covered all you’d have to think about is studying.”
“I love that you want to take care of me and that you support me?—”
“But?”
“We’re not even official yet.”
“That’s just logistics.”
“I have a plan. It’s a good plan.”
“I respect that you have this law school thing all figured out. I’d expect nothing less. But I’m offering an alternative solution. One that was not available when you crafted your initial plan.”
“Look at me.” Danessa grabbed my chin. “I only need you. I don’t want to be another person you have to take care of. The cute last-minute getaways, fancy cars, and gifts, while all nice, are not a requirement. I do not expect those things. I do expect for you to show up for me, support me, and make me feel safe and listened to.”
“Dating me comes with perks.” I took a sip of my tea.
“Covering law school and my mortgage is a pretty big perk.”
“You know if you wanted the rings around Saturn, I would hire a team of experts to craft a spaceship, go on a one-man mission, and yank that shit out of the galaxy.”
“I know.”
I pulled her hand from my cheek and gave it a squeeze. “So let me do this for you. Not out of obligation but because I can and want to.”
Danessa’s soft amber eyes settled on my features. She opened her mouth to speak but quickly shut it.
“Let me take care of you, it’s the least I can do. And when you really think about it, for a guy as rich as me, thirty grand is equivalent to a regular guy paying your phone bill. It’s light work.”
“Well when you put it that way … okay.”
“Yeah?” The shock was written all over my face. I expected a hard no.
“All I can hear is Anika calling me a dumb bitch if I told her I’d declined your offer. So yes.”
“Consider it done.”
“Thank you. I feel extremely guilty, but grateful.”
Glancing at my watch, I gulped down the rest of my tea. “We need to head out if we’re gonna make our couple’s massage.”
“Mhmm, massages, well-appointed hotels, free law school a girl could get used to this.”
“That’s the plan.”
After our full-bodymassages that left me knocked out on the massage table, we headed back to the suite. Danessa was chatty, talking about how great her masseuse was and how she needed to do this more often. All I could offer was occasional uh-huhs because as we got closer to our room, the knot in my stomach tightened. Opening the door, I stood aside so Danessa could enter first. Her loud gasp reached me from the breezeway.
“What have you done?” She called out.
“Wait you didn’t do this?” I teased. I entered the room now dimly lit with candles, red rose petals were sprinkled across the floor and over the bed. Various gift bags from some of Danessa’s favorite name-brand boutiques were displayed in the center of the bed. Above the bed were heart shaped balloons highlighted by red balloons spelling out,Will you be my girlfriend?
“Aldridge.” She pushed me playfully but I could still make out the distress on her face.
“Don’t even think about telling me this is too much and you don’t deserve it.”
