“Indulge me,” he says, taking my hand again.
Dammit. I nearly escaped. At least headwear isn’t dangerous.
The room is blue and gray, with tones of silver and gold.And so many twinkling stones.I’m drawn to where dozens of tiaras twinkle iridescently from nooks set in the wall.
“The Lotus Flower Tiara,” Mr. Jones begins, noticing my interest in a tiara festooned with pearls. “A replica, of course. The original was a necklace gifted to Queen Elizabeth, the queen mother, by her husband, the then-future George VI.”
He had me atqueen, not that I’m into the royals, but I do love history. And this country has so darn much.
“It’s beautiful.”
“It was made here at Garrard, and then remodeled into the design you see today. Would you like to try it on?”
“Oh, no?” I hold up my hand. “I’m fine.”
“Do it,” Oliver whispers tauntingly in my ear.
“No.” I whip around to find him standing too close, his blue eyes blazing, goading me on. “I’m not—”
“Lift it down, Mr. Jones. I’m sure Eve would love to try it on.”
“Stop making decisions for me,” I whisper, conflicted. Of course I want to try on the damn thing, but I don’t want or need his permission.
“When will you next get the chance to try on a piece of history?”
Does he know? Did I mention my love of old stuff to him?
“Not an actual piece of history,” Mr. Jones puts in. He already has the thing in his hand.
What the heck. My fingers pull at my silky scrunchy, tightening it, hoping it’s not too messy. I reach out for the tiara, when I find it being passed into Oliver’s out-held hands.
“Allow me.”
Something inside me twists needily as he sets it on my head.He’s too close. It feels wrong, more dangerous than before.I spin away to face the mirror, finding myself blinking slowly into a face I don’t recognize. I’m not some girl from the backwoods, but I’ve never been impressed by baubles and trinkets. I’m practical. Low key. Yet here I stand, in the middle of moneyed Mayfair, wearing diamonds on my head andlovingit.
“All that glitters,” I whisper.
“Isn’t gold.” In the mirror, Oliver appears behind me, his eyes not on the diamonds and pearls but on my hair. “It’s champagne, with threads of copper, amber, and ruby red.” His gaze meets mine in the mirror when he adds, “It needs no adornment because it’s beautiful. Just like you.”
Chapter 27
EVIE
After my reaction in the jewelry store, I spend the next few days making sure I’m around Oliver as little as possible. I go to work, take on an extra shift, and go to Nora’s so often I think she must be sick of the sight of me. It feels like Bo and I walk the length and breadth of London, pausing only for coffee (a puppuccino for him) and snacks in outdoor cafés. We sit under a variety of trees and parasols as I try not to contemplate life and the mess I’m making of it as London bustles by. I’m not just avoiding Oliver; I’m avoiding the feelings that being near him bring. I can’t think straight when he’s standing in front of me.
Meanwhile, the ring from Garrard sits on the dresser in my bedroom, a daily reminder of the mess I’ve gotten myself into.
“This is for you.”
I jolt at the sound of Oliver’s voice, almost dropping my toast in shock. I know he already left because I waited until I heard the door click closed before leaving my room.
He sets a folder on the table next to my napkin.
“Visa stuff?” As I glance up, I find he’s wearing black-framed glasses. I discovered last week that he wears them for reading. I’d smiled and squirreled away the tiny fact, imagining his vanity hadkept it from me. This morning, it feels more like a reminder that we’re not in a relationship.
“I thought you’d want to read through the paperwork.” Sliding the frames from his face, he folds them and slips them into his jacket pocket. His chosen suit is navy today, his shirt open at the neck, his watch a chunky silver Chopard. “Ariana said she’d taken you through the gist of things before she submitted the application.”
“Yeah, she did. And I got my receipt with the processing times. It seems you’ll have your house before my visa comes through.”
