My brothers came over to hug me as well, but being men, they didn’t really have any comments about the ring.
“You look so beautiful,” Tori said.
“Ford can’t stop staring at you,” Brooklyn noted. “I took tons of pictures already.”
I turned to find that she was right—Ford was standing at the other end of the garden, talking to his friends, but his eyes were fixated on me. On the dress. When I caught his eye, he gave me a wicked smile and a wink.
Even though I was annoyed that he had once again played me, I couldn’t help the thrill that ran through my body at his obvious attention. And I had to admit that he’d done everything right, at least as far as the whole “keeping up appearances” thing was concerned. Time to suck it up, make the small talk, and show off the ring like a good little fiancée would.
Even if I was seething all the while.
“Crab cake?” Tori asked.
A plate of canapés had been brought over to us, the waiters all dressed in suits and bow ties. I grabbed a crab cake and stuffed it in my mouth, though I barely tasted anything. The rest of the event seemed to pass in a blur.
None of it had gone how I had expected, and I was upset not just at Ford, but at myself. I couldn’t believe I’d actually thought that he had changed. That our relationship had changed. When of course it hadn’t. It was exactly the same as it had always been, where he made the decisions and expected me to go along with them, and I…well, I did.
Once again, Ford had successfully manipulated me.
And I just kept letting him.
Not anymore, I told myself, standing in the garden in my corsage and my dress, watching Ford make small talk in between bites of cocktail shrimp.
Soon enough, he was going to get an earful from me. Because I was going to make it perfectly clear to him that when it came to our fake engagement, he wouldn’t be the only one calling the shots.
Emzee
Chapter 18
Imade it through the rest of the evening with a fake smile on my face, grinding my teeth to keep it there. Ford came over every so often, tucking his arm around my waist, lifting my hand so that our guests could examine and compliment the heirloom engagement ring he’d given me.
It really was perfectly subtle, especially since I’d never been the type of girl who wanted some huge rock on her finger. Even though I was still angry at Ford, I couldn’t help admiring the ring every time I glanced down, appreciating the way the rows of antique diamonds sparkled in the moonlight and the glow of the candles that had been set up around the Aquatic Garden.
I loved the way it looked on my petite hand. Like it belonged there.
Not that I was going to tell Ford that.
He had to know I was pissed at him, because every time he’d put his hand around my waist and squeeze, I’d move away. Though obviously neither of us could comment on the tension. That would ruin the illusion of the happy, newly engaged couple.
And we couldn’t have anything ruining the illusion.
So I played the good little fiancée for the rest of the evening, and I played it well. I smiled and made small talk and showed off the ring and gushed about how surprised I’d been.
“You looked utterly shocked,” Ford’s Aunt Miri—the one who had the excellent taste in Prada—said to me. “I’ve never been one to weep over romance, but I did get a little misty.”
“Iwasshocked,” I said. “Ford is amazing at surprises, aren’t you, honey?”
He was beside me, and I could sense his hesitation. “I do try,” he said with a chuckle.
“He’ssogood at it,” I said, pouring it on thicker. “Always springing things on me out of nowhere. I never know what he’s planning behind my back.”
The words were pointed, and his smile faltered. But only briefly.
“Only because it’s so much fun to surprise you,” he said.
“I’ll just bet it is,” I said sweetly. “I’ll have to surprise you myself one of these days.”
At the end of the evening, as had become our pattern, Ford and I arranged to ride home in the same car so he could accompany me—purely for show, of course.
