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“All right.” She pushed her plate away, no longer hungry. “We should probably come up with a strategy. Make sure we’re on the same page.”
He nodded. “I’m working on an email that outlines everything. I’ll finish it tonight and send it to you. We can talk about any questions you have in the car tomorrow, on the way to the retreat.”
Ainsley’s stomach did a little flip-flop. They were really going to do this. It was time for her to fulfill her promise.
“I’ll look for it later,” she said. She was curious to know what Santiago had in mind and how he was going to get the information he needed to prove The Marriage Institute was scamming people. But she hoped she’d be able to keep a professional distance from him while they worked.
“There’s one more thing.” He looke
d down, clearly uncomfortable. A stone of dread formed in Ainsley’s stomach. Was he going to change the deal? Did he need her to do more than just pretend to be his wife?
“I did a little shopping today,” he continued. He sighed, then withdrew something from his jacket pocket. He placed it on the table, exactly in the middle of the space separating them.
Ainsley stared at the small black velvet box as though it were a bomb. She glanced up and Santiago offered her a shrug and a slight wince. “I just thought...” he trailed off. “I mean, we are supposed to be married.”
She shook her head, not knowing whether to laugh or to cry. How many times had she dreamed of this man giving her a ring? How many times had she fantasized about him proposing to her? How he’d look, how he’d sound. How the love he had for her would shine on his face as he asked her to spend the rest of her life with him. And the joy that she’d feel, the unmitigated happiness she’d experience when he slipped the ring on her finger, a tangible symbol of their commitment to each other.
Instead, she was sitting in her office, her dinner forming a cold lump in her stomach while Santiago had trouble meeting her eyes.
She reached for the box without conscious thought. Might as well get this over with.
The ring was beautiful. A round emerald surrounded by a halo of tiny diamonds sat on a thin band of white gold. Additional small diamonds decorated the sides of the band. Even in the soft light of her office, she could see the stone was a deep, verdant green, the color of summer grass. The diamonds sparkled like tiny stars, making the ring glitter as though lit from within. There was a thin wedding band nestled under the ring, carved with an intricate scroll filigree that was exquisitely delicate.
Ainsley swallowed hard, trying to keep her emotions at bay. “It’s lovely,” she said, her heart aching as she stared at it.
Santiago cleared his throat. “Under the circumstances, I didn’t think a big diamond would be appropriate.”
“No,” she agreed, tearing her gaze away to meet his eyes. “This is fine.”
“I had to pick something that looked like a wedding set,” he said, sounding nervous. “This wasn’t being sold as an engagement ring, but when I saw the emerald, I thought it was fitting.”
“Your family,” she murmured. Santiago’s parents were from Colombia, a country famous for its emeralds.
“Exactly.” He looked relieved that she understood. “And then I saw the thin band, and I thought they looked good together.”
If the circumstances were different, Ainsley would have sworn Santiago was worried about her liking the rings. “They’re very nice,” she said. Her fingers were stiff as she pulled the rings from the box and slid them on. They fit perfectly. Of course.
“I had to guess your size,” he said, watching her movements. “Looks like I got it right.”
“You did,” she said flatly. Ainsley stared at her left hand for a moment, trying to adjust to the sight of the jewelry. It looked like a stranger’s hand, one she’d never seen before.
The surreal image was too much. She tugged the rings off and put them back in the box, feeling shaken.
“You don’t have to wear them,” Santiago said hastily. “It’s fine if you’d rather not.”
She shook her head. “No, I’ll do it.” He wasn’t the only one who kept promises. She’d told him she would pretend to be his wife for the retreat. “What about you?” she asked. “Do I need to find a band for you?” Just the thought of walking into a jewelry store to buy Santiago a wedding band was enough to make her heart hurt, but she’d play her part.
“No,” he said emphatically. He stuck his hand into his pocket again and held up a gold ring. “I’m all set.”
Ainsley nodded, relief stealing over her. “What time are we leaving tomorrow?”
Santiago returned the band to his pocket. “I was thinking we could go around four. That way we can both get some work done and it won’t be a totally wasted day.”
“That works for me.” She stood and began to gather up the remains of their meal. She needed him to leave now, needed to be alone so she could process her feelings in private and get her emotions locked down before the retreat started. The wedding rings had been an unexpected surprise, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about them.
Apparently recognizing his cue, Santiago pushed back in his chair and helped her clean off the table. She left the small velvet box alone, not ready to touch it again just yet.
“Where should I pick you up tomorrow?” he asked. “Here at the office, or at your home?”
