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“A bracelet, then?”
“Whatever you like.” It felt weird. She’d like whatever he got her; in fact, that was an understatement. She’d treasure whatever he got her—forever.
He studied the display for a few more moments. “Does anything grab you? Do you see anything you want?”
She shook her head. There was a thin silver chain, that looked like it might cost less than anything else, but she knew he’d be onto her if she suggested that. “Surprise me?”
He chuckled. “But you don’t like surprises.”
“I don’t mind them, especially when I don’t have to prepare for them or pack accordingly.”
He smiled and took her hand and led her inside.
The girl behind the counter greeted them with a smile. “Good afternoon. Can I help you with anything?”
“Good afternoon. Is Laura here?”
“I’m sorry, she’s not. Can I take a message for her?”
“That’s fine, Maria. We’ll see her this evening.”
Mary Ellen wondered if he knew the girl, but then she noticed her name tag.
“While we’re here, though, could we see tray thirty-three from the front window?”
“Of course.” Maria got her keys out and went to fetch the tray for them.
Mary Ellen gave him a puzzled look. She’d been looking at tray thirty-two and had assumed he was, too. That tray was full of link bracelets. The others were fancier with precious stones.
Maria came back and set the tray on the counter in front of them. Mary Ellen’s eyes widened. They were some serious bracelets! She looked at him, but Antonio just smiled and pointed at one. “Could we see that?”
Mary Ellen shook her head slightly. It wasn’t a bracelet, it was a cuff—encrusted with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. It was obscene! Ridiculously, beautifully obscene.
Maria took it out and smiled at her. “Would you like to try it?”
Mary Ellen looked at him and he nodded hopefully.
She held out her wrist and Maria fastened it on her. It was beautiful. She loved it, but what had she said to him about not being into material things? She looked at him uncertainly and he smiled. “It’s perfect, we’ll take it.”
Mary Ellen cringed, dreading hearing how much it cost.
“Do you want to wear it now?” asked Maria.
She shook her head. She’d be scared to death to lose it.
Antonio looked sad. “You don’t love it?”
“I do. It’s beautiful, it’s just I think I should save it for best.”
He gave her his sexiest smile. “You think there are better times than right here and right now?”
She relaxed and smiled back. “Probably not.”
Maria was watching them with a sappy smile on her face. “I’ll get you the box.”
Antonio followed her to the front where she put a beautiful ornate box into a bag for him. Mary Ellen smiled to herself at the thought that she would have been thrilled if the box itself had been the gift. She busied herself looking at the displays while Maria rang him up, not wanting to hear how much she’d just cost him.
Once they were back out on the street, he took hold of her hand and held it up, so he could admire the bracelet.
