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He chuckles, even though he didn’t find it remotely funny. “I was born without a funny bone. Don’t give up on me, please.”
“Never.”
He reaches out to hold my hand across the table. Our fingers lace together.
There are so many reasons why I love this man, but his persistence at keeping our relationship alive amidst his crazy schedule takes top billing.
“Where were we?” he asks, focusing solely on me.
“You said you wanted to ask me a question.” Hint, hint.
He taps one finger on the table like he’s nervous. Not his usual behavior. “Ah, yes. I’ve been thinking a lot about our upcoming separation. It’s going to be difficult to be apart from each other. Our relationship gets better every day. It’s strange, I’ve never experienced anything like this before now.”
He’s leaving for Japan in two weeks. He’ll be gone for three months, dealing with his father’s foreign investments.
He continues after clearing his throat three times. I find his nerves endearing. “I know this is a tenuous time for us, when our love is still new and fragile. I’m sorry I have to leave.”
“Me too.” Ten months of dating is not exactly new, but I know what he means. We’ve taken things slow and easy, a pace we’re both comfortable with.
“I can’t imagine life without seeing your beautiful face every day.”
My heart pitter-patters in my chest. “I feel the same. It’s going to be tough without you.”
He squeezes my hand, his eyes never wandering from mine, never distracted by the activity at the other tables. “I-I have to admit, I’m dreading it. Y-you’ve become a fixture in my life and I don’t want that to change.”
He’s stumbling over his words. Thatneverhappens with my smooth-talking man. Here it comes. The question I’ve been waiting for all night.
“I don’t want it to change either, Ryker.”
Pleased with my reassurance, his eyes glitter. “The more I think about it, the more I realize it would be silly for my apartment to sit empty while I’m gone.”
My smile falters at the change of subject.What?
“Your apartment?” He owns the top story penthouse in a luxury high rise. Yet, he calls it his apartment. I couldn’t hide my surprise the first time I saw it. It’s nothing short of amazing.
“That’s what I’d like to talk to you about this evening. I have a proposition for you,” he says with sudden confidence, his nerves a thing of the past.
My smile dies a quick death, exiting my face entirely. Proposition? Not a proposal?
“Why don’t you stay there? It’d get you out of that quaint studio apartment you’re living in and you’d be able to save a lot of money because you wouldn’t have any rent to pay. Arthur loves you. He’d be much happier with you than the kennel. What do you think? It’s the perfect arrangement, right?”
Wait. Is that his question?
Ryker doesn’t seem to notice that all the blood left my face. My mind is screaminghashtag: relationship fail.I misread his nerves, saw what I wanted to see.
He goes on, excited by his idea. “You’re renting month to month. Give your two-week notice, and I’ll send movers over to collect your belongings. All expenses paid. You wouldn’t need to worry about a thing. Your baby grand piano would look stunning in my living room, don’t you think?”
I nod, speechless. I mean, he’s right. My baby grand would look stunning next to his gorgeous view of the Golden Gate Bridge. At night, the city lights are breathtaking from his floor-to-ceiling windows. It would be an amazing place to live. Absolutely. I would love it.
But that’s not the issue.
I look down at my plate. Color me pale and call me blindsided. “Uh, that’s a generous offer. Thank you, Ryker. I’m, uh, overwhelmed.”
“I’d do anything for you, Mila Westerman. You know that.”
Anything except propose. “I, um, I’m speechless. I’m not sure what to say.”Redundant thought, Mila. Pull yourself together.I slip my hand away from his as my long black hair falls forward. I let it hang over one side of my face, a curtain of privacy while I compose myself. My heart’s racing and I can’t catch my breath. I inhale slowly, over and over. Deep, calming breaths.
I’mthatgirl. The one who thought she was about to be proposed to and couldn’t have been more wrong. I’ve seen this scene in movies so many times, it has become cliché. How did I get here? I fell into the hope-for-marriage trap when I should’ve known better. I feel silly.
