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“Those are too small,” he said quickly.
“She must be very special. Wife? Girlfriend?”
He shook his head. “Sister.”
“Right,” I said, letting too much disbelief color my voice.
He turned toward me. “Yes, sister.” Annoyance tinged his tone.
“Then we want to avoid these heart-shaped stones.” I pointed out the first set he’d selected. “Mr. Gisler, the third from the end please.”
The jeweler pulled out a beautiful cushion-cut solitaire ruby on a white gold chain. It was way too large for any normal person to give his sister, but the smile on Ryan’s face said we’d found the one.
The price tag was face down, and he didn’t bother to turn it over. Instead, he handed his AmEx card to Gisler. “I’d like it gift wrapped and overnighted to this address,” he said, pulling a piece of paper from his wallet.
“I can take care of that for you, sir.” Gisler took the card and the paper to his register.
I moved back to a more respectful distance. “What’d you do wrong?” I asked.
He cocked his head. “Pardon?”
“That’s an awfully expensive birthday gift.” I couldn’t believe he didn’t see how absurd it was.
His eyes flicked downward. “I forgot her birthday last year.”
Even if I’d forgotten my sister’s birthday, she’d be getting something like a scarf.
“And you think she’s expecting something like this?”
The man would rate as totally clueless if he agreed with my question.
“I think she’ll complain like crazy, actually, but that’s just tough. She’ll have to take it.”
He didn’t seem to understand the difference between expecting something this extravagant, and accepting such a beautiful gift.
If I opened something like this on my birthday, you wouldn’t be able to pry it away from me with dynamite.
Gisler returned with the credit card and charge slip.
I couldn’t resist peeking. Fifty-eight thousand dollars. If I had a brother, I would want one like Ryan, although right now my hormones were casting him for a different role than brother——way different.
He replaced the card in his wallet. “You can get it there tomorrow?”
Gisler stiffened as if that were an insult. “You can rely on me, sir.”
I shocked myself by reaching over to touch Ryan briefly on the arm.
He didn’t recoil. Instead, a warm smile tugged at his lips.
“Ryan,” I said. “You know, flowers and a phone call go a long way as well.”
He nodded. “Appreciate the advice, Miss Spencer.”
“Natalie,” I corrected him.
He checked his watch and collected his receipt. “Thank you again for the help.” He reached the door in a few quick strides. “Natalie,” he added before the door closed behind him.
Gisler huffed loudly. “Now, Miss Spencer, how may I help you?”
