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“What’s this?” she asks, staring at it.
“Open it.”
She picks it up and then looks at me. “No.”
“Why?”
“Because,” she rushes out, eyes wide and telling.
“It might be earrings,” I offer.
“Is it?”
I shake my head, my heart wild. “No.” I lean over and take the box from her hands. “But you don’t have to look so scared. It’s not that ring—well, kinda—”
“Lance,” she warns.
I twist in the seat, flipping the box between my fingers. “You can’t just be my girlfriend, Scar. I don’t want to scare you off or rush into anything. But I refuse to sit here and make a mockery of what you truly mean to me. So, this isn’t a ring to say anything other than Idon’twant you to be my girlfriend.”
She tilts her head, her smile soft and growing. “You don’t want me to be your girlfriend?”
I roll my lips as a smile threatens. “Not even a little bit.” I swallow and open the box, my hand steady. “Will you be my it girl instead, just until we’re ready to make it something a little more official?”
She looks down at the ring, covering her mouth with her hands. “Oh my god.”
“I love you, Scarlet—more than what’s healthy. And I swear it….” I wait for her wide eyes to meet mine, needing her to know I mean every word. “I’m not going to disappear on you.”
She nods, and her tears fall. And then she’s reaching for me, holding the sides of my face as she kisses me. “I love you, too,” she whispers against my lips.
I beam at her and pick up her right hand, throwing her a soft wink as I slide the ring on her finger. “All right then, sunshine. It’s settled.”
THIRTY-FIVE
Scarlet
“After all these months, you’re finally going home.” I grin over at Nina as I pick up an empty moving box, the excitement from yesterday and last night still coursing through me. “How does it feel?”
She smiles at me from the other side of the kitchen island. “Exciting.”
Nina will be moving back to the penthouse today, and I was the only one up early enough to come with her to pack. I got the sense she didn’t want to wait around after Mason’s grand charade last night. I was surprised at how perfect he’d made everything for Nina. I never knew he had it in him.
For the first time in a long time, everything feels exactly as it should be.
Mason’s happy.
Nina’s going home.
Lance is… too much and not enough.
I look down at my right hand, the pale-purple oval-cut diamond ring glaring up at me. I haven’t been able to stop staring at it since he gave it to me.
“I knew you’d get here. I just didn’t think it would be yet. I’m so happy for you guys.”
“Thank you, Scar.” Nina smiles over at me. “And thank you for helping me today. Hopefully the girls will show their faces this afternoon.”
I laugh with her because we both know there’s no way. We celebrated hard for Nina and Mason last night, some of us more so than others.
“Megan was blind drunk.” I chuckle. “I don’t expect to see her at all.”
