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“I’m not returning it.”
I lift my gaze to his as I ask, “Why not?” I don’t give him time to reply as I continue, “I guess you can keep it for your real fiancée. We’ll just say that we’re getting the ring resized.”
Again, I try to climb back into my seat, but he grabs my hand and slips the ring onto my finger. It fits perfectly, as if he’d had my measurements when he picked it out.
“Why did you do that?” I ask, my voice quiet, none of the annoyance I want to convey is in my tone as I fix my gaze on the ring.
“I’m not having people think I can’t get my fiancée’s ring size right the first time. Anyway, it’s your ring. When all of this is over, you can keep it.”
He’s clearly lost it. Where am I going to wear a ring that probably cost more than all of my personal possessions?
With as much conviction as I can muster, I say, “I can’t keep it, Bastian.”
His voice drops when he says, “I like it when you call me that.”
I lift my eyes to his and look into the depths of his blue-green eyes. I don’t know what’s happening. Who buys an expensive-ass ring for their fake fiancée? And then tells her she can keep it when their charade is over with?
“Get out of your head and don’t overthink it, Alex.”
Even as I move back to my seat, I’m still in a haze, my focus back on the ring that now sits proudly on my finger.
As I buckle myself in, my eyes are on the ring and my mind on the trouble I’ve got myself into with this man.
At this point, I’m not even sure having him pay off my student loans will be worth it.
THIRTEEN
Alex
It’s past noon by the time we arrive in Lake Geneva, our pit stop for my breakdown, and an accident slowed us down. The radio has filled the intermittent quiet in the car. Sebastian focused on the drive and navigating traffic, whereas I stared at the ring on my finger as we discussed our backstory and I contemplated all my life choices that brought me to this predicament.
The navigation announces that we’ve arrived at our destination, and I look up from my lap to find a shiny black wrought-iron gate opening up in front of us. I gasp at the house I can see in the distance down the fir tree-lined driveway as Sebastian eases the car forward.
It’s beautiful.
Thankfully, the coffee I brought along with us has perked me up enough that I don’t feel like I could fall asleep anymore.
A tension has taken over me that I can only blame on the ring on my finger. As we drive along the driveway, I feel some of it ease out of my body as I take in the area. A lot of land surrounds the house, and in the distance, I see a person riding a horse along the hedgerow that separates the garden from the beach of the lake.
There’s a sense of tranquility in the air. I look up at the house and the front door opens. George and a lady who I assume is his wife stand on the front steps. She’s dressed in a flowing mu-mu, with bangles climbing up her forearm. Her gray hair is down, reaching her shoulders, with a head scarf wrapped around it. It’s giving hippie chick and I love it.
The house is a three story red brick home with a porch wrapped around as far as I can see. Shrubbery and flowers line the porch, giving the house a welcoming feeling.
Sebastian pulls the car to a halt and I hang back as he steps out. I need a moment to collect my thoughts. To get into character. Two deep breaths in and out, and I reach for the handle just as the door is pulled open.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go greet our hosts.”
I love the way he sayssweetheart. Like every letter is pronounced and clear as it rolls off of his tongue. Sebastian holds out a hand for me, and as I place my own in his, he drops a kiss to the back of it.
“It’s so lovely to finally meet you both. George has told me all about you. I’m Miriam, George’s keeper,” Miriam chuckles, pulling me into her arms.
“Oh, it’s nice to meet you too, Miriam. I’m Alex, and this is Sebastian.”
Miriam lets go of me and pulls Sebastian into her embrace before stepping away, saying, “Oh my. Aren’t you delicious? If I wasn’t already married and twice your age, I’d be trying to steal you from this beautiful woman.”
Sebastian chokes at Miriam’s words and squeezes the back of his neck, suddenly bashful.
“Stop embarrassing the kids and let’s get them settled in.” George smirks as he admonishes his wife.
