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I shake my head. “I’ll spend time here, I’m sure, but...”
“Space.”
“Yeah.”
His jaw takes on a harder line. I hold my ground, crossing my arms over my chest. “It wouldn’t be forever.”
“I thought that maybe once you saw somewhere you loved, you’d realize...” He trails off, running a hand through his hair. “It’s fine. I told you I wouldn’t push.”
“Thank you.”
“But you do love it?”
I nod. “It’s beautiful, and not too far from the stadium, and a good investment, like you keep saying. Why not go for it?”
I know why he doesn’t want to pull the trigger. I can see the hesitation, plain as day, on his face. I bite my lip. I just can’t shake the horrible image of myself—now in even greater detail, if this house is the backdrop—packing my things and leaving the home I shared with him, just to be back where I started, all alone. If I’m going to move in with him, I want it to be forever, and I need it to feel like the playing field is at least a little equal. Maybe I wouldn’t be able to contribute to a mortgage payment on a place like this, but groceries? The phone bills? I can’t keep cooking him dinner and dessert and pretend it’s an equal exchange.
“I’ll think about it,” he says, after a moment. “I want you to be happy.”
“I am happy.” I cup his jaw, rubbing my thumb over his smooth-shaven cheek. “I’m happy, and I don’t want to break up. If you want the house, buy it.”
He snorts out a laugh, but the amusement doesn’t quite reach his serious eyes. He takes my hand away from his face and kisses the palm.
“What if we were engaged?”
“What?”
“If we got engaged, would that be enough to convince you? You said it’d be different if we were married, but what about an engagement?”
Before I can reply, he leans in and kisses me on the forehead. Feather-light, the way he does sometimes when we’re in public.
I see why when I notice Kerry waiting by the door to the roof. I swallow, trying to keep a friendly look on my face, like James didn’t just rock my whole world. I’ve assumed, for a while now, that we’ll get married one day, but that’s always felt like something we’d talk about far into the future. Marriage isn’t just dating, it’s a commitment I only intend to make once. With James, of course. But now? Does he really want that, or does he just want us to live together, and this is how he thinks he’ll get me to agree?
If he got down on one knee right now, what would I say?
“What do you think?” Kerry says, hands clasped in front of her. “Sold?”
James smiles, all at once apologetic and charming. “Not quite. We’d like to keep looking.” He glances at me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “And there’s another investment I want to make first.”
Chapter 6
James
July
“Are any of these to your liking, sir?”
The attendant, Erin, unveils a velvet-lined box of rings, each more sparkly than the next. With the promise of lunch at Gramercy Tavern, Cooper and Sebastian took the train to the city with me today, and we went straight from Grand Central to Tiffany’s. Bex knows I’m in the city, but she thinks I’m just spending some time with my brothers before we move. Fortunately, she has a job interview today, so she didn’t ask too many questions.
A couple days ago, I made an appointment at the 5thAvenue location that left no questions about who I am and what I’m looking for. It’s a shame that Izzy isn’t here, because it’s how she prefers to shop: in a private room, refreshments in hand, with an attendant ready to offer more selections on demand. It’s a little over the top, but I’m not interested in dragging my feet. I’m going to propose to Bex soon, and before that happens, I need a ring. Despite the slight embarrassment at the red-carpet service, it’s nice to have the privacy to consider my options, especially for such an expensive purchase. I’m not looking for just any ring. I need one worthy of a princess.Myprincess. It needs to be the perfect assurance for Bex that we’re in this together, for the long haul.
Cooper sets his glass down on a coaster and leans forward.The room we’re in is filled with Tiffany blue accents, and the couch looks delicate compared to my rough-and-tumble brother. “Yellow diamond?”
I shake my head. “That’s not her. She’d think it’s too flashy.”
“The circular diamond is pretty,” Seb offers. “It feels classic, like her.”
Sebastian, perceptive as always. “Yes,” I say. “I like the circular cut.”
