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“Not necessarily. We’ll say that we were already engaged, but then this new development had us rushing down the aisle. The media eats that kind of shit up.” My reputation would actually help us here. That little fiasco had thrown me unwittingly into the public eye, and now I was going to use that to my advantage to help Lillian.
“You mean tell everyone that they were going to take me away if I wasn’t married? Put them under a microscope?”
“That’s right. If they care about their public appearance, and they do, a lot, they’ll have to be on their best behavior.”
Lillian broke into a smile. “I think this might actually work. You’re a genius.”
“Thanks. I know.”
Chapter 7
Lillian
Holyshit.Myeyesgrew round at the rings laid out in front of me. These were some of the biggest diamonds I’d ever seen.
Back in the car, I’d tentatively mentioned that my bank account would only be able to stretch to very basic rings, and Gunnar had looked almost physically ill that I’d thought he wasn’t covering it.
“I don’t expect you to pay for them.”
“But this was my idea, and you’re only—”
“You’re getting the biggest diamond they have in there, and that’s final. Otherwise it wouldn’t be believable.” He’d fingered the ruby ring on the cord around my neck then. “Unless you are partial to this. We could try to get it resized, but I’m not sure we’d ever get it small enough to fit your finger.”
The prenup, which we’d signed right after picking up our rush wedding license, had stated that I couldn’t try to take half his wealth in the event of a divorce but that I could keep any gifts received during our time together. It hadn’t mentioned anything about the rings. I figured I’d just return them to him after. Hopefully, he’d be able to get a good price for them.
“The ruby is lovely, but I don’t think it’s possible for them to make it fit me without ruining the design of the ring.” It was very clearly a man’s ring. “I think it looks much better on you, anyway.”
“Thanks, it’s my favorite. It’s the one I usually wear.”
That had settled it. We’d pick up another engagement ring that was more suitable for me.
When we’d gotten into the jewelry store, we’d made some small talk with the clerk, Mindy, sticking to the story we’d decided on in the car. Then Gunnar carefully untied the cord holding his ring and handed it over to the clerk, asking her to show us engagement rings of a similar value.
“I was impatient and proposed with that.” He’d grinned and rubbed his neck. “But it’s not exactly Lillian’s style.”
The clerk’s eyes had grown wide. “I recognize that. You had it on in the photos I’ve seen of you. That ruby is huge.” She hefted it. “I’m not sure if we have anything of similar value, but I’ll see what I could find. The really nice stuff is locked up in the back.” She’d handed Gunnar back the ring and disappeared behind a red velvet curtain.
And that was how it came to pass that I was now staring down at three of the most ornate rings I’d ever seen. Every ring had not just a giant diamond but also halos of other precious gems too. The style was also very elaborate, and I suspected that the detailed and exquisite workmanship partly contributed to the high cost.
“We met when those rumors were still circulating about me,” Gunnar said chattily. “We wanted to keep our relationship private, so she wasn’t caught up in all that.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, looking up from the rings. “I like my privacy. That whole thing was almost a deal breaker, but Gunnar convinced me to stick around.”
Gunnar met my gaze, and for a moment, I was lost in the swirl of green-gray in them. They were more beautiful than all the garish gems on the table. I wanted to be lost in them forever.
“I never believed her anyway.” The sales clerk’s words brought me out of my trance. “Kid looks nothing like you.” She handed me a ridiculously luxe sapphire and diamond ring. “Try this one on.” She slid it on my finger.
“It’s very beautiful. But…really…it’s a little…much.” I eyed the much more understated rings in the case below us. “What about something simpler?”
Gunnar followed my gaze and frowned, clearly not finding them fancy enough for his liking.
“Oh! I think I have just the thing,” Mindy exclaimed. “Wait right here.”
Gunnar took my hand, and I twisted the ruby ring, which was now on his pinky finger, where it fit perfectly. It definitely looked better on him. My eyes scanned the jewelry under the glass case, landing on a pendant in the distinctive shape of a monstera leaf. It was in white gold, delicately molded so that the edges of the leaf curled up slightly, and had three tiny emeralds scattered on it.
It was so cute. Maybe one day, when I had extra money to burn, I’d get myself that as a yay-me present.
Mindy returned with two rings. Unlike the others, these ones were less intricately designed and didn’t have the halo of stones around the diamonds. The diamonds were no smaller, though. The first one had three brilliant round stones set in a row, the one in the middle the largest. But it was the second one that had me sucking in a breath. It was a solitaire braced by simple platinum leafy vines.
