Page 1 of Promise You Forever

One

ELIANA

The sun set over the Pacific several hours ago, but I couldn’t pull myself away from finishing work that’s above my pay grade but needed to be taken care of regardless. The glint of the diamond on my finger catches my eye as I turn off my computer for the night. It’s big and shiny and should fill me with happiness.

I’ve done the impossible, found a man who wants to tie himself to me for life, but I just feel hollow. He asked me in a huge public spectacle on a yacht his office rented to celebrate being the highest earning real estate group in the country. It put me on the spot, and I couldn’t have said no at that moment. In the weeks that have passed, my unease has only grown.

It’s why I still live with Amber, my best friend from college, instead of moving into his house. Luckily for me, he dedicates most of his time to his career, even more than I do. I spin my chair to look out the narrow window my office has, a clear viewof the freeway stretching for miles, red taillights like a string of ants marching off into the night.

My stomach drops as my phone rings, worry about Brandon calling to ask me to come over fills me immediately. Being engaged shouldn’t feel like this. At least I don’t think it should.

A smile lifts my lips when I see Janey’s name on the screen. She’s a friend from the town my grandparents live in out in Colorado. I hurriedly hit the accept button.

“Hey,” I say with a smile in my voice. “Long time no talk.” Not that I’m upset about it. She just had a baby a couple months ago; it makes sense that we don’t speak as much as usual.

There’s a long pause before she finally speaks. “Hi.” There’s sadness and pain in her voice, it’s palpable even through the line.

“What’s wrong?”

“I have bad news.” Her voice breaks, causing panic to swell within me. “Are you alone?”

“Yes. I’m still at work. What’s wrong?”

“I’m so sorry.” I hear her deep breath through the phone. “Jo’s dead.”

My eyes burn, and blood roars in my ears. “She can’t be,” I say past the lump in my throat. “I just talked to her Sunday night.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Stop apologizing and tell me this isn’t real.” I start gathering my belongings.

“It is real. They found her today out by one of the pastures.”

“Why didn’t Grandpa call me? Is he okay?”

Another long pause.

“Tell me,” I yell, louder than I meant to, but the panic rising inside me won’t settle.

“He’s okay. You should just get here as soon as possible. He’s going to need you.”

“I’ll be on the first flight.”

“Okay, let me know your flight information, and I’ll come pick you up.”

“Thank you. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Be safe.”

Right as I turn my light off and open the door, the imposing frame of the CEO of the company I work for is about to knock. I look up into the concerned eyes of my best friend’s dad. He offered me a job right after I finished my MBA, and I decided to take it, at least to gain some experience before moving to a career that I could feel a little bit better about in a moral sense.

“I heard you from down the hall.” He looks closely at me, seeing my reddened eyes and the tears I can’t stop from falling. “What’s happened?” He squeezes my shoulders comfortingly, paternal worry seeping through him and into me at the point of contact.

“I just found out that my grandma passed away today.”

“Oh, honey.” He pulls me into a hug. “The one in Colorado?”

I nod. Both of my mother’s parents passed away when I was young. Gram and Gramps are all I have left.

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