Page 118 of Unexpected Entanglement

“You better hurry. That creep who kept following her last night is approaching,” Jane warned.

“That’s her ex,” Chris said, annoyed.

“Go!” Walt hissed. “Save your woman, for goodness’ sake.”

Without another moment of hesitation, Chris hurried to where Rowan stood. But Richard had beaten him to her and was already trying to get her to the dance floor with him.

Who the hell does he think he is?

“I hope you’ve thought about my proposal, Rowan,” Richard said, holding out his hand. “Let’s talk about it as we dance. Five years together must mean something, right?”

Proposal?

Chris stopped short behind Richard. Rowan looked up at Chris, eyes huge. He took that as a mayday.

“Hey, babe.” Chris slipped around Richard and pulled something out of his pocket. “You forgot this in your hurry to be with Meredith earlier.”

Chris took Rowan’s left hand and slipped an emerald ring onto her finger. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

“Oh, my god!” Rowan jolted, as her gaze flew to the ring.

“No harm done.” Chris smiled at her. “Come. They’re playing our song.”

Chris glanced at Richard, whose face had turned red. “Pardon us.”

With a hand on the small of her back, Chris led Rowan to the dance floor. He spun her before pulling her into his embrace. His left arm wrapped around her back while the other cradled her left hand.

Rowan stared at him, still wide-eyed.

“Hi.” Chris smiled at her and studied the top of her long silk dress. “I haven’t gotten a chance to tell you how beautiful you are tonight. This deep green really brings out your coloring. And I’m enjoying this V-cut a lot.”

Recovering from her daze, Rowan chuckled with a shake of her head. “Thank you. You look handsome yourself.”

He was glad to hear her laugh. “Feels like I haven’t talked to you all day.”

“The last time we talked, my head felt like a ticking bomb. I’m sure I wasn’t quite a conversationalist,” Rowan said. “Thanks for letting me sleep in and for the smoothie.”

“You feel better?”

“All good.”

Rowan put her hands on his shoulders, and her eyes caught the subtle glimmer of the deep green emerald on her finger. “Where did you get the ring?”

“I thought we might need a prop,” Chris said. “Glad it fits you perfectly.”

“It’s beautiful.” Rowan laughed. “We’ve been engaged for two weeks without a ring. Nobody questioned it.”

“I thought Richard might need a little more convincing.”

“The poor man still looks in shock.” Rowan glanced over at Chris’ side.

“Serves him right. I wouldn’t let another man propose to my fiancée.” Chris studied her further. “Unless I read you wrong. Should I have let him take you to the dance floor?”

“No!” Rowan said quickly. “But he wasn’t proposing.”

“I heard the word proposal.”

“To return to the way we were, which I’m not interested in. I’d rather live here alone and be an old maid if that means living my life the way I want rather than catering to his goals, his dreams. He’ll never understand that Bright Head is my future. This is where I belong.”

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