Page 77 of Bride By Initiation

Byrne scowls. "You need a better attitude before you go in there."

I stare at the ceiling and sigh.

"Come sit down, lad," he directs, and sits on the couch.

I follow him, figuring I should engage in the motions, and plop down on the other side.

"Now, this is an important decision. It's forever," he starts.

My chest tightens.

He opens the box, revealing a dozen stunning rings in various shapes. Pear, princess, emerald, marquise, Asscher, radiant, heart, round, oval, and cushion cut diamonds shine in the dim light. Different plain metal bands of white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, and platinum are nestled on the bottom row.

I shift in my seat.

He's actually serious.

He thinks I'm getting married today.

"What is this?" I question, but I don't need to.

"You have to pick the ring, son. Which one's it going to be?"

I stare at the rings.

He picks up a pear-shaped one. "May I suggest this? The redhead loves pear-shaped diamonds."

"No," I state.

He wrinkles his forehead. "Why? What's wrong with it?"

I shake my head. "I don't know. I don't like it."

"Why don't you like it?"

"I don't know, but I don't."

"Happy wife makes a happy life. I highly suggest you take the pear one," he pushes.

"No. I'm not looking at that forever," I insist, then wonder what the hell I'm saying.

I'm not getting married.

Byrne sighs. "Well, you've got to pick one, son. It'd be better that your bride likes it."

I grunt and then pick up a radiant cut diamond. It's not a square. It's more of a rectangle of at least four karats.

He whistles. "That's a big ring. She's got petite hands. I don't think that's going to look very good on her. It's going to be overpowering on her slender finger."

I shrug. "So what?"

He glances at the box and then picks up a smaller Asscher cut option. "This might be better since it's more of a square, but it's still similar to the radiant."

I shake my head and then rise. "Nope. It's the radiant." I go to put it in my pocket.

"Wait."

I glance at him. He holds his hand out. "Give me the diamond."

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