Page 8 of Words We Didn't Say

“I’m so sorry. I meant to leave work early, but Mac and I got stuck finishing a settlement, and then the traffic across town was a complete mess. I was too paranoid to speed in case I ruined your cake. Mum said three hunks of wood are holding it together, but I didn’t want to take any chances.”

I nodded, barely listening. Zach had so many excuses, always beginning—and usually ending—with his job.

“I’m sorry.” Zach wrapped me in a hug and kissed my forehead. “I’ll get better at this. I promise I’ll try harder.”

“It’s okay.” It wasn’t. “You’re here now.” And that fact made my toes tingle.

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

Except work.

Zach’s face brightened. “Hey, I almost forgot. I’ve got something for you.” He patted his pocket. “Right here.”

Clapping my hands, I bounced on the spot.

Ilovedthis game.

I could buy myself anything I wanted, but I still adored gifts. The trinkets Zach surprised me with proved he thought about me while he did whatever lawyers do all day. Sometimes, he hid a packet of sweets in his pocket. One time, it was tickets to the movie I’d desperately wanted to see. Not-so-secretly, some of the appeal of digging around in his pocket was sneaking a cheeky touchdown there. I’d always say, “Oopsie,” and smirk suggestively, but not tonight. My classy birthday party was a hard-on-free zone.

So, even though the smile I tipped up at him was pure sin, when I slipped my hand in Zach’s pocket, the search was entirely chaste. My fingertips skimmed the sharp edges of a box. I pulled it out.

Oh.

My heart exploded at the sight of Tiffany blue, all wrapped up with a white bow.

Yvette squealed in the background.

I snuck a peek over my shoulder. Her hands were slapped on her cheeks. Andie stood beside her, scowling. We were all thinking the same thing.

Zach was proposing.

Finally.

His face turned fuzzy from my unshed tears, but…

This proposal was all wrong. I’d imagined Zach would be the type of man to do things the old-fashioned way. He couldn’t ask my father’s permission, but I thought he’d still drop to one knee, make a heartfelt speech, and present me a ring he’d designed himself. Maybe he’d even whisper, “I love you,” to catch up on the step we’d missed.

Zach grazed his nose along my cheek. “I wanted to get you something special to celebrate your special night.” His smoky voice curled around my heart and tingled over my skin. “Open it, Denny Dee.”

I tugged off the bow.

It’s really happening.

I edged the lid off the box.

I’m going to have a family.A good man truly wants me. Loves—

I choked on my disappointment. Maybe to Zach, it sounded like delighted surprise. I hoped it did.

I blinked down at the delicate diamond earrings in the box. “Zach, they’re…” Beautiful. Absolutely stunning. The teardrops dangling from platinum gold would’ve cost him an absolute bomb, but they weren’t the engagement ring I’d been hoping for. “I adore them.” I did. Idid. “Help me pop them on.”

And I flaunted those damn earrings to anyone who’d look at them. I delighted in twisting my head to show off how they sparkled, and I told everyone the handsome man on my arm had given me my precious gift.

And itwasprecious.

But if there had been candles flickering on top of my cake, I wouldn’t have blown them out to wish for those earrings.

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