Page 89 of Pervade Montego Bay
“Exactly. I’m not going to let what others think of me dictate my happiness anymore.”
“Well, good for you.” As if it wasthateasy.
He fished around in his pocket. “Do you think she’ll like it?”
My chest tightened because I knew what was inside that small black velvet box. He lifted the lid to reveal an oval sapphire—at least 12-carats surrounded by diamonds.
“What do you think?” He studied me.
“It’s…”Spectacular.“Are you proposing tonight?”
“I’m undecided.”
A wall of guilt crashed into me because I’d confiscated the last engagement ring that he’d given her. “I still have the other one.”
“The other one is tainted,” he said flatly.
“Right.”Bad idea.
He flashed a smile. “I’ve forgiven you.”
This ring was a new start for him.
For them…
All I had to do was be prepared for the agony of losing him again. I’d faced it once—months ago, when he’d left me and fallen into the arms of the beautiful and talented Emily. At first, I’d been reassured that he was safe…that he was being loved, even. But as the days without him had gone by, I’d felt more and more like I was living in the wreckage of that decision—of having told him that permanence wasn’t in our future.
You’re about to repeat that mistake…
Still, I didn’t deserve any kind of happiness with these two.
“Why?” I heard myself say.
He looked confused. “Why what?”
“I mean, how can you have forgiven me?”
“I know you, James. I know what you went through.”
“Still…”
“Wait,” he said brightly. “I have something else.” He removed a small envelope from his jacket pocket and opened it. A gold band fell into his palm.
I offered a nod of approval. “Very nice.”
“This one’s yours, James.”
My jaw slackened as I processed his words.
What just happened?
He tucked it into my breast pocket. “I know you’re not ready to wear it.”
“Are you asking me to…”
He leaned back a little. “You don’t like the location? You love books. I thought proposing in a library would be cute.”
My heart hammered in my chest. “I do…love books, I mean.”
