Page 56 of Honeymoon Phase
“Good, I have something for you.” He digs into his pocket and retrieves a small burgundy box with the wordCartieretched into the top.
“What the hell is that?” I step back and point at the thing in his hand like it’s a mouse.
Luke chuckles softly. “Just open it.”
“I don’t want to open it.” I ball my hands up into fists and press them into my chest.
“Why not?” He looks at me with an amused smirk.
“Because that looks expensive.” I stare down at it again. What is with people giving me extravagant gifts today?
“It wasn’t that bad.” Luke removes the space between us and forces it into my hand. “Just take it.”
My hands are shaking as I hold the box in my hand, terrified that I’m going to open it and find some ridiculous three-caratdiamond that Luke spent his life savings on because he’s freakishly nice and feels guilty for not having a ring on my finger when people ask.
“Luke, I seriously don’t want...” My voice trails off when I pop it open and see what’s inside. “Oh my gosh.”
“Do you like it?” Luke hunches down to get a better look at my reaction but I can’t be bothered to look at him, because what I have in my hands is way too beautiful to look away from.
“Here, let me help you.” He takes the box from me, pulling the ring out of the slot and grabbing my left hand to slide it onto my finger.
“Oh my gosh,” I say again because it’s just so...
“It’s cool, right?” Luke says, sounding like a kid in a candy store. “I saw it and totally thought of you. Does the size feel okay? I had to guess but they said we can exchange it if we need to. I picked it up in Denver this morning.”
“Luke, it’s perfect.” I hold my hand up, marveling at the unique piece of art on my finger. I say “art” because it is. It’s a smooth white gold metal band that wraps around my finger in the form of curved nail. It has a row of tiny diamonds wrapped around what looks like a nailhead, adding a touch of sparkle that even I can’t be mad at. “It’s a freaking wrapped nail with diamonds.”
The proud twinkle in his eye is unmistakable.
“But Cartier?” I glance at the box still in his hand. “Luke. I’m not a brand girlie and even I know this couldn’t have been cheap.”
“You’re about to own a lumberyard, Roe. You needed something to represent the success you’ve earned in your life and I think this does that.” His brows furrow and a quiet, almost melancholic vibe descends over him as he rubs his thumb over my ring. “If we’re going to fake it, we might as well do it right, you know?”
I look up at him as he holds my hand, bowing over me in that tall lanky way he has about him. He holds my eyes captive as he looks from my eyes to my lips and then back to my eyes. He does that a lot. And every time it makes me want to lick my lips in preparation.
But we don’t kiss.
We shouldn’t kiss.
We’re just friends.
Then again, he just put a Cartier ring on my finger.
I lift my chin up just as he jerks back and clears his throat, fully shattering whatever spell we were just under. His voice is deep and reflective when he says, “Roe, I know you think I’m doing you this big favor by marrying you so you can inherit the lumberyard, but I promise you, babe... we are in this whole song and dance together, okay? I’m with you until the end.”
Babe?
Did he just call me babe?
And did I just get butterflies when he did?
Holy fuck.
He said some other stuff too though. The end? He said something about this ending?
The corner of his mouth lifts as his eyes smolder on mine. “My family is crazy. Your family is crazy. But you and me. We can be good. We can get through all of this as long as we have each other’s back. And I will always have your back.”
He pulls me in for another hug and presses his lips into my hair. I close my eyes and sink into the comfort of my best friend. Best. Friend. This is a best friend hug, because that’s what Luke is.
