Running Home to You (The Running Series) (44 page)

Evan and I take a seat at the table, and the friendly doorman who ushered us in just a few minutes ago takes a seat across from us.  He introduces himself as Michael Broadwin, the owner and a Registered Jeweler as well as a Certified Gemologist.  He makes custom rings right here on the premises.

“So, Miss Fletcher, Mr. McGuire here has told me a lot about you.  We’ve selected a few diamonds that might interest you.”  He pulls out a swatch of black felt and places several diamonds on top.  “This diamond is a pear cut with a 2.01 carat weight.  I understand that the pear holds a special meaning for you both.”  I’m immediately reminded of the pear tree we planted at our front door.  It’s absolutely beautiful.

Next, he shows me a princess cut, an emerald cut, and a radiant cut diamond, each more beautiful than the one before it.  I try to ask the price, but Evan won’t hear of it.  “I’ve already had this discussion with Mr. Broadwin, Juliette.  You just tell me which one is your favorite.”

“Well, before you decide, I do have one more diamond for you to consider.”  Mr. Broadwin reaches beneath the table and pulls out a small bag.  He empties the contents onto the felt and the most unusual diamond I’ve ever seen lays before me.

“What is it?  Why isn’t it white like the others?” I ask.  It’s got a beautiful honey and cinnamon color, also in a pear cut.

“It’s a chocolate diamond.  I understand you are a pastry chef and I thought this might be of significance to you, as well.”  He sees my indecision.  “The brown diamond is an ideal gemstone for anyone with a strong sense of their own style and, depending on the setting, a chocolate diamond can be either more subtle than a white diamond or infinitely more bold.”

I look at Evan, “Do you like it?”

“I do.  But what about you?  I want you to choose the diamond that makes your heart sing.  Is this the one?” 

I take another look at it, and the more I look at its unique beauty, the more I’m convinced that it’s perfect in every way.  “It is,” I tell Evan.

“Okay.  Let’s look at some settings now.”  The jeweler puts away the stones and brings out several selections, and I quickly narrow it down to the white gold choices.

“Well, of the three remaining settings, I recommend this one.”  He holds in front of us a beautiful ring setting.  “It features twenty-two round diamonds pavé-set on the 14 karat white gold engraved band and on the sides of the center diamond.”

My face lights up when he describes the setting.  “Evan, it has pavé-set diamonds, just like my earrings.”

“Would you like to see what the chocolate diamond would look like in this setting, Miss Fletcher?”  I nod enthusiastically.  “Certainly, just give me a few minutes and I’ll be right back.” 

Evan turns to me, “Are you happy, Juliette?”

“Evan, if we’re going to get married, you have to learn how to read my emotions better that that.  This is most definitely my happy face,” I tell him.  I look deep into his endless blue eyes, still in awe that he is mine.  Evan kisses me passionately, and all I can think about is our future together. 

“You were made for me, Juliette.  Just me.  Your lips were created to kiss mine.  Your hands were made to hold mine.  And this finger, this one right here,” he points to the ring finger on my left hand, “was made to wear my ring.”  He brings my hand to his lips and places a kiss upon my ring finger. 

I reach up and run my fingers through his hair and whisper, “I need you beside me like I need oxygen to breathe.  I didn’t know that a love this strong even existed, but it does.  I love you, your body, your heart, and your mind.  I love your imperfections that no one knows but me.  I swear I’ve loved you from the first moment I saw you.” 

Evan kisses me softly at first, just a few delicate caresses before urging my lips apart with his tongue.  I can feel his devotion and passion, propelled by the need to express unspoken feelings. 

We break apart, and it’s then that I notice Brianna and Jocelyn are nowhere to be seen.  “Where are the girls?” I wonder aloud.

“They left, Juliette.  They were the perfect co-conspirators.  So tell me, sweetheart, when did you figure it out?” Evan asks.

“Not until the song started playing.  I knew the flowers were from you, but right up to that moment, I was too preoccupied walking down memory lane.  You really outdid yourself, chief.”

“Good, that was my goal – to sweep you off your feet.  I’m glad to see it worked.”

Just as I’m about to plant more butterfly kisses all over Evan’s face, the jeweler reappears with a ring in hand.  Evan and I sit back down.  He lays the ring on the velvet cloth and my breath catches in my chest.  It’s exquisite.  “Try it on,” Mr. Broadwin urges.

Evan lifts the ring with one hand, takes my hand in his other and slips the ring on my finger.  It fits like a glove, perfectly sized and polished to a sparkle.  Again, tears well up in my eyes.  I try to look at the ring on my small hand, but it’s no use.  I cannot see through the clouded veil of my tears.  The jeweler hands me a tissue, which I gladly accept.

“It fits perfectly.  I can’t believe it.  How did you do it, Evan?”

Evan explains to me how he’s been planning this day with the help of Brianna and Jocelyn for two weeks now.  He stole my high school class ring, which I never wear anymore, and had it sized at a local jeweler.  This morning, when he arrived, he and Mr. Broadwin selected just the settings in my size and Evan’s price range, all so that I would be able to have my ring today.  Evan went to all that trouble so I can wear my ring home.  “Are you telling me that it’s mine?  I don’t have to take it off?” I ask.

“Juliette, my love, I hope you never have to take off this ring,” Evan proclaims proudly.

The jeweler interrupts with instructions on the proper way to care for and clean my new ring.  Evan signs a few papers, and before long, we’re done.  I leave the showroom an engaged woman.  I wonder to myself as we walk down the street whether or not I look any different.  I feel completely different on the inside, but does it show on the outside?

It’s nearly seven thirty at night when we leave.  Evan carries my shopping bags, and I carry my bouquet of white gardenias.  I ask Evan about them.  He’s never given me this particular flower before.  He looks down at me and simply explains that gardenias are going to be the flowers in my bridal bouquet.  I am speechless. 

Evan hasn’t eaten a thing all day, so he offers to take us out to dinner.  He only has to ask once, because at this moment, I would follow him anywhere.  We walk a few blocks south and Evan leads me to the Tribeca Grill. 

All throughout dinner, I can’t stop looking down at my hand and the stunning ring that now resides there.  “So, who are you going to tell first?” Evan asks.

“I think I should call my mother.  She’d be upset if anyone else found out before her,” I tell him.

“Well then, Running Girl, you better make that call now, because when we set foot outside these doors, there’s going to be a small horde of reporters waiting.  If you don’t want her to hear about it on the eleven o’clock news, you better call her now.”

“Oh, my God, Evan.  How do you know they’re out there?  Did you ...”

Evan nods.  “I did.  Adam called a few of his contacts and told them you and I might be here tonight with news to share.”

“Seriously?  Why?”  I’ve never known Evan to seek out attention from the press.

“I want the world to know, Juliette.  I want to shout it from the mountaintop.  I want the entire universe to know that you have consented to be my wife.  It’s the proudest moment of my life.  Now go ahead and call your mother before I do.”

I
wake the next day naked with Evan’s arms and legs tightly wrapped around me.  As I gently run my hand across the arm that stretches across my hips, I sense that I’m still smiling, and I’m fairly certain that it’s the same smile I wore to bed last night.

Evan is sound asleep.  He needs to shave and his hair is messy, as usual.  I want to run my fingers through his mop of hair, but I decide to let him sleep.  Careful not to wake him, I slowly peel him off me.  He must be exhausted, because he’s not moving a muscle.  He just lies there with the sheets barely covering him.  One naked leg, half his ass, and most of his back are exposed and it’s all I can do to keep from crawling back in bed and rousing him for some wake-up sex.

Quietly, I toss on one of Evan’s Sentinels t-shirts and sashay into the kitchen to get some nourishment for us.  I make a pot of coffee and find a tray for our breakfast in bed.  I gather up some fresh fruit and make us some toast with jam.

I set the food and hot coffee on a tray and sneak back into our bedroom.  I clear a spot on the nightstand for our breakfast, then climb up Evan’s body and kiss his face. Evan begins to wake from my soft touch and I can feel his breathy words tickle my neck.  “Good morning future wife,” Evan whispers.

“Good morning future husband.”  I nibble his lips and kiss to his neck as he moves beneath me.  “Time to get up.  I have something for you.”

He runs his hand down my back and tugs on the fabric of the shirt.   “Well then, you better take this off.”

He looks at me with those sexy blue eyes.   “No, not that.”  

As he sits up, he tosses the sheets in his lap, and runs his hands over his face and through his hair.   His morning stubble is ridiculously sexy.

I reach over across the bed and present the tray I’ve prepared for us.  “Breakfast!”  

“This is perfect.”  He pops a few grapes in his mouth and grabs his cup of coffee in one hand and a piece of toast with the other.

“Hungry?”

“Starving,” he says, gazing up at me with bright blue, lustful eyes. 

“That’s going to have to wait until later, chief.”

“You’re no fun,” he grumbles, munching on toast and fresh melon.

I laugh.  “That’s not what you said last night.”  I reach up to caress his face, and he catches my hand to examine it more closely.  Evan strokes the ring on my finger, reminding me that my perfect day yesterday wasn’t a dream.  It happened, all of it.  The closer I look at my fantasy ring, I can’t help but wonder if I was a little too covetous.  “Evan, be honest.  Do you think it’s too much?  I was so caught up in the moment, I didn’t stop to think about the cost.”

“Stop that talk right now.  It’s perfect.  It belongs right there on your finger.”  Evan brings my hand to his lips and places soft, loving kisses on the palm of my hand.

“Well, then.  I think it would be a good idea for me to get you a gift to show you how much I love my ring.”  I nuzzle up to his chest as he plays with my hair.

“I really liked that special present you gave me last night.  Remember?  When you did that thing with your tongue?  I wouldn’t mind getting another one of those.”  He runs a hand across my spine from shoulders to hip.

“Later.  I have to get up.  I’m so late.  I have to get to the restaurant.”  Evan’s strong arms grab hold of me and drag me back down to bed.  “Evan, stop.  I can’t.”

“Oh yes, you can.  There’s no work for you today.  I already took care of it.  Now get that beautiful little ass of yours back in this bed right now.”

I wake up a few hours later and this time I’m alone and naked in our bed.  I hear the shower running, so I know exactly where my fiancé is.  It’s so strange to call him that, but I like the way it sounds.

I bring our empty breakfast tray back into the kitchen.  As I fill the sink with soapy water, I thumb through yesterday’s mail lying on the kitchen counter.  There are the usual assortment of bills and advertisements, but something else catches my eye.  It’s a letter-sized envelope with Evan’s name and address written in a woman’s handwriting.  I turn it over to see if a return address is listed, and I actually stop breathing.  I have to remind my lungs to breathe in and breathe out again.  The letter I hold in my hand is from Averee DeVeau. 

Thick as Thieves

“W
hatcha got there?”  A pair of strong arms wrap around my waist while water drips from his wet head onto my shoulder.  Evan peers over my shoulder and nuzzles my ear.  Quickly, I shuffle the papers leaving random advertisements on the top of the pile.

“Just the usual,” I tell him, tossing the stack to the side.  I turn and give my fiancé a proper hello.  “So chief, what’s on the schedule for today?”