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Brianna
I feel like a new person. I went shopping with Deb yesterday to get the perfect outfit for today's auction, and told her about the engagement ring and my conversation with Michael. I am a new Brianna.
Now I can only hope Michael's willing to give us another chance.
When I emerge from my bedroom in a fun cocktail dress, one that shows off my long, long legs, Michael just stares at me.
My stomach jumps with nerves. This is a good thing, right? That he's still interested. Only one way to find out.
I walk to him, holding a folder with paperwork inside. Important paperwork.
“I thought...” Michael clears his throat. “I thought maybe you'd decided not to go. It's just a family thing.”
“I made an agreement. No, it's not just that. I want to go.”
His gaze flicks to the folder in my arms. “What's that?”
I set it on the counter and open it.
His face hardens when he sees the contract inside. “I see. It makes sense to end this now but you still want to keep up appearances by going to the auction.”
“No. Oh, Michael—that's not.” I shake my head. “I don't want to end this. I want to...start over. Re-sign the contract. Give this another try. Now that—that Chet is out of the way and I have direction, I want to try again. So I can give this what it deserves.”
His gaze roams over my face, like he can't decide whether or not I'm telling the truth. Part of me wants to reach out and touch him, reassure him, but I don't want to overstep any boundaries. He has to make this decision himself.
“You want to start over,” Michael says, voice low.
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
I nod and flip to the back of the contract. “See? I had a new one printed up. And I signed it again. I'm ready for this.”
His chest moves up and down with a few deep breaths before his eyes lock on mine. “Are you sure? I know I already asked that, but I need to be sure.”
He's protecting himself. I see that now. The same thing I was doing. Which shows me he cares. He did care, and I'd hurt him by being hesitant.
I move a step closer and take his hand. “I’m sure.”
Before I can blink, he swoops in, his mouth capturing mine. The heat between us is instant, a lightning storm of needs and wants. And, I realize, of trust.
He crushes me against his chest, arms like bands of steel around me. My fingers clutch the lapels of his suit jacket. In this moment, all I want is to be as close to him as possible.
“Michael,” I murmur, trying to draw a breath.
His fingers squeeze on my hips. “Tell me you’re changing your mind.”
“About...what?” I blink, trying to focus. “About the contract?”
He smiles gently. “About the auction. Let’s stay here and figure this out.”
I slap his chest playfully. “We can’t. Your sister put it together. Besides, I have a vested interest.”
“What’s that?”
I extract myself from his arms. “You’ll see.”
“Ah. Mystery. I like it. But still. You could just tell me and we don’t have to go.”
“Liv will miss you if you’re not there.”
He reaches for me again. “She’ll probably be so busy she won’t even notice.”
I back away before he can touch me. “It’s family,” I say gently. “That’s important.”
His features softened immediately. “You’re right. I wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s not my place to say you should go, but—”
“No. You’re right. She’s family. We’ll have a good time. Sign our names to ridiculous auction items. Get a little drunk. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday afternoon.”
“I think it sounds fun.”
“Me too.” He looks at the contract. “I’ll sign it.”
“Good.” I pass him a pen and then turn for my bedroom again. “I have something else, too.”
“Brianna—”
“I’ll be right back!” I holler.
I’ve been waiting for this all week, trying to prepare myself. Not just for him to say yes, but for him to say no. I have to realize, like with Chet, all I can do is my side of things. If the other person doesn’t reciprocate, it has no reflection on how much I gave on my end.
I carry the small bag to the counter. Michael sets down the pen, and I see that he’s signed the contract again. My stomach flutters. I’m really doing this. No, we’re really doing this.
I raise my eyes to his. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being willing to try again.”
“I could say the same thing to you.”
I smile and reach into the bag to pull out both the box with my engagement ring, and another box I picked up at the store when I was out with Deb.
Michael angled his head in question. “What’s this?”
“You gave me an engagement present, so I got one for you, too.”
“An engagement ring isn’t a present,” he says softly. “It’s something you needed to have for this whole…agreement. But it’s something I wanted you to have, too.”
“Well, this is something I want you to have, too,” I say, handing him the box. “I noticed you kept taking your other one off.”
He opens the box and freezes. It’s a watch, a nice one—I asked the store clerk which would work best—but still, it’s not as nice as the one he already has. It was all I could afford.
“I do keep taking my other one off,” he murmurs, pulling the watch out of the box. “I need to get it fixed. Brianna.”
“Do you like it? I know it’s not as nice as yours. In fact, you probably have others, too.” I reach for it. “I can get something else—”
“No.” He catches my hand before I can grab the box. “Wait.”
My cheeks heat. It was a stupid idea. “I probably should have asked you what you want.”
“But you didn’t.”
My cheeks are burning now. I shake my head, feeling like a little kid.
Michael tips my chin up so he can see my eyes. “You didn’t because you wanted to do something selfless and give me a gift. For no other reason than because that’s the kind of person you are. Thank you, Brianna. I don’t think I should accept this, but thank you.”
“But—but you have to! You gave me something—”
“I mean because it’s expensive. I love it, but—”
“Then keep it. Please. Or we can exchange it for one you want. But I want you to have it,” I say, pushing the box back at him. “Please.”
He looks at it again, and part of me is pleased. He seems to like it. I don’t care that it took the rest of my savings—it was something I wanted to do. I’ll make that money back soon, too, once I get my business going.
“I’ll wear it today.” He surprises me by taking off his other watch and replacing it with the one I got him. He twists his wrist to examine it, and then says, “Brianna.”
“What?”
“Don’t get upset, but how did you afford this? Did you use the credit card I gave you?”
I frown. “None of your business.”
He laughs. “Your business is my business now.”
He’s right. He’s taking care of me financially whether I like it or not. “I had some money in savings.”
“Did you spend it all?”
“That really is none of your business considering it’s my account.”
“Which means yes, right?”
I sigh. “Who cares? It’s a gift.”
“Stubborn.”
“What?”
He shakes his head. “Nothing. If I’m wearing my gift, you have to wear yours.”
“Of course,” I say, pulling the ring from the box. “But not just because of the agreement, but because I want to.”
He smiles, a smile that transforms his face. For once, he seems truly happy. Then he takes my hand and kisses my knuckle, right above the diamond ring. “Please don’t throw this one off the roof.”
I laugh, relieved that things have gone back to normal. “I won’t.”
“And next time,” he says, guiding me to the elevator, “we go shopping together.”