CHAPTER 15
Zane's mother had never looked so happy. Ecstatic, in fact. She was absolutely beaming.
Her smile was infectious. Zane couldn't help as he joined in. Even tired from getting in late last night, and playing catch up on phone calls and messages all day, he was happy he'd decided to do this today.
That it was Friday and his father was at the office and he got to see his mother alone helped his good mood.
Funny, even thoughts of his father didn't put a damper on his good spirits today.
Shaking his head at himself for grinning like a fool, he glanced down at the ring he held between his two fingers. He was even more firm in his decision to propose to Missy now he had the physical manifestation of that plan in his hand.
The ring had the patina of age. A beauty wrought by time and the two women who'd worn it. His grandmother and after her, his mother.
If he were very lucky, Missy would be the third.
“Are you sure?” he asked, raising his gaze to hers.
He'd told his mother he was going to propose to Missy and without his asking for it and with no hesitation whatsoever she'd given him the ring off her finger.
“Yes. Of course I am, silly.” Tears in her eyes, she reached out and grabbed him, holding on with a tight, breath stealing hug.
For once, he didn't give her a quick squeeze back and try to get away after that. Today, he held tight and long, the closeness filling him with warmth down to his soul.
Finally pulling back before he started crying too, he said, “Thank you.” The words weren't enough to express his feelings. Maybe this would help. “I love you,” he added.
“I love you too.” She smiled, her eyes nearly overflowing with her tears.
He was almost as emotional as she was as he looked down at the solitaire diamond set in the platinum band. It was probably going to have to be sized to fit Missy properly, but other than that, it was perfect.
The vibrating of his cell in his jacket pocket had him reaching in to pull it out. One glance at the display had him cringing. “It's Missy.”
One brow cocked high, his mother said, “You'd better answer it.”
He drew in a breath and hit the display to answer. “Hey, baby.”
“Where are you?”
“I'm in a meeting. Why? What's up?”
“I was just wondering when you'd be home tonight.”
“Not late. I promise.”
“So I'll wait for you to eat dinner?” she asked.
“Yes, please. I'll definitely be there in time to eat with you. We haven't done that enough lately.”
“I agree. Okay. See you home.”
“See you home.” He disconnected the call and glanced up to see the judgmental look being leveled upon him. “What?”
“You lie much too easily. And convincingly, I might add.” His mother shook her head.
“That's because it's not a lie. I am in a meeting. I met with you, didn't I?” He grinned.
“The military must have taught you that because I certainly did not.” She pursed her lips unhappily.
“Spoken like a true mother.” Zane leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek to erase the censure. “I'd better get going.”
“Yes, you'd better.” She screwed up her mouth. “I'd tell you to give my love to Missy but . . .”
“Once I give her the ring, there'll be no more lying. I promise,” he assured her.
“I'm going to hold you to that.”
“I'm sure you will.” He smiled. “Call you tomorrow. Oh, and remember, not a word to Father.”
“More lies.” She pressed her lips together.
“Mom. Please?”
“I won't tell. But let's make this proposal sooner rather than later, okay?”
Zane could agree to that. He'd waited long enough already. “Yes, Mother. I promise. Love you. Bye.”
Closing the door behind him, he pulled out his cell again as he headed to the car. Might as well get some business done as he drove back to the apartment. That way when he arrived home he could devote all his attention to Missy and not have to worry about making any calls.
He scrolled through the contacts and hit the screen to dial the one he wanted.
After a few rings, Jon answered, “Hello.”
“Jon, my friend.”
“Uh, oh.” Jon sounded suspicious. “What do you need?”
Zane laughed that his business partner knew him so well. “I need a secretary.”
“I just agreed to the new office.”
“And that's why I need the secretary. For the office.”
Jon sighed as if Zane had asked for a Black Hawk or something.
Zane continued, his argument already prepared in advance. “I did the math. Even full time and with us paying for benefits we can afford it. I promise.”
It was an on going battle. Zane knowing you had to spend money to make money and Jon pinching a penny so tightly Zane couldn't pry it out of his hand.
But somehow the partnership worked. They balanced each other out and kept the company on an even keel.
Finally, Jon said, “Fine.”
Zane smiled. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Just don't ask for anything else for a while, please. My stress level can't take it.”
Jon was such a worrier. Again, pretty much the opposite of Zane. But they said opposites attract. He supposed that was true for business partners and friendships as well as romantic relationships.
“As soon as I get the office set up and furnished, I'll be good for awhile.”
“Jesus. I forgot about furniture. With your taste, I can just imagine how much that's going to cost.”
Zane laughed. Stressing Jon out could be so fun. But he decided to let him off the hook before he got high blood pressure.
“I'll be good. Promise. So, you want to run the ad for the secretary, or should I?” Zane asked.
“I'll do it.”
Zane grinned. He knew his control freak partner would jump right on that task.
“Perfect. Thanks.” The last thing Zane had wanted to do was the work it would take to set up an ad for a secretary.
That's the kind of work his needed a secretary to do, hence the conundrum.
“Okay. Let me go.” Unable to resist one parting shot, Zane added, “I have to meet with my interior designer at the auction house. I'm hoping to land the Picasso for the new office.”
“Fuck you.”
Zane smiled. “Bye, Jon.” He disconnected the call before Jon could curse at him some more.
Two duties from his to do list done.
Visit with his mother. Check.
Get Jon to agree to a secretary and run the ad. Check.
That left only one more thing—to ask Missy's father for her hand in marriage. That he had to do in person.
Zane scrolled through the contacts again and found the number for the senator's office, hoping the man had time in his schedule to meet with him tomorrow. The sooner the better.