Page 82 of Hot Mess
“Um… I really didn’t picture this being so awkward.”
I gave her a half-smile. “How?”
“I don’t know.” She laughed nervously. “I just wanted to go ahead and give it to you…” Her smile faded. “In case we never see each other after this.”
The smile dropped off my face. “Why wouldn’t we see each other after this?”
“I mean… if you don’t end up hiring me, or I don’t take the job…”
“Why wouldn’t you take the job?” I semi-growled.
“Um. It’s just… I give jewelry to people all the time,” she said, getting flustered and totally avoiding my question. “I’ve had this ring in a drawer for like ten years. It’s nothing, Ashley.”
Oh, it was something. I just wasn’t sure what it was yet.
I looked at the ring again, studying the three little sparkly things in a row on one side of the black stone, which looked a hell of a lot like… “Are those diamonds?”
“It’s platinum and onyx. And yes,” she mumbled, sipping her water so I could barely hear her, “there are some tiny little diamonds on it.”
I stared at her. “You just gave me a diamond ring.”
“It’s an onyx ring. And really. It’s not like that. I just saw it in my drawer when I was making a bracelet last night, and you’re the only person I’ve ever met who would suit it, so…”
She trailed off as she watched me lay the little bag on the table in-between us, and place the ring on top of it.
“I can’t take this, Danica.”
“It doesn’t mean anything,” she insisted.
I believed her, but still. A generous spirit was one thing.
I was starting to think this chick was a little nuts.
“I swear…” she said. “This is so embarrassing. I’m not proposing to you or anything.”
I cracked a smile. “Good thing. What if I said yes?”
“Um… Well…”
“You said it’s an antique. What’s it worth?”
“Nothing. It’s worth nothing if it’s of no use to anyone.”
“Right. Because that’s how jewelry appraisal works.”
She glanced uncomfortably at the ring. “If you don’t like it, then I’ll take it back. It can live in my drawer for another decade or two until I meet another stylish, super cool rock star.” She looked at me, and I tried not to grin like a cocky bastard at her assessment of me. “But honestly, do you like it? If someone else gave it to you… Like, if it was a special gift from your parents or something?”
I kinda laughed. “My dad would never give me something this special. And my mom’s not alive.”
“Oh.Shit.Sorry.” She kinda cringed and looked at the ring, then at me again. “This is so awkward.”
“I’ve never been more comfortable.”
She burst out laughing, somewhere between a giggle and a guffaw. “Right.”
I smiled. Couldn’t really help it. “I like watching you squirm.”
She avoided my eyes. “If thiswasa marriage proposal, it was the worst one ever.”
