Page 23 of Final Proposal

So yes, this arrangement of sorts would have professionally benefited us. It might have given me a leg up in my family business dynamic.

Chandler is a great guy. He’s polite and successful and yes, he’s a decent lover. I was willing to go along with it. There are worse things than being stuck with a good man when the notion of love doesn’t exist.

But I realized it also made me a pawn in a game I had no control over.

And this entire epiphany came from one damn, unexpected night.

The same night I fell asleep on a stranger’s chest after talking for hours. The same night I dreamt for the first time in forever. Dreams filled with faded memories of my parents and scenes from their unique and unmatched love for one another.

The same night someone told me nothing worth wanting is ever easy.

Ford.

Ford, named after the college and the car. Ford of no last name, which in a sense makes everything that much more profound. The man with the grumpy scowls and beautiful smiles. Sure, he was attractive and sexy and all of the above, which had my stomach twisting every time he leveled me with those amber eyes of his, but it was more.

It was the words he said and the conviction with which he said them. It was watching him struggle with some unknown demon and realizing that even though we were on different paths, we were in a sense going through something very similar.

One night talking to a man I never met proved to be the catalyst for change within me. A refusal to settle. A refusal to let my brothers and father take what is rightfully mine. A refusal to be stifled. And the need to prove I can have everything I want.

I remove the ring from my finger as gracefully as possible and meet Chandler’s brown eyes while holding it out for him. “This belongs to you.”

He squeezes his eyes shut almost as if to say if he doesn’t see it, he doesn’t believe this is happening. “Can we postpone this conversation?”

“What?” I laugh the word out, my hand still extended.

His shoulders sag. “I said can we postpone this conversation? The breaking up with me part?”

“Chandler—”

“Please, Ellery.” He reaches out and closes my fingers around the ring so that it sits in the palm of my hand. “I feel like an idiot asking you, but . . .”

“The reception,” I murmur, thinking about the event next month where he’s being honored for all his work. Architect of the Year.

“Yeah. I know it’s a lot to ask—”

“It’s the least I can do.” I sigh and pull my hand back, the ring weighing heavily in it. So much for leaving here with a clean break.

“You sure?”

Why does he have to be so nice? So understanding? It would make this ten times easier if he were a dick.

“I’m sure, but after . . . I’m giving this back to you,” I say, holding the ring up.

The smile he gives doesn’t reach his eyes but is genuine nonetheless. “No. I want you to keep it. Maybe you’ll change your mind.” The hope lacing the edge of his tone feels like acid in my stomach.

“Chan—”

“Please. I insist.” He takes a step back and shrugs. “Give it a few months. Maybe you’ll reconsider. Maybe you’ll realize you can learn to love me as I have you.” When I start to shake my head, he continues. “Please. For my ego’s sake.”

“Yes. Yeah. Okay.” I nod when I already know I won’t change my mind. I gave it twelve months. And now I know we’re done.

Today is my day for starting new.

First breaking things off with Chandler.

Then, fingers crossed, everything else I’ve been working on over the past couple of weeks will fall into place at my next stop on today’s schedule.

That’s a big if, but it’s a chance I’m willing—no, I need—to take.