Christmas, but I wasn’t sure about his style. This seemed like as good of a place as any to figure it out. After carefully checking the ones that were displayed in the open, I started opening the boxes. Mostly, his style was classic with very little flair. I wasn’t surprised.
Then I opened a third box, one that was smaller than the others, and gasped.
It didn’t hold cufflinks.
“Holy crap,” I whispered, even though there was no one around to hear me.
Very carefully, I lifted the ring from the box. I had never seen a diamond that large in real life. It was pure and unblemished and must have cost Dexter an insane amount of money.
“Put it back, Taylor,” I said out loud. “You were not supposed to find this.”
I pushed the ring back inside, snapped the lid shut, and set it in the drawer. Once the drawer was shut, I started breathing again. That ring had frightened me more than a scary movie.
Dexter kept a bar fully stocked and I poured a hefty amount of whiskey into a glass. When half of it was gone, I started to pace in front of the windows as my internal dialogue began to rant.
I wasn’t old enough to get married. I still needed to finish school. Dexter and I had only known each other for a few months and we had spent even less time together. Dexter had a crazy work schedule and would be spending at least another few months in London. Even after the London office was settled, he would still be splitting his time between here and Chicago. I wasn’t interested in a long-term, part-time relationship. His lifestyle was very different from my own. I wasn’t ready to settle down.
Once the floodgates opened, I couldn’t keep them away. There was no logical reason in the world for me to accept his proposal, and yet… I loved him.
* * *
December 8
In just one week, we’ll all be back in Chicago. That doesn’t seem possible. I never even got around to visiting Scottie. We had a weekend all planned, but she had to cancel at the last minute. It was so unlike her that I’m worried about her. She seems different.
So much has changed since that dinner back in August. I feel like a different person. I have family now- a really big, crazy family. Aunts, uncles, and cousins bothering me daily on Scuttle and I love every second of it.
And oh yeah, I’m also in love with the founder and CEO of Scuttle. I spent the last three days camped out in his amazing home and right now I’m anxiously awaiting his return. Did I mention that he’s going to propose to me? I know, Cam, it’s crazy. But I saw the ring with my own two eyes and when he called this morning, he said he had something important to ask me when he gets home.
I have no idea what I’m going to say to him. I’m not ready to get married- but I love Dexter and I don’t want to ruin everything. These last couple of months have been absolutely perfect and now I’m afraid it’s going to come to an end.
As much as I’m dying to see all of you again, I’m not ready to say goodbye to this life yet. I’m not ready to leave Dexter. I just wish-
I hear him at the door. We’ll catch up later, Cam.
* * *
I hurried to meet Dexter at the door. As much as I was dreading our conversation, I was even more excited to see him again. He took one step inside before I threw myself at him.
Dexter laughed and spun me in a circle before putting me back on the ground. He gave me a long kiss and then stepped back. “Even more beautiful than I remembered.”
“Dex, it’s been four days.”
“Four of the longest days of my life.” He pulled me in for another kiss. “How did the studying go?”
“Okay.” I couldn’t exactly tell him that I had been distracted the entire time by the giant rock in his dresser. “I may actually pass finals. How was the trip?”
Dexter moved away again to pull his luggage inside so he could shut the door. I followed him into the living room where a bottle of wine and two glasses waited for us.
“It was long.” He
Then I opened a third box, one that was smaller than the others, and gasped.
It didn’t hold cufflinks.
“Holy crap,” I whispered, even though there was no one around to hear me.
Very carefully, I lifted the ring from the box. I had never seen a diamond that large in real life. It was pure and unblemished and must have cost Dexter an insane amount of money.
“Put it back, Taylor,” I said out loud. “You were not supposed to find this.”
I pushed the ring back inside, snapped the lid shut, and set it in the drawer. Once the drawer was shut, I started breathing again. That ring had frightened me more than a scary movie.
Dexter kept a bar fully stocked and I poured a hefty amount of whiskey into a glass. When half of it was gone, I started to pace in front of the windows as my internal dialogue began to rant.
I wasn’t old enough to get married. I still needed to finish school. Dexter and I had only known each other for a few months and we had spent even less time together. Dexter had a crazy work schedule and would be spending at least another few months in London. Even after the London office was settled, he would still be splitting his time between here and Chicago. I wasn’t interested in a long-term, part-time relationship. His lifestyle was very different from my own. I wasn’t ready to settle down.
Once the floodgates opened, I couldn’t keep them away. There was no logical reason in the world for me to accept his proposal, and yet… I loved him.
* * *
December 8
In just one week, we’ll all be back in Chicago. That doesn’t seem possible. I never even got around to visiting Scottie. We had a weekend all planned, but she had to cancel at the last minute. It was so unlike her that I’m worried about her. She seems different.
So much has changed since that dinner back in August. I feel like a different person. I have family now- a really big, crazy family. Aunts, uncles, and cousins bothering me daily on Scuttle and I love every second of it.
And oh yeah, I’m also in love with the founder and CEO of Scuttle. I spent the last three days camped out in his amazing home and right now I’m anxiously awaiting his return. Did I mention that he’s going to propose to me? I know, Cam, it’s crazy. But I saw the ring with my own two eyes and when he called this morning, he said he had something important to ask me when he gets home.
I have no idea what I’m going to say to him. I’m not ready to get married- but I love Dexter and I don’t want to ruin everything. These last couple of months have been absolutely perfect and now I’m afraid it’s going to come to an end.
As much as I’m dying to see all of you again, I’m not ready to say goodbye to this life yet. I’m not ready to leave Dexter. I just wish-
I hear him at the door. We’ll catch up later, Cam.
* * *
I hurried to meet Dexter at the door. As much as I was dreading our conversation, I was even more excited to see him again. He took one step inside before I threw myself at him.
Dexter laughed and spun me in a circle before putting me back on the ground. He gave me a long kiss and then stepped back. “Even more beautiful than I remembered.”
“Dex, it’s been four days.”
“Four of the longest days of my life.” He pulled me in for another kiss. “How did the studying go?”
“Okay.” I couldn’t exactly tell him that I had been distracted the entire time by the giant rock in his dresser. “I may actually pass finals. How was the trip?”
Dexter moved away again to pull his luggage inside so he could shut the door. I followed him into the living room where a bottle of wine and two glasses waited for us.
“It was long.” He
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