My mom takes off and Paul growls in my ear.
“Nell, calm down. If this is the last contact we ever have, then I need to make it count. I’m going to let go of you, but promise you won’t make a scene. Just listen to me.”
I’m angry, confused, and devastated, but what choice do I have?
“Fine,” I say through gritted teeth. “Get your dirty paws off me.”
With that, he releases me from his grip and I dart away, panting and huffing. I stare at him angrily.
“What’s your problem?”
“Nothing, Nella. Or rather, everything. Come on, let’s go to your apartment where we can talk in private. Please.”
I stand there, wavering. Do I really want to let him into my private space? But whirling, I turn and he follows. We can talk, but for only five minutes. Then I’m throwing him out.
As soon as we get back into my apartment, out of sight from the rest of the world, I break into tears. I cry and rage, screaming at the top of my lungs.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I bellow. “Why do you have to date my mother? There are so many other women in the world. Why can’t you pick one of them?”
“Please stop crying, Nella,” Paul says softly. He takes a seat on the couch, and beckons for me to join him, but I won’t let him touch me. Instead, I stomp around, still crying and raging.
“Please listen,” he begins again.
“Listen? I can’t believe you. I can’t believe your betrayal! You’re dating my mom now? Really Paul? Who does that? Does she take it up the ass, just the way you like?”
I wipe my eyes with the sleeve of my sweater, but the tears simply smear across my cheek. I’m sure I look a godawful mess, but I don’t care.
But then, Paul stares me straight in the eye, his gaze fierce and direct.
“I’m not dating Susan, Nella. I’m not dating your mother because I’m in love with you.”
The hypocrisy is too much.
“Then what were you doing with her just now? It looked like you were ring-shopping in the window of Cartier. Is that it, Paul? Are you looking to propose?”
He shakes his head, never dropping my gaze.
“Not to Susan, honey. To you. I want to marry you, Nella, if you’ll just stop and listen.”
With that, my heart drops to my feet. Is Paul serious? Was he actually window-shopping in order to find a diamond for me? Limply, I drop on the couch, all energy draining from my form. Today’s events have been too much, and suddenly, I feel oddly numb.
10
Paul
I’m shaken to my core. I never thought I could feel so strongly about someone, and I understand that Nella’s hurt. But never in my life did I intend to hurt her, either now or in the past. She is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and this last month without her has cut me to my core. I need the curvy girl, and I want her. As a result, putting a ring on her finger is the right thing to do.
“I love you, Nella,” I say in a low voice. “Do you hear me? I love you, and I was out ring-shopping with your mother to get her advice on which diamond you would like best.”
She stares at me, as if she can’t believe the words.
“But why?” she whispers. “Why Susan?”
I shake my head miserably.
“I could have asked Marley, but Marley would have bombarded me with a million questions that I wasn’t ready to answer. I don’t know your other girlfriends, and frankly, I don’t know anything about diamonds either. And I didn’t want to wing it for a purchase this large, so I turned to Susan.”
Nella sits up indignantly.
“My mom doesn’t know my taste in jewelry!”
I nod.
“Maybe not, but Susan’s a canny one, and she’s not going to let anyone roll over on her. Not even Cartier. So she agreed to come with me to make sure I was getting a good deal.”
Nella’s lips part and she stares at me in bewilderment. I can see a thousand thoughts racing behind those pretty eyes, but she isn’t able to speak.
“Do you believe me?” I ask in a low voice. “Surely, you know that much about your mother. Susan is a lot of things, but a fool she is not. As a result, she accompanied me to the jeweler, and helped me pick out something nice for you.”
Then I shift, moving onto one knee, making Nella gasp. Her face goes white and her eyes widen as I pull a box out of my pocket.
“During our time together, I was happier than I have ever been in my entire life. I’ve fallen in love with you. I’m nothing without you, Nella. These few weeks apart have been pure agony and I’ve realized that I can’t make it without you in my life.”