“This is huge,” she mumbled.
“It’s appropriate.”
“Is it? Because yesterday my hands were covered in grape juice and mud, and now they’re…well, actually, they’re still covered in a little mud,” she said with a groan, staring at her chipped, short, uneven fingernails and the dark smudge beneath one of them. “This ring belongs on a supermodel’s hands, not mine.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I’m not. Look! Look at my fingers.”
She waggled them in front of him in despair. “Your family is never going to believe you actually chose me.”
“They will believe whatever I tell them.”
“This is crazy.”
“If you’re truly having regrets then tell me so now. It’s not too late to back out.”
“You’d be okay with that?”
“I’d prefer to know now rather than after word gets out.”
She frowned, not answering.
“My grandfather can never know this is a sham. If we were to announce our engagement and then you called it off, it would have the exact opposite effect on his health and happiness.”
“He’d be devastated,” she guessed.
“Worried about me, more than he is, yes.”
His concern for the older man clarified everything. This wasn’t a big deal. It was just a bit of play-acting, and a way for both of them to get something that really mattered. She’d be able to buy her family’s farm, like she’d always wanted, and he’d be putting his grandfather’s mind at ease, and gaining a bit of breathing space from a lovably controlling family.
No harm there, right?
“I’m not going to back out,” she said with determination. “I promise.”
His eyes narrowed and then he nodded. “Good.” His approval did strange things to her belly. “We’ll travel to La Maison des Rêves tomorrow afternoon. In order to lessen the surprise, I thought we’d go out tonight.”
“Out?” She repeated, unable to take her eyes off the ring.
“A club. Dinner. Dancing.”
“That sounds…high profile.”
“Yes, that’s the point.”
“Is it?”
“Our photo will be on the internet within minutes. That ring will cause speculation. We won’t confirm anything officially until I’ve spoken to my grandparents.”
“Respect?”
He nodded. “It’s what they would expect.”
“So I should tell my family.”
“If you’d rather they hear it from you than the internet, yes.”
“I would.” But her stomach was in knots at the very idea.