10. Maeve
MAEVE
When Ford asked me if I wanted to join him for his lunch meeting so that I could take some notes for him, I should have known that something was up. The man never takes lunch meetings at restaurants if he can avoid it. That’s more Gabriel’s thing. Ford stays in his office—and steals my food.
But I bought into it, possibly because I’m not sure what to do with this whole deal. I feel unmoored, adrift, and I don’t know if this is going to steer me to better shores or if I’m headed for an ocean storm.
Instead, Ford gets us food and sits me down at a bench in the park, and breaks the news.
I have to go home with him to his family estate for the holidays.
“I have to do what? ” I blurt out, too in shock to come up with something witty.
Ford looks calm and in his element as always.
“Everything will be fine. Gabriel and Hayden will be coming as well, since we always get work done over the holidays. We’ll be hosting a couple of parties, and we’ll invite the Silver Start executive team, including George.
He’ll see that you and I are together and how serious our relationship is, and we’ll seal the deal. ”
I take a shaky breath. “Ford, I want to help you. And not just because of the money. I know I’m quitting, but it’s not out of any ill will. I want you guys to succeed. But this will be with your family.”
“We already planned this party and invited the Silver Start board. If I show up without the woman I’m about to marry, there will be awkward questions. We need to look like a happy couple.”
I shake my head. “Ford, I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Of course you can. You’re the assistant to three billionaires. Most people can barely handle one.”
“But won’t it be weird to go home as your fiancée after everything with Liam? I don’t want your family thinking I just… moved on to the next brother. I’m not a gold digger.”
I have never, ever asked for a handout in my entire life.
I always pay my debts. When Liam and I dated, he had no idea how bad my finances were.
It had been the one sour note when I’d imagined marrying him, my stomach twisting with humiliation and horror at the idea of having to tell him the kind of bad debt I was in.
But if I get this money from Ford, I’ll not only be out of debt, I’ll have enough to make the down payment on a property, and I can get a loan to cover the rest.
“Nobody will think that,” Ford says, a hard edge entering his voice. The glint in his eye suggests just what will happen to anyone who dares to suggest the idea. Then he pauses. His eyes narrow, like he is trying to search inside my head. “You don’t still have feelings for Liam, do you?”
“Oh, god, no,” I blurt out. Then I wince. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to—he’s your brother, I know you love him. I just meant… no. That’s all done with.”
“Then it’s fine. Liam let you go, Maeve. Once that happens, he doesn’t have any kind of claim on you.”
“I know that. But it doesn’t mean it won’t feel awkward to everyone.”
“It won’t.”
I hope that he’s right, although I’m not so sure it’ll be as cut and dried as he thinks. But I really can’t turn down this money. To be debt free will feel like being able to breathe again. And to actually have a shot at my dream… it makes me want to cry just thinking about it.
Anything I have to deal with along the way, including facing my ex, will be worth it for that.
“Fine,” I say. “You really didn’t have to take me out for lunch to tell me this though. Although the park is nice.”
“I thought it might be best to give you some privacy for the news. And we have a stop to make.”
“A stop?”
Ford stands and throws away our trash from lunch. “If you’re going to be my fiancée, then you need a proper ring.”
My stomach drops. Although we were literally just talking about this whole charade, the idea of having a ring to go with it makes it feel more real than ever. “You really don’t need to get me anything. I can find something. And lots of modern people don’t even wear rings.”
He cocks a brow at me. “You’re getting a ring. A proper one.”
I swallow. Ford might insist on calling me Spitfire, and I think he secretly likes it when I’m stubborn, but I know when not to argue with him.
I just don’t know what to do with him using that quiet command of his to buy me a nice ring.
We’re in Manhattan, and there’s nothing I would exactly call affordable around here.
“You can buy it,” I say, mustering as much defiance as I can, “but you can’t make me wear it.”
“You’d be amazed at the things I can do,” Ford replies. He offers me his arm, like we really are already putting on a show.
“You don’t have to do that. Unless someone from Silver Start is here watching us.”
“We’re about to go into a ring shop. I’d like the employees not to think that I’m holding you at gunpoint.”
“Why bother with gunpoint when you can find so many worse ways to get me to do what you want,” I grumble, but I take his arm.
I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of the employees, either. I don’t want them wondering if this is something illegal or coming up with any other number of crazy scenarios in their heads.
Ford leads me directly to the iconic Art Deco building on 5th Avenue that houses Harry Winston.
I balk as we head for the door. I don’t know a lot about luxury items, including jewelry, so I’m sure there are other brands out there, other companies, that are also well known.
Maybe even more iconic. But Harry Winston is the name in diamonds.
He’s name-dropped in Marilyn Monroe’s signature song, Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.
I know that Ford is stubborn, and of course he’d want to buy his fake fiancée the best of the best, but the idea of him taking me here makes me go cold with discomfort. And, maybe, also, makes my stomach flutter again.
It might be fake, but it’s still nice to pretend for a second that a man is in love with me enough to want to get me something so nice.
Ford looks at me as I make us stop. “Maeve. You’re not going to put me out by letting me buy you a ring.”
I swallow. “Well, I suppose I shouldn’t waste time arguing with you when you’re just going to win and get your way, anyway.”
“You’re learning.” Ford sounds faintly amused, and gets the door for me.
Inside, it’s like stepping into a whole new world. Everything exudes expense and luxury. It’s quiet, hushed, almost, like I’m inside a church. Beautiful jewels, mainly diamonds, sparkle and gleam under the tasteful, muted lighting.
Ford puts a hand on the small of my back and leads me to the counter where rings sit.
There aren’t nearly as many as you see in those commercials for engagement rings or from what I’ve caught glimpses of at jewelry counters in department stores.
There are just a few rings per velvet case, nestled with loving care and given plenty of room to show off.
I feel my knees go weak. There are no price tags on any of the rings, but that only makes me more certain that they’re extremely expensive.
In the tens of thousands of dollars, at least, if I had to guess.
I can’t possibly let Ford spend this much money on me—even if he can return it in a month when this charade is over.
I move further down the counter, trying to find the rings that look simpler, with smaller diamonds.
“Can I look at this one?” I ask the professional, silent saleswoman who’s been politely waiting about five feet away.
I appreciate that she’s not in our faces about it but is ready to help us if we need it.
If a salesperson was shoving rings at me right now, I think I might actually run out of the store.
The woman—her nametag says Bianca—pulls the ring out for me to examine.
“What are you doing?” Ford asks.
He’s so close to me that I jump in shock. “I’m picking out a ring, like you asked me to.”
“You’re looking for the cheapest one.”
I can feel my face flushing at how easily he’s seen through me. “Ford…”
“You’re not going to pick a ring based on price.” His voice is firm. “You’re going to pick based on what you actually like.” He looks over at Bianca. “Could you please bring out your high jewelry?”
High jewelry. I have no idea what that means, but I’m sure it’s not going to bode well for my plan to not spend a ton of money on a ring.
Bianca’s face lights up. “Of course, sir, I’d be more than happy to show you. Why don’t you come with us into the back?”
She escorts us to a smaller room, with a beautiful walnut table that’s just low enough to accommodate the plush velvet chaise in the middle of the space. I’m directed to sit down, and Bianca begins to pull out boxes, setting them on the table one by one for me to examine.
I’ve never even imagined being catered to like this. And the jewelry on display is truly art. It’s stunning, taking my breath away.
“We have some more… classic style engagement rings, if that’s what you’re looking for.” Bianca glances at Ford, who nods. “The all-diamond style. Classic, enduringly popular.”
She shows me some of the rings. They are stunning. I know I should just choose one, claim I like it, and get this over with. But…
I glance over at Ford. I have the feeling he’ll know that I was just trying to get this over with. I take a deep breath and look up at Bianca. “These are lovely, but do you have anything with color in it?”
Bianca beams at me. Either she’s a really good actress, or she’s genuinely pleased. “A bit of color is very bold, very daring. Not everyone has the guts for it.”
“That’s my Spitfire,” Ford says. “Bold and daring.”
I know that he’s just playing it up for her, but I feel a rush of warmth anyway.
Bianca pulls out some other rings, and they take my breath away with the arrangements of the gemstones, how the different colors are married together.
There’s a stunning one with a golden South Sea pearl set in the middle of a ring of diamonds that spike outward, making it look like the sun.
I’m very tempted by that one, but it’s just a little too big for me, I think.
I want something a little less… dominating.
“This is a very fun one, I’m surprised it hasn’t been more popular.” Bianca points to a ring that… I think is pink and red. Well, I’m pretty sure about the pink. I’m just guessing on the stone in the center. “I think people feel it’s a bit too fun.”
“Gorgeous,” Ford agrees, “but I think we should stay away from red.” He pauses. “And green.”
“Green will go so well with her eyes.”
My face is on fire. Not with embarrassment, but from shock. I had no idea that Ford realized I’m red-green colorblind. I didn’t think he paid that much attention to me.
I look at the rings, scrambling for something to say, and my eyes alight on one. My heart feels like it swells, and I feel a horrible, sharp longing in my chest. My breath catches in my throat.
Oh, I want that ring. I want that ring so, incredibly badly.
“May I look at that one?” I ask, pointing.
It’s an oval shaped star sapphire, beautifully framed by a circle of small diamonds. The star sparkling in the sapphire’s center is unique, but the soft curve of it makes it feel natural and understated, not too flashy.
Bianca smiles at me proudly, like I’ve gotten the right answer on a test. “This is from our Geological Wonders collection,” she tells me, taking my hand and sliding the ring on. “Our collection to highlight the best and most unusual of our jewels as rings. This star sapphire is 20.44 carats.”
I didn’t care about the carats, I just cared about how beautiful it was. I had always liked jewelry and tried to wear some pieces to look nice for work, but I had never wanted a ring like this, like it had captivated me and put me under a spell.
I stare at it, my heart in my throat. This isn’t real, I remind myself. But with this ring on my finger, it feels more real than it should.
“I think,” Ford says quietly, his tone laced with amusement, “we’ll take this one.”
“A truly excellent choice,” Bianca agrees, her voice hushed like we’re all sharing a secret. “Allow me to put these others away and I’ll finalize your purchase agreement, sir.”
I quickly fumble the ring off and hand it back so that Bianca and Ford can handle the purchase. The moment Ford has finished paying, not even bothering to ask about the price, he takes my hand and slips the ring back on.
The contact between us lingers for a moment, and I stare down at my smaller hand held lightly in his larger one.
“Beautiful,” he murmurs.
I look up, only to find myself meeting his gaze. My heart immediately kicks against my ribs, and I feel caught, trapped in time, as if the seconds have stopped ticking by.
Then Ford lets go of my hand. “Shall we?”
He turns to head for the door, but I can’t resist turning back to Bianca quickly and whispering, “Um, can I ask how much this was?”
“Nine hundred,” she replies.
Oh, thank god. That’s not so— I blink as reality catches up to me. “Wait. Nine hundred thousand?”
“Yes.” She sounds nonplussed, as if she’s completely used to jewelry costing this much. And I’m sure she is, but she didn’t have her billionaire boss just buy that nine hundred-thousand-dollar ring for her.
“Thank you,” I stutter out, then hurry to catch up with Ford.
He paid for that without even batting an eye. I know he can afford it. It’s a drop in the bucket for him. But it’s not about that. It’s the fact that he bought me something that costs this much.
I don’t even know where to begin processing that, so I shove down all the questions and worries floating around in my head and let Ford get the door for me on my way out.
I already thought this whole fake fiancée plan was a bit crazy, but now, I’m not sure I’ll even survive it.