Chapter 13 Vanna
THIRTEEN
VANNA
“Mom! Pop the champagne.” Stone shouts at our entrance.
We pile in, Mrs. Belmont already setting out five flutes on the marble countertop of her L-shaped kitchen. The sound of the cork popping off the bottle masks her squeal of delight, and she begins to pour.
“On it, honey. Oh, grab the club soda from the fridge, would you?” She motions to Stone.
Obediently, he does, pulling out a can of flavored soda water and handing it over. As I watch him with her, his demeanor so comfortable and loving, I wonder to myself how he can do something so horrible. How can he lie to her about something so big?
“Come here, hon.” She calls to me, handing me the first glass, then passes out the rest. “I just want to thank you all for coming here during this difficult week, but I can honestly say that despite how horrible the reason is that we’re brought together, everyone’s news has made it bearable. To babies and weddings!”
Jace coughs but doesn’t say anything further when Stone elbows him in the side.
My heart drops into my stomach as I clink my glass with hers, entertaining this deceit. All the while, the grin on Stone’s face hasn’t faltered once. I begin to wonder if he’s a sociopath.
To make matters worse, he grabs me around the waist and pulls me into him, planting a kiss against my mouth. My first instinct is to shove him off but then remember better of it. Instead, I let it happen.
Being forced into this moment lets me take it all in. The soft tenderness of his lips against mine, the way he takes more knowing there is an audience, and then the way his hand brushes against my hip in soothing circles. It’s all... too much.
“Love you, babe.” He says as he pulls away with one last peck.
Entirely shocked, I just stare at him. To someone who doesn’t know us, it might look like a silent, loving connection shared, but really, I’m debating how I should kill him and if it’s worth waiting until we get home.
“Wow. That was...” Daphne starts. “Some kiss.”
I can feel a blush bleeding across my cheeks.
“Yeah.” I swallow, wiping my sweaty palms on my shorts.
“So, where’s the ring?” Mrs. Belmont asks.
“Well, since we’re here, there’s a cute jewelry store downtown that I want to check out. I think there’s something there that suits Vanna’s style.”
“My style?” I challenge.
“You, babe, are anything but traditional.”
“You can say that again.” I mutter.
Within the next few hours, we find ourselves downtown walking toward a small, boutique jewelry store. Mrs. Belmont follows closely behind while Jace and Daphne keep their distance.
“This is insane.” I whisper-shout to Stone.
He opens the door to the shop and pushes me in by the small of my back.
Behind the counter stands a tall, thin woman with blond barrel curls down to the middle of her back.
And though it’s nearly eighty degrees outside, she wears a black suit jacket with a matching skirt.
She’s elegant, like she belongs behind the counter filled with diamonds.
“Hi! Welcome to Feather Weight Jewelry. My name is Sarah. What brings you folks in today?”
She smiles and I sneak a look at Stone. I mean he has to know she’s attractive, yet his eyes are already perusing the onyx stones on the side of the store.
“My son is getting married! This is his fiancé, Vanna.” Mrs. Belmont gushes to the stranger.
“Congratulations!” Her gaze studies Stone; his bleach blond hair, the tattoos covering nearly every inch of skin, his stunningly blue eyes. “Let me know if you see anything you like, and we can look at it together.”
He nods to her, and she flushes. I don’t think anyone here notices, but me and I don’t even care! I just find it rude. Eye fucking someone who just announced they were getting married... in front of his fiancé no less.
Wait! Fuck! I am NOT his fiancé!
“What do you think of this?” Stone yanks me by the hand and drags me over to the rings he was eyeing before.
Black diamonds glitter in the light, encircled by small opal stones and a white gold band. It’s unique for sure and absolutely something I would wear.
“You’re not buying me a ring. I don’t even know why we came in here.” I grit through my teeth. “This is absurd.”
He smirks and turns toward Sarah, “Hey, I think we found one.”
She struts over behind the counter where we stand and opens the glass on her side. Slowly, she picks the rings up and moves it around under the light before pulling it out. Handing it over, Stone takes it and smiles.
“Oh yeah, this is totally you.”
“You don’t even know me.” I growl.
But it doesn’t stop him from doing the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever been a part of. He kneels down on one knee in front of me and lifts the ring. Bringing his gaze to mine, he clears his throat.
“Vanna Taylor, will you make me the luckiest man in the world and marry me?”
In the corner of my eye, I can see his mother balling. Her hands cover her mouth to hide what I know is a large, misplaced smile. Rage roils beneath my skin, and I can only assume it’s plastered all over my face.
I can’t even bring myself to look at Jace and Daphne standing in another section of jewelry. While they were actually contemplating a future, we’re over here conning our way into one. I can only imagine that Daphne must be as annoyed as I am.
This should be her standing before Jace, ogling a beautiful ring that she’ll wear for the rest of her life.
“Say yes!” Mrs. Belmont chuckles through her tears.
It snaps me back to reality. Numb, I turn back to Stone and force the word Yes out of my mouth.
A satisfied grin stretches across his face, and it makes my stomach queasy.
He grabs my left hand and slowly slides the jewelry onto my ring finger.
It glitters like the biggest lie I’ve ever seen, taunting me for being such a shitty person.
I hate it.
Stone pulls himself to his feet and before I can take my next breath, he crushes his lips to mine.
His mother claps, but the rest remain silent as he puts on the show of his life.
His tongue swipes along my bottom lip, then he nips it gently with his teeth.
Heat and hate all course through me at once.
With enough force, I push him away, but he only comes right back to wrap his arm around me.
Instead of fighting it, I press my face into his chest to hide myself from everyone and their judgmental stares.
He knows this is all too much for me and clearly can sense that I’m about to break in public.
So, he holds me steady and kisses my forehead as I hyperventilate into his side.
“We’ll take this one.” He tells the sales associate as I slide it off my finger and across the glass.
I step out onto the sidewalk while he makes the purchase, thankful that his mother stayed by his side. Shortly after, the bell on the door chimes as Daphne joins me.
She leans against the front window by my side and crosses her arms over her chest.
“I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but I’m not sure I like it. When I suggested you guys room together, I didn’t exactly have any of this in mind.”
“And you think I did?” I groan. “I was against this from the beginning. I wanted no part of this and now look! He’s insane! Clearly!”
Daphne turns to face me, “Are you okay? I mean, do we need to get you out of there?”
“No.” I sigh, rubbing the bridge of my nose. “He’s not hurting me. He’s just... intense. I mean we’ve roomed for just over a week now and suddenly we’re engaged.”
“Hun, you’re not engaged. This isn’t real.”
“Obviously, Daph. I know that.”
She brushes a stray strand of dark hair from my eyes and tucks it behind my ear.
“Look, if this gets to be too much, just let me know. We can fly back home together. Jace can handle it alone.” She snorts.
I nod, taking another deep breath to calm my racing heart and chaotic thoughts.
“Let’s just get through this weekend. I know you’re all pissed at me for going along with this ruse, but I can’t break the woman’s heart. I’ll let her down gently after we get home.”
Daph shakes her head and looks down at the crack in the sidewalk. “You know this won’t end well.”
“I know.”
We both look up as the rest of the group exits the jewelry store. That brief moment alone provided the perfect dose of de-escalation just in time for my heart rate to pick back up.
Stone opens the black velvet box, plucking the new ring out and slips it back onto my finger.
It’s not that I’m accepting this situation by any means, but a part of me has settled in knowing that this is what our weekend is going to look like.
It is what it is and even though I know Daphne isn’t happy with this lie, at least I know she still loves me, and I think that makes this all the easier to deal with.
We grab an early dinner in the city before heading back to the Belmont’s house. There, we curl up on the couch with a glass of wine and watch a movie. Before it even finishes, Daphne and Jace excuse themselves to bed.
“Well, that’s our cue.” Stone mumbles, shutting the TV off with the remote.
My stomach curdles in anticipation of having to be alone with him tonight after everything that’s happened today, but he doesn’t seem to feel the same way.
Mrs. Belmont smiles sweetly at us, finishing her last sip of wine, and places the glass on the side table. Standing, she pulls me off the couch and into a hug. She’s warm and soft and full of this love that I haven’t experienced in years.
It melts these frozen pieces of me that were used to subzero temperatures and suddenly, I’m a puddle. Tears form along my lower lashes, and I’m not even sure why. Maybe it’s the wine or maybe it’s because I feel for this woman. Either way, I wipe them away before anyone can notice.
“I can speak for Darrin when I say we’re so excited to have you as a part of our family, Vanna. I’ve missed having a daughter so much.”
And then my heart cracks in two.
I hug her back, squeeze her tight, and give her every bit of myself she deserves. When this is over between her son and me, I make a promise that I’ll always be there for her.
“Thank you.”
Stone pulls his mom away from me to hug her himself. She tiredly mumbles sweet nothings to him as he kisses her cheek. Then we descend to the basement... alone.
“I hate you.”
It’s the first thing that comes tumbling out of my mouth.
“Wow, not even a full 24 hours into our engagement and you hate me.”
Stomping over to my suitcase, I pull my toiletries and pajamas out, then head to the bathroom. Before I can slam the door shut, Stone is forcing his way inside.
“Privacy… now!”
“Babe, we’re about to be married, there’s no such thing as privacy anymore.”
I look at him incredulously. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? You do know this is all a show. It’s not real and the longer we pretend, the worse it will be for your mother.”
“Then don’t fuck it up.” He shrugs.
I close my eyes and take several deep breaths, trying to reign in my frustration. There’s this swirling pit of disaster forming and it’s taking hold of my nervous system. At some point, I’m going to shut down and snap.
When I open them again, Stone is watching me thoughtfully as if he’s taking in his soon-to-be-wife.
“What?” I snipe.
“Nothing. You’re cute when you’re exasperated. You get this flush that causes your cheeks and neck to pinken, and your eyes get so wide. Your little nostrils flare.”
I shake my head and turn to the sink, proceeding to ignore him and brush my teeth. He watches me the entire time. His gaze never wandering as I pull my hair into a messy bun and wash my face. Even when I change into my pajamas.
Then I turn to him, “I draw the line at peeing.”
“I’ll turn around.”
“No, get out.”
“Make me.”
“Ugh! You’re so fucking weird, dude.” I growl, tossing my hands in the air.
“Dude? That’s what you’re going with for your future husband? I much prefer Lover Boy over that.” He chuckles.
“Jesus Christ. Turn around, close your eyes, and cover your ears.”
“Yes ma’am.” He smirks, actually obeying this time.
Hesitantly and as quickly as I can, I pee. All the while he stands facing the door with his eyes closed and hands over his ears. When I finish and wash my hands, I grab the handle and yank, nearly slamming the door in his face.
“Good boy.” I grumble as I pass him by.
Unlike him, I don’t need to invade his privacy and let him take care of his business alone.