The One Who Waited novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: The Ring Box

The diamond was the size of a chickpea.

Derek walked down the aisle between the counter and the booths with it held out in front of him.

His mother walked beside him with her chin up.

Every head in the diner turned to follow them.

He stopped in front of my stool.

He looked tired and very handsome. He'd shaved. He was wearing the navy sweater I'd bought him for his thirtieth birthday.

"Merry," he said.

Then he went down on one knee on the checkered floor.

Somebody in a booth gasped.

Derek took my left hand.

His palm was damp.

"I know I've been an idiot," he said, loud enough for the back booth. "I got scared. The company, the pressure, the IPO. I took you for granted. I'm sorry. Fifteen years, Merry. I'm not letting you throw away fifteen years because of one bad joke on a podcast."

"One bad joke," I said.

"Marry me. Not in some warehouse. Here, at home, at Saint Peter's, the way we always said. My mother's already talked to the priest."

His mother nodded at the room.

I looked down at him on his knee.

For fifteen years I had pictured this exact moment.

I'd pictured it at Christmas, on birthdays, at every wedding I'd ever been to, at the bridal shop ten days ago in a dress he said wasn't for me.

Now it was here, and all I could think was that his hand was sweating.

"Derek," I said. "What day is it?"

He blinked.

"Sunday?"

"What's the date?"

"The eleventh."

"And when did you buy this ring?"

His eyes flicked to his mother.

"Yesterday," I said. "Right? Or Friday. After the podcast. After you read the proxy."

The room got very quiet.

"This isn't about money," Derek said.

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