The Seat They Never Saved and the Offer I Finally Took novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: Hand It Over

Nobody in the room moved.

Lacey's hand stayed at her mouth, and the little green stone shook in the candlelight.

"I don't know what you mean," she said.

"Take it off, Lace."

"It's mine. Connor gave it to me."

"Then it won't hurt to read the inside."

Lacey's mother had stopped smiling.

"Lacey, sweetheart," she said slowly. "What is she talking about?"

"Nothing, Mom. She's upset."

"Take it off," her father said.

It was the first thing he'd said all night.

He was a big, quiet man in a gray suit, and he was looking at his daughter's hand.

Lacey turned to Connor with her eyes wide and wet.

Connor was standing very still.

"Honestly," he said, with a light little laugh. "This is a misunderstanding. Lena gave me the ring in June to get resized, as a surprise for her. I let Lacey try it on to check the fit. That's all."

"For four months?" I said.

"The jeweler was backed up."

"Was he?"

I opened my clutch and took out the slip of paper I'd carried out of his apartment.

I unfolded it, and I read it aloud.

"Picked up by G. Ames. Size five."

I held it up so the whole table could see the logo.

"I wear a seven," I said. "Lacey wears a five."

A man two seats down said, "Oh, that's bad," in a very small voice.

Connor's smile didn't move, but sweat had started at his hairline.

"That's a typo."

"Is it?"

"Lena, you're being unreasonable. We can talk about this in private."

"We could have talked about it in private at the airport," I said. "Or in June, or any day this summer. You picked the audience."

Lacey's father stood up.

"Lacey," he said quietly. "The ring."

She began to cry, and for once it didn't work.

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