They were all wedding rings, of course. The first she saw featured a “fancy” yellow diamond in a vintage setting that whispered of romantic styles from the late nineteenth century. AVerdonia Royal amethyst complemented the diamond. The second ring appeared more sophisticated, the diamond solitaire a clear stone in a swirl of platinum with a round brilliant cut. But Francesca found it too cold for her taste. Moving on to the third ring, she froze, not even realizing she held her breath until she released it on a prolonged sigh. Never had she seen anything so beautiful.
“Is this a fire diamond?” she asked in amazement.
She’d heard of them, of course, but had never been fortunate enough to see one, let alone use them in any of the jewelry she designed. She’d read that the fire of its transformation from coal to diamond lingeredat its very heart and gave the gemstone its name. Sure enough, she could see the flames that licked outward from the fiery depths. Mesmerized, she could only stare inawe.
“There’s only one mine that produces them and Dantes owns it,” he confirmed. “They’re even more rare than pink diamonds.”
The fire diamond was breathtaking in its simplicity, and yet the band lifted it from stunning to extraordinary. Woven together into a gorgeous setting that combined gold with white gold, it provided a perfect backdrop for the stone.
“Two disparate halves made one,” he explained.
“Oh, Sev,” she murmured. “I wish I’d designed this. It’s magnificent.”
He shot her a look of amusement intermingled with pride. “Primo will be delighted to hear you think so, since he created it. It’s one of a kind.”
“And you’re auctioning it off?” She stared at him in dismay. “How can you bear for it to go out of the family?”
“It’s for a good cause.”
Over the next few hours Francesca forgot her animosity toward Sev. She had so much fun examining all the donated items, she didn’t evenremember the Fontaines and the strong possibility she’d run into them. When the time came for Primo’s ring to go up on the block, she waited anxiously to see who would claim it. To her surprise, Sev put in the winning bid at the very last minute.
“Now I know why you weren’t worried.” She gave a wry grin. “I should have known.”
He inclined his head. “Yes, you should. Primo would have killed me if I’d lost that final bid. Wait here for a minute while I retrieve it.”
He left her side to go and claim the ring. No sooner had he disappeared from sight than she caught a glimpse of the Fontaines. Every other thought fled as she stood frozen in place, utterly vulnerable to the approaching storm. Before they reached her, Sev reappeared with a ring box bearing the distinctive Danteslogo.
Spotting the Fontaines, Sev dropped a hand to her shoulder. “Look at me, sweetheart,” he murmured.
“I’m all right. Really. I’m fine.” So why did her voice sound so thread and terrified?
“You will be.” He gently turned her toward him. Lifting her hand, he slid Primo’s ring onto her finger. “Trust me.”
She glanced down, stunned. “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to fix things. To protect you.”
“I—I don’t understand.”
“I need you to go along with what’s about to happen.” He spoke low and urgently. “I owe you this much, sweetheart. Hell, Iowe you far more.”
Before she could demand a further explanation, the Fontaines descended. Sev greeted them with a broad smile. “You can be the first to congratulate us.” He held up her left hand. The fire diamond caught the light and burst into flames. “Francesca just agreed to marry me.”
“You must be kidding.” Disbelief overrode Tina’s anger. “This is a joke, right?”
Kurt studied Francesca with open concern. “This is sudden.”
Did she look as dazed as she felt? Probably. She’d never handled surprises well. She’d learned long ago that surprises meant something unpleasant. Like losing a parent. Like being adopted and then returned. Like moving to a new foster home. “I—”
“She’s still in shock,” Sev said with an understanding smile. “She didn’t see it coming.”
“You think I believe this?” Tina demanded. “You think I believe you’ve actually fallen in love with her?”
Sev tucked Francesca close in a protective hold. “Why do you find it so difficult to believe?” A hard note underscored the question. “Do you consider her so unlovable?”
“Just the opposite,” Tina snapped. She started to reach for Francesca before realizing what she’d almost done and snatched her hand back. “It’s you I don’t trust, Dante. She may be too inexperienced to figure out what you’re up to, but I’m not. You’ve romanced her away from Timeless Heirlooms because she’s our best designer. You know perfectly well that without her—” Her voice broke.
It was Kurt’s turn to pull his wife into protective arms. “Don’t, love. At least now we know what happened.”
