“No, and if they ever find out, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I’m the one who hired you; the guilt is all on me. I’m just the lucky sonofabitch who convinced you to stick around.”
We travel down to the parking lot, and Melvin drives up in a Rolls-Royce I’ve not seen before.
“Wow. Is this the car you keep in the country?” I ask.
“It is. I thought we’d arrive in style. Also, Charlie will lose his shit when he sees it. He hates all that crap, and I do love pissing him off.”
I snort as I get into the car. It’s plush and beautiful inside, and there is a champagne flute waiting for me in a holder behind the driver’s seat.
“My lady,” Melvin says.
“My lord,” I reply. “You look very handsome tonight. My goodness.”
Lucas shoots me a glare as Melvin adjusts his tie. “You’ll make me blush, Amelia.”
I grin at him, saluting him with my glass, and we set off as Lucas sips from his drink, the lights of New York crossing through the car like shards of gold.
“Which one is a ruby wedding anniversary, again?” I ask. “I meant to look it up, but I forgot.”
“Forty years. It’s also my mother’s favorite gemstone, so I was commissioned to find her a gift. My dad’s been asking for my help with things like that for years. He’s terrible at presents.”
“Do you have it with you?” I ask excitedly, and he chuckles.
“You do love sparkly things,” he says fondly as he pulls out a box and shows me a beautiful set of pearl and ruby earrings.
“Oh my goodness, Lucas, they’re beautiful.”
“They are, aren’t they?”
“She’ll love them.”
“Oh no, these are for you. My mother doesn’t have pierced ears,” he says, flashing me a grin, and I stare at him.
“What? Are theserealrubies?” I say, my voice coming out higher than usual.
Lucas’s grin only widens as he hands them to me. It’s his ‘no nonsense’ face, and he glares at me until I take the box with trembling fingers.
“Lucas, I can’t wear these, they’re so expensive!” I say weakly, but he just nudges me until I put them in my ears.
Once I’ve secured them in place, I show him, and the bright happiness in his eyes is enough to placate me.
“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he says, kissing me gently and pulling back.
“Thank you, they’re gorgeous,” I say, snapping the box shut and placing it on the seat between us.
“The color reminds me of that dress you wore the night you came to my apartment,” he says, smirking at me, and I shake my head.
“Ambrose is going to be there tonight, isn’t he? Are you planning on a repeat performance?” I ask, just to get a reaction from him. He tugs me across the back seat, and I almost spill my champagne everywhere.
“Fuck no. I love Ambrose, but you’re mine. And that time in my life is well and truly over. I don’t need anyone else now. I have you.”
I lean against him contentedly as we continue on through the New York traffic.
After a while, we arrive at the hotel where his parents' wedding anniversary is taking place. I’ve heard a lot about Elona and Ed, but I’ve not met them until now.
The only member of his family that I see often is Charlie, and although Lucas gets stupidly jealous about how close we are, Charlie is like a goofy older brother to me.
Lucas helps me out of the car, and we walk inside to gentle piano music playing and dozens of people in beautiful suits and dresses mingling about.
