“Holden.” I look up to find him grinning like a little boy.
Inside the box, there’s a Post-it that readsBe my date to the galawith beautiful earrings and a bracelet with gems that resemble emeralds. It’s beautiful, and… “I can’t.”
“Oh. You don’t like it?” He frowns. “It’s okay. I can get something else.”
“No, no, I- it’s beautiful. It’s not that.”
“Oh, then what is it?”
How do I explain to this man that this is too much? This must have cost so much money. “I can’t accept this gift from you.”
“Mm, why? You don’t want to go to the gala with me? It’s okay if you don’t. You should still keep them. I bought them thinking of you.”
“I could go, but this is, it looks, um, expensive.” I lift the bracelet and drop it as if it were made of fire.
“Who cares how much it costs?”
I freeze, tittering between telling him. How do I explain that spending money has never been something I’m comfortable with? How do I explain that without sounding like an ungrateful woman? “I do. This?—”
“It’s a gift. They made me think of you. I would have brought you flowers, but considering you own this place, it would’ve been a little tacky of me to make you prepare a bouquet for yourself.”
“Holden.”
“Natalie.” He walks around the table and stands in front of me. “Would you go to this gala with me? It’s in a few weeks, so there’s time to find a sitter, but if you don’t want to go, I understand.”
I look down, escaping his gaze. Dang it. Why does he have to be so perfect when I struggle to even communicate something as simple asmy mom was frugal, so I’m frugal, and this gift is not frugal.I don’t want to owe anyone, anything, ever.
“Look at me.”
I do, because it’s impossible not to.
“Do you want to go to the gala with me?”
I nod.
“Do you think there’s some sort of price tag attached to that gift? That if you take it somehow, I have leverage or something?”
No.
Maybe.
I shrug.
“Is this because they’re emeralds?”
“Are they?” I ask in shock.
He doesn’t have to say yes for me to know they are; his face says it all.
“Then I definitely cannot take this.”
“It’s not a wedding ring, Natalie. It’s just jewelry, but if it makes you uncomfortable, I can take it back.”
I blink rapidly. They’re too expensive. How many hours did he have to work to pay for those?
He takes the box from my hands and slides it back on the table, turning my way and cupping my face. “I don’t ever want to do anything to make you uncomfortable, whatever the reason may be.”
I swallow hard.
