As soon as I opened the door, I saw him. He was leaning against the side of his car like he had all the time in the world.
The sleek black vehicle practically gleamed under the afternoon sun, but it wasn’t the car that made my breath hitch. It was him. His slacks were tailored perfectly, his hair styled but slightly undone like he’d run a hand through it too many times.
The moment he saw me, he straightened so he could walk around the car to open the passenger door.
I smiled brightly, warmth spreading through my chest. “You know,” I said as I reached him, “for someone who claims this is just a business arrangement, you’re the perfect gentleman.”
He blinked, a faint pink tint dusting his ears. “I was raised properly.”
I laughed softly. “Clearly.”
His mouth curved into a shy smile that surprised me. While I've always wanted to marry rich, my ideal type isn't someone with a cold personality. Knowing that he could be shy around me without fear of losing his reputation as a bachelor did something dangerous to my heart.
He waited until I was fully seated before closing the door gently and walking around to the driver’s side. As he slid behind the wheel, the car filled with the faint scent of his delicious cologne.
The drive to his parents’ estate was surprisingly quick. Or maybe my nerves distorted time. I stared out the window, trying not to overthink what I was walking into.
“Relax,” he murmured, glancing at me briefly. “They won’t bite.”
“They're not cannibals,” I said dryly. “But they might interrogate me.”
He didn’t deny it.
Great.
We pulled up to an enormous iron gate that opened automatically, revealing a driveway long enough to host a small marathon. The house itself—no, mansion—stood proudly at the end, tall white pillars framing the entrance like something out of a historical drama.
My stomach flipped. Callahan didn’t move immediately. Instead, he turned off the engine and reached into the back seat.
I frowned slightly. “Did you forget something?”
“Something like that.”
He pulled a sleek leather briefcase forward and placed it on the center console between us.
“What’s that?” I asked.
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he opened it.
And my breath stopped.
Inside were velvet boxes.
Several of them.
“Callahan…” I whispered.
He took one out carefully and opened it.
The engagement ring caught the light instantly. It was stunning. A diamond that wasn’t obnoxiously large but impossibly brilliant, set in a delicate platinum band that looked both timeless and modern. It was everything I wanted in an engagement ring, beside it was a wedding ring that matched.
“My wife can't show up without her rings,” he began, clearing his throat slightly, “I picked these out for you.”
My heart squeezed.
He took out the engagement ring first. “Do you like it?”
I stared at it for a second longer than necessary, emotions swirling in my chest. “It’s perfect.”
