Sometimes you just couldn’t win—especially with women.
Although Terri had been nice enough to him last night, what with the free booze and good company. She blew hot and cold sometimes, Terri, but she was all right at the back of it all. Gary smiled, figuring she must have always had a bit of a thing for him, but because he was with Rachel, he’d never really noticed.
He brought his bike to a halt, spraying gravel as he stopped. Still sitting on the saddle, he reached into his pocket and brought the phone out. He didn’t recognize the number but decided to answer it anyway.
“Yo.”
“Is that Gary Knowles?” The voice was male with an English accent that sounded posh.
Shite, Gary thought, realizing.
“Yup,” he replied.
“Well, nice to talk to you finally. It’s Ethan Greene here.”
“Right. Em, hello.” He tried to sound nonchalant, but the truth was his nerves were in bits. Especially if, as Terri tried to point out last night, the piece of luck that had landed in his lap (or at least in that Tiffany’s bag) wasn’t luck at all.
Well, if something had indeed gone amiss, it was an innocent mistake and had nothing to do with Gary, him being unconscious and all.
“I’m not sure if you remember, but our paths crossed in New York,” Greene went on, not sounding particularly friendly. “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you a number of times since, but it seems you’re a very hard man to pin down.”
“Right, yes. I think Rachel might have mentioned something.”
“Let’s not beat around the bush here. You have something of mine, and I want it back.”
Gary’s eyes narrowed defensively. He didn’t like this guy’s tone. Who did he think he was, ringing up out of the blue and making demands? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, I think you know very well what I’m talking about. The diamond ring that is currently in the possession of your girlfriend? You and I both know that you didn’t buy it yourself.”
“Like I said, I don’t know what you’re—”
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. The ring is mine, and I want it back. I’m also more than happy to give you back your own Tiffany’s purchase—a silver charm bracelet, I believe?”
“Dunno what you’re on about.” Gary knew better than to admit anything up front. “Thanks for looking after me after the accident and everything, but as far as this stuff goes, it’s all news to me.”
There was no way he could turn around and ask Rachel for the ring back now, not when she thought the sun shone out of his backside for giving it to her.
No, what was done was done, and how was he supposed to know that the stupid ring belonged to someone else? Surely it was Greene’s own fault for not looking after his stuff?
Gary was annoyed now. It was bad enough that he’d been put in the awkward position of having to propose unprepared because of this bloody ring, so for this guy to just turn around and expect him to hand it back after all, that was a bit rich.
Anyway, for all he knew, any stranger could ring up and claim the ring was his.
“Look, I don’t have time for this,” he said in an attempt to get the guy off his back. “Dunno what you’re spouting off about, to be honest.”
“Fine, then you leave me little choice but to go to the police.”
“Grand. Do what you like.” Gary didn’t know what else to say. Anyway, what could the cops do? He’d committed no crime, and actually if you thought about it properly, he’d also been the victim here, considering that the appearance of this ring had led to him being engaged without having the chance to think properly about it.
So the last thing he wanted to do was have to fork out a bleedin’ fortune for another fancy diamond just because some randomer had taken the notion to blame him for losing one.
“You’re seriously refusing to give it back?” Greene said, and Gary knew that he’d been calling his bluff about the cops.
“Look, mate, I’m sorry for your troubles, but I really haven’t a clue what you want from me. I don’t know you from Adam, and here you are ringing me up and accusing me of all sorts—”
“You stole my engagement ring, for crying out loud!”
“Now hold on a moment,” Gary said, his hackles rising. He’d had just about enough of this. “I didn’t steal anything. If you’ve lost something, then I’m sorry, but as I said, it’s nothing to do with me—”
