Page 49 of The Score

"Yeah? Why?"

I lick my lip.Is it because you knew I'd look pretty, Leon?

Whew, stop that, Penélope.

"Nevermind," I say. "Is the car here?"

"It'll be here in ten." He sits at the edge of my bed. "It's not why I knocked."

He takes a small rectangular velvet box from his jacket's inside pocket. He opens it. Three rings shine from within it, shaped from some sort of silver metal.

"Oh— they're ready?" I ask.

I gave Leon one of my rings for sizing, knowing he'd use it to get his family's jewelry ready, but this is the first time I see the heirlooms.

Two of the rings are smaller than the third. One of them is a thin band with several small diamonds in a channel, surrounding a center, rectangular deep blue stone. The other one must be the engagement ring, as it has a more elaborate design. The center stone is relatively large, surrounded with beautifully crafted metal prongs made to look organic, almost like leaves and tiny branches. It gives the ring a floral look, especially with the accent stones in the same shade of dark blue sitting like little water droplets.

"Wow." I run a finger through the stone and metal flower.

"Mamma didn't mention it, but my grandfather's ring was included in the set."

The third ring, larger than the other two, is a simple band with two parallel lines etched all around. A simple gray stone holds a solitary spot on the metal, flush against its surface.

My stomach flips, thinking of it on Leon's finger.

"They're gorgeous," I manage.

"I was wondering if you wanted to start wearing the engagement ring." He scratches his eyebrow. "Since we're going to a party and the wedding is coming up soon."

He's the one licking his bottom lip now. In this light, it's easy to make a connection between his eyes and the stone accents in the rings.

That dizzying feeling in my stomach intensifies.

I bite my lip. "Are you sure you don't want us to get something else for us? More casual? These rings are too beautiful. Wouldn't you rather keep them for Future Wife?"

That kills the little high showing up out of nowhere. My body goes silent.

But he shakes his head.

"No," he says. "I already started imagining them on your finger. They're yours."

I gaze at the rings again, then up at him like asking for confirmation.

Leon takes the engagement ring out of the box. "I don't like how people keep looking at your hand and not finding anything there."

He's talking about meeting our wedding planning team, or going cake tasting, or the time we had to pick decorations for the event. No one said anything. No questions were asked. But they did look at my left hand a lot, and it seems Leon noticed.

The dizzying feeling returns. It's a roller coaster again.

"I'd love to wear it," I confess. "We're engaged, after all."

He gives me a small smile and, without notice, goes down on his knee.

"Oh my God." My heart booms. It's such a powerful feeling, I wonder if it's possible for it to explode.

"Gotta do this right." He takes my left hand, but doesn't put the ring on yet. "Or as right as we can go about it."

"It's okay…" I manage.