Page 76 of Joey

“Two point nine,” Mr. Frank counters.

“That’s the same thing as three!” Brooke laughs.

“Two then,” I say.

“One point five,” Brooke counters.

I look at Mr. Frank. But he’s shaking his head. “One, one point five. You cannot see the difference. Two is better.”

I look at Brooke with raised eyebrows. “Two then?”

She sighs. “I feel so stupid fighting you about the carat weight of a diamond ring you want to buy me.”

“So stop fighting it,” I say. Then… I don’t know. I don’t know what comes over me. But I pull her close, place my hands on her waist, and say, “You’re going to pick a ring of approximately two carats and then I’m going to propose to you and put it on your finger. And then you’re going to wear it forever. No matter what. And we’re not going to ever talk about it again. Deal?”

“He’s so romantic,” Mr. Frank jokes.

“Deal?” I ask again.

“Deal,” she says.

And then I kiss her. I know I don’t have to kiss her. I know Mr. Frank isn’t recording this to report back to the Kane family. But I kiss her anyway. I kiss her… because I want to.

And while we’re kissing I whisper, “I am loyal to you.”

She pulls away smiling and pink.

And I did that.

Maybe, for once in my life, I feel like I did the right thing.

Two hours later we’re leaving. Mr. Frank has showered Brooke with small parting gifts. A pair of gold earrings. An anklet. A bracelet with a charm that he says “belongs to her,” whatever that means. And, of course, the ring.

Which is actually two point eight carats because despite Brooke’s claim that she didn’t really care about the ring, there was almost no way not to fall in love with this one.

And yes, it is huge.

Those parting gifts from Mr. Frank are mere grab-bag trinkets after what I just spent.

Once the money was transferred to Mr. Frank’s account I got down on one knee, took her hand in mine, and asked her to marry me.

She blushed. And smiled. And said yes.

Yet another pink moment.

Maybe this making-people-happy thing isn’t that hard?

And even though it’s fake and she knew I was gonna do this and I knew she’d say yes, even if she didn’t mean it because Mr. Frank was watching, I felt happy when she accepted my proposal.

It’s weird.

Which is probably a bad sign.

Because, of course, it’s fake. We both know it’s fake. But here’s the problem with lies and faking shit. If you’re really good at it—the way Brooke is. The way I am—then that shit catches up with you and pretty soon you live that lie.

I’m trying to be careful with her feelings. Because it’s clear to me now that Brooke is such a great liar, she lives that lie quicker than most. I’m trying to be mindful of that for her sake.

But maybe I should be mindful of that for my sake too?