Page 44 of Stolen Kiss

“It’s too much, it looks fake.”

“That’s no fake diamond, Jason. I’ve worn diamonds for the red carpet on loan. This is a diamond and then some.”

“Probably won in a poker game in the eighteen century,” Archer said.

“It’s gorgeous, but I’d be afraid I’d lose it. It’s terrifying enough wearing diamonds for a premiere when they’re on loan. I have had diamond bodyguards whose sole purpose is to get them back to the jeweller. No care of me, just the jewels.”

“I’m not giving it to her,” Jason said.

“Why not?” Erica asked, placing the ring back in its box.

“I bought her a ring years ago.”

“Where is it? Can I see it?”

“Still in the jewellers on the high street. It’s all bought and paid for. When she dumped me, I never picked it up. I doubt it’s still there.”

Erica looked at Jason with her lips folded in, bouncing on her seat. Her head stayed in one place but her eyes darted about his face. She was struggling to hide her grin. It lasted three seconds before she let her megawatt smile loose. Jason stared for a few moments and then shook his head.

“We’re not going into town, Erica,” Jason said.

She sagged on the sofa like she was a balloon he’d popped. “But you’ll show me, right?”

“Before or after the proposal?” Archer said and laughed.

“Well, I’d like before but I guess that isn’t my right,” she said.

Jason grinned at her. “I’ll see what I can do. Who knows when I’ll get the woman of my dreams?”

Chapter Sixteen

Heidi

Harold Shaw grumbled the entire way through Sunday lunch under his breath. After the third swipe at Heidi that she brought sub-standard roast potatoes the rest of the table started to giggle and then burst into fits of laughter each time he commented. It didn’t stop him eat four of her potatoes but she vowed to get the recipe from Jason when she saw him in a couple of hours.

They were sitting in their usual places. Freya’s grandparents, Freya’s parents and Freya down one side of the table. Opposite Freya was Heidi, because they needed to be within whispering distance of each other. Then her mum and dad, her grandmother and Keith’s empty seat. The time Luke came to lunch, her dad sat at the head of the table and her family shuffled up for Luke to sit at her side.

She was glad he wasn’t there for Sunday lunch, she needed to have a chat with Keith. Except he hadn’t shown up.

Heidi helped her mum wash up and then resorted the washing her dad had put in piles ready for the machine. It hadbeen some time since her mother’s accident but he still couldn’t sort whites, lights and darks properly. Her mum still had trouble bending down so her dad was on washing duty. Heidi thought her mum was going to elongate the situation for as long as possible. Payback for decades of doing the washing.

Loading up the baskets ready for him to stuff in the drum, Heidi brushed her hands on her baggy jeans and stood up, bracing her hands on the base of her back to straighten her spine.

“Right mum, do you need anything else doing?” she hollered from the laundry room through to the kitchen.

“No, love, everything else is done,” her mum called back.

There was a side door to the laundry room, years ago it would’ve been a tack room or boot room. There was still the metal boot scraper outside the back door.

“I’m going to have a chat with Keith then I’ll be back up to say goodbye before I head off home later.”

Heidi dropped her head to listen to her mum’s reply. Freya has already left not wanting to interfere with Heidi’s mission. Her parents and grandparents lived down the road. Freya said she’d walk home so Heidi would have the buggy when she got back from her date.

“Going somewhere nice?”

“Not sure. Jason’s taking me out for the afternoon.”

Heidi could’ve moved into the kitchen to talk to her mum but if she moved out of the laundry room, away from Keith’s home, she feared she would bottle out of the confrontation.

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