Page 57 of If the Ring Fits

“You said it’ll just be your mom at the engagement party? What about your dad?”

I straighten the forks beside each plate, trying to sound casual. “He passed away a while ago.”

But Rowena’s too perceptive to miss the discomfort in myattitude. Her hand comes to rest on my arm, delicate and warm. “I’m sorry, Adrian. I didn’t mean to pry.”

I shrug, still not quite meeting her eyes. “It’s fine. It was a long time ago.”

She examines me intently, seeing right through my practiced nonchalance. “You don’t have to tell me the story. But just so you know… I’m here to listen. You already know my deepest, darkest secrets, after meeting Liam. And I don’t judge either.”

I fiddle with the cutlery, my thoughts churning. She trusts me. I saw it this morning. And there’s a part of me that desperately wants to reciprocate, to let her in.

But old habits die hard. I’ve spent years keeping people at a safe distance. Opening up, being vulnerable… it goes against every instinct I have.

Rowena seems to sense my internal struggle. She pats my arm, then steps back, giving me space. “No pressure, though. Just know the offer stands.”

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. She’s already seen more of the real me than anyone else has in a long, long time. But Rowena has been so open and honest with me. With a sigh, I decide to trust her back.

“Well, I’m an only child. And everything was pretty good early on—I had a happy childhood. But then when I was fourteen, my dad lost his job. After that, things got… difficult.”

I stop fidgeting with the already perfect setting and stare at her, memories flooding back.

“He couldn’t keep a job for long after that. He got bitter and angry. Kept saying the system was rigged against the common man, that regular people like us could never get ahead. Mom had to take on a second job, and we had to move to a smaller house.” My chest tightens as I recall that stressful time. The guilt. “When I was ready to go to college, I was so torn. Even though I’d won a scholarship and knew getting a degree would help the family in the long run… part of me felt like I should stay home. Get a job to help Mom out, you know? It felt wrong leaving her.”

Rowena steps closer and rubs a comforting hand on my arm. “Adrian, you shouldn’t have felt guilty. Going to college was the right thing to do for yourself and your family.”

“Maybe. I don’t know.” I shrug. “I took a bartending job while I was in school. Sent whatever money I could back home to Mom.”

“Is that why you chose finance? Because of everything your family went through?” Rowena asks kindly.

“Yeah. I knew I wanted a high-paying career. Didn’t have the stomach to be a surgeon or the time for law school. So banking it was. Even with my very first job out of college, I was making more than both of Mom’s salaries combined. She could quit that second job. I thought my dad would be proud of me. I’d proved to him we could make it without outside help. What I didn’t understand at the time is that the only thing I’d accomplished was to dispel the lies behind which he hid not to sort himself out. And he resented me for it. Besides growing more bitter over the years, he was also a proud man,” I continue, pausing briefly as I gather my thoughts. “He flat-out refused to accept any of the money I tried to give him and Mom.”

“I’m sorry, that must’ve been hard.” Rowena sighs. “So what did you do?”

“I wanted her to leave him, but she never did.” I let out a humorless chuckle. “I had to resort to secretly slipping cash to my mom whenever I could. She’d use it to pay the bills behind his back, put food on the table.” My brows furrow at thememory. “Then when I was twenty-six, Dad passed away suddenly from a heart attack. Fifty years old.”

“Oh, Adrian, I’m so sorry,” Rowena says softly.

“It’s okay. Honestly…” I don’t know what compels me to admit a truth I’ve never said out loud to anyone. “When he died, part of me felt… relieved. Like I could finally give Mom the life she deserved without his stubbornness and pride getting in the way. Move her out of that run-down house into a decent place.”

I brace myself, waiting for Rowena to recoil in disgust at my admission. What kind of heartless son feels relief at his father’s death? Instead, she wraps her arms around me, snuggling close.

“Adrian, I understand,” she mutters against my shoulder. “You don’t have to explain or justify how you felt. Emotions are complicated, especially in situations like those.” Her words echo through me, soothing the gnawing guilt that’s been my secret companion for years. I hug her back. “You’re not heartless. You were looking out for your mom. Wanting her to have a better life doesn’t make you a bad person.” She draws back to watch me with such tenderness my chest feels like it’s been hit with a sledgehammer. The sensation is unnerving and comforting at the same time. “Now I see why your career is so important to you. Your mom must be incredibly proud of you.”

Emotion clogs my throat, but I force my vocal cords to cooperate. “Thanks. That… means a lot.”

Just then, the doorbell chimes, startling us both. Her friends, if nothing else, have impeccable timing. Another minute alone, and I’m not sure what other confessions I might’ve started making.

“I’ll get it.” She smiles, smoothing her hair down.

As I follow her to the door, I marvel at how easily she canread me. This fake engagement is getting more complicated by the minute. But as I watch Rowena greet her friends with warm hugs and uninhibited laughter, I’m in no rush for it to end.

Even if it means facing a few more uncomfortable truths along the way. Or a firing squad of worried friends—two of them juggernauts.

Rowena neglected to mention that the “guys” are a pair of six-foot-five giants who look capable of bench pressing a compact car—or tearing me apart limb from limb if they chose to.

Tonight is going to be so much fun.

24

---