Page 38 of The American

“Yes, would you?

“Are you asking me?”

He let out a long stream of air, trying to calm the pulsing of his heart through every vein of his body. Then he bent down on one knee. “Sage Parker. I am. I am asking if you will marry me. I know this is crazy, and probably too soon, but I don’t know how many more days I can spend apart from you.”

Her face shone with happiness. “I’m just so relieved you feel the same. Thad, nothing would make me happier! Yes!” She knelt down in front of him and placed her hands on both sides of his face. “You are everything I’ve ever wanted.”

Her soft lips, exploring and pressing onto his mouth were almost his undoing. He groaned and then stood, pulling her up beside him.

The sound of helicopter blades interrupted them and then the wind whipped their hair as it landed on the roof helipad.

“That’s our ride.” Thad reached for her hand, pleased she seemed happy about the bird. Life with her would be one effort to please her after another.

* * *

Sage stoppedby her place to gather some things, and her heart sang with happiness. The reckless nature of their relationship, the happy manner in which he proposed, all of it just added to her excitement. Perhaps they should get married here in NYC after all, at St. Patrick’s?

And they could keep it from Zachary. She laughed at the thought. His ploy to bring them together for a marketing effort had worked, but not in the way he imagined. And she couldn’t be happier. She called Thad. “Let’s have our NYC wedding after all.”

His silence made her nervous. “Am I being crazy?”

“No, I love this about you. I’m just considering all the options. Okay, are we talking right

away, or in six months? What’s our timeframe here?”

“I don’t know. I’m not normally like this.” She laughed. “This is so the opposite of me I’m running with it while I still have the courage.”

Chapter 20

When they were both back at work, and Sage was sitting at her cold desk, more often than not, she gazed out the window, pretending she was looking out at the Torren shoreline of the Mediterranean Sea.

She stood. Maybe a drink from the breakroom would help her focus.And a view of Thad.What a mess she was. She really had better accomplish something today or she might fire herself.

She heard Zachary and Thad’s voices and slowed down, listening.

“Well done. A proposal already!”

She stopped, feet frozen to the carpet.No.She didn’t believe it.

Thad laughed. “I told you everything would work out just fine. We have a date and a location. How does St. Patrick’s sound?”

Her heart sank, and she felt dead inside.Played. So completely played.

“Excellent. You are certainly worth your weight in gold around here.”

Sage backed away, feeling piece by piece of her heart clench and then shatter. She needed to think, to plan her escape.

She absolutely would no longer be staying at Thad’s apartment.

And she was certain she could resign with no guilty feeling of leaving the company in a lurch. And she had yet to decide if she would leave quietly or as loudly as possible. All at once her hurt choked her. How could they? How could any human use another in such an unfair way? And Thad, he seemed so sincere, brought her home to the family. She couldn’t believe it. Even in this town, even in the business world of grappling for position, she had never seen anyone treated so poorly.

She snuck out without anyone the wiser. And suddenly she knew where she wanted to go. After a few well-placed calls, she made her way to the chess pavilion.

When she arrived, two camera crews were already present.

“I’m happy you’re here. Let’s set up inside.”

As they gathered, more people came until she had an audience, live and over the internet, and on camera. She waved at the growing, curious crowd.

---