Page 85 of Frankie and the Fed

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I shake my head. She came here to play with my mind. To make me doubt our relationship. I won’t give it to her. Not before I talk to him.

I call him, but he doesn’t answer. It’s not that uncommon that he doesn’t answer during business hours, but it still frustrates me. It’s better if we talk face to face.

For a moment, I consider leaving and going to his office, but a look at my busy schedule proves that it’s not possible. I have work to do. I won’t let one delusional woman ruin my day. It will just have to wait for this evening.

CHAPTER35

The Waco Siege, United States, 1993: A Standoff with a Cult

The Handover of Hong Kong, 1997: An Empire’s End

The First Intifada, Palestine/Israel (1987–1993): A People’s Uprising

The Las Vegas Shooting, 2017: America’s Deadliest Mass Shooting Explained

Ethan

“Do you have anything more special?” I ask the saleswoman, who’s already bringing out the fourth tray of rings. Nothing here looks like what I’m looking for. They’re too ordinary, not suitable for someone like her.

“Sotheby’s is having an auction this week. They have some special rings. You should check them out.” She sees my troubled expression and offers me an idea she probably shouldn’t have offered.

My hand goes to my pocket to take out the phone, but it’s not there. I probably forgot it in the car. Shit.

I thank the woman who might get fired for the tip she just gave me and reward her generously before I leave.

I find the phone in my car and see that both Ryan and Ayala tried to reach me. I’ll have to deal with it later.

I look through the items for sale at Sotheby’s, and one ring catches my attention.

It’s a ring with a square blue diamond, weighing three point twenty-four carats, accompanied by two smaller diamonds with a drop polish. The price is estimated at a couple of million dollars. High price. But the ring is exactly what I was looking for. Special. The bluish color reminds me of her eyes. She deserves something special. She deserves the universe.

I call the gallery and make a higher offer if they sell me the ring now and send it to my home. I’m not a patient man.

After the ring issue is out of the way, I send Ayala a message that I’m in meetings and won’t be available for a few more hours. I don’t want her to worry but also not to suspect that I’ve been out of the office, looking at rings.

Then I call Ryan to check what he needs from me. After he updates me with the good news, I drive to the office. I have a lot of work to do. The news that the lawsuit has been dropped could not have come at a better time. Although I pretended I was fine and wasn’t worried, the possibility of being formally charged concerned me and occupied a large part of my thoughts during the day.

Now I can propose to Ayala with a clear head. We can celebrate twice—the case being dropped and the engagement.

If she agrees.

What if she refuses? Maybe I should take her somewhere fancy and propose there? My idea to propose to her in our home seems lame to me. Should I put out candles? Decorate?

It’s just nervous butterflies. It will be fine. Ayala doesn’t like pomp and splendor but intimacy. That’s part of what I love about her so much. She’ll say yes, and everything will be fine.

When the evening comes, I’m sitting on the sofa waiting for her, my legs bouncing with nervous energy. I avoided her all day because I knew she would read me like an open book. But the serious expression on her face when she walks in has me holding off on my plans. I expected that after Ryan’s update, she would be on top of the world. She was more stressed about this lawsuit than I was. But there’s no happiness in her posture or her face. She’s as serious as the winter outside.