Page 72 of Mason Wilder
“What’s wrong with these?” She motioned to the gorgeous diamonds in the case below.
Mason looked at her as if she was crazy. “They’re samples. My girl isn’t wearing a ring from a display case.”
The salesman returned carrying a velvet tray with several tiny manila envelopes. He opened them and beauty that she’d never seen before spilled from within each small envelope. She struggled to steady her hand when he asked her to hold it out in front of her. He picked up the stones, one at a time, with large tweezers and compared them to the size of her hand. He chose one and rested it on top of her fingers. She imagined it in a setting and a tiny gasp escaped her. “I love it.”
“Really? Mason asked, unimpressed. “What is that?” he asked the salesman, “Three carats? F color?”
“Three point 25 actually, and yes, F color, VVS quality.” He offered Mason his eye piece to examine it.
Tessa was shocked Mason knew so much about diamonds, and watched Mason put the glass to his eye and inspect the ring.
He handed the eye piece back to the jeweler and shook his head. “Nah. I don’t like it.”
Her brows skyrocketed when the jeweler removed the diamond from her hand and placed it on the velvet mat. The stone was exquisite. “What’s not to like, Mase? It’s gorgeous.”
He ignored her as he read the tiny writing on some of the small envelopes that the jeweler hadn’t yet opened. He tapped the felt in front of one envelope. “Let’s see this one.”
When the diamond fell onto the black mat, Tessa’s eyes shot up to Mason. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
He smiled almost as brightly as the diamond that nearly blinded her. “Put your hand out. Let’s see how it looks.”
Her hand trembled as she extended it over the counter, afraid the stone would fall and be lost somewhere on the floor and she’d have to pay for it, because she wouldn’t let Mason absorb the cost for her blunder.
The salesmen smiled at her. “It’s fine, Miss. Every bride-to-be is nervous.”
She mulled over the term in her head. Bride-to-be. She would become Mason’s wife. She’d be Tessa Blade Garcia-Wilder. Good Lord! She’d have one of those Latina names a mile long!Still smiling at her sound of her new lengthy name, and with her hand steadier, she nodded at the salesman. He laid the stone over her finger, so it rested in the crease between her ring and third fingers. It was stunning. Exquisite. Something a movie star would wear on the red carpet. But it was over-the-top.”Look at the size of that thing, Mason. It’s too big.”
Mason threw his head back and laughed heartily. “That’s exactly what every guy wants to hear.”
She nudged him with her elbow, then gasped as she remembered the diamond sitting loosely on top of her hand. The salesman gasped almost as loudly, but the gem remained safely in the nook between her fingers. He retrieved it with the giant tweezers and handed Mason the eye piece to examine it while he rattled off its attributes. “Four carats. D color. IF quality. No fluorescence.” Tessa stopped listening, because she had no idea what he was talking about as he continued to list things like polish, symmetry and girdle.Diamonds had girdles?She would have laughed if she wasn’t so flabbergasted.
Mason put the magnifier down. “Do you like it?”
“It’s beautiful, but . . .” She realized that a price had never been mentioned. Money wasn’t an issue for Mason. She stared at the two diamonds that had sat on the back of her hand, now side by side on the black velvet mat. They were equally beautiful, although Mason clearly preferred the larger one, which is why she was gravitating toward it. Except the expense was still a giant question mark. She didn’t care which ring was on her finger. She just wanted to be engaged so she could tell the world. This decision was too much for her. “You pick it,” she finally said. “Surprise me. I’m going to wait outside.”
“Wait. Tessa!”
She didn’t stop or turn around until she was outside and leaned with her back to the window of Cartier and watched the traffic crawl down Fifth Avenue.
After several very long minutes, the door opened, and Mason stuck his head out. “You can come back inside now.”
Her heart lurched. “Did you pick something?”
His smile stretched all the way up to his eyes as he indicated that she should follow him inside. Back at thecounter, the salesman smiled almost as broadly as Mason. A black velvet box sat on top of the display case, and Mason held it up to show her but never opened the lid.
Her heart hammered in her throat. “Is that it? Is that my ring?”
Mason took her hand and kissed her fingertips. Then shocked the hell out of her by dropping to one knee.
A flutter ran up her chest and made her hands tremble. She sucked in a deep breath and held it for several seconds. She knew everyone in the store was probably looking at them, but her eyes were riveted on Mason, a man she’d loved since she was a child. She had waited for this day, fantasized about it a million times, and now it was actually happening. Tears filled her eyes at the joy in her heart and her smile quivered. She almost blurted out the word “Yes!” before he even asked the question. She pressed her lips together and waited.
“I love you, Tessa Blade Garcia. Will you be my wife and love me forever?”
Her entire body trembled as an excited laugh left her mouth. “Yes!”
Mason stood and wrapped his arms around her and lifted her clear off the floor in a powerful hug. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear.
“I love you too! Are you gonna show me my ring now?”
