Page 57 of Beginnings By the Sea

About twenty minutes later, the driver took us down a single-lane road surrounded by thick forest. The sun wasn’t far from setting, but slivers of deep orange peeked through the trees.

Soon, we pulled up to a luxurious cabin, lights twinkling from inside the various rooms.

“What is this place?” I asked, taking it all in.

It didn’t look like a restaurant.

Cohen stepped out of the limo and extended a hand to me. I took it and he helped me out, flourishing a hand at the opulence before us.

“This is one of my homes. We’re eating dinner here.”

My mouth dropped. “One of your homes? When did that happen?”

Cohen let my hand go and beamed at the cabin with pride. “I bought it a couple of weeks ago. I was going to bring you here for a vacation.” His smile faded when he looked at me. “Then everything with Miles happened. But I knew I wanted you to see this place; that’s why I had our dinner catered in.” His smile came back, and he held out his arm. “Shall we?”

I linked my arm around his and clutched my purse in my other arm as we walked up the steps to the sparkling glass front door. Cohen opened it and everything inside was nothing but pure elegance and charm. The grand entrance led us into a beautifully decorated living room with a large fireplace and antique furnishings. The scent of a delicious meal wafted through the air, and my stomach growled in response.

Cohen led me to the dining room, where a table was set for two, complete with crystal glasses, silver cutlery, and candles flickering in the dim light. There were several different covered dishes on the table, but I could smell the fragrant aromas coming from them. As we took our seats, Cohen poured us each a glass of red wine, clinking his against mine.

“To us,” he said, his eyes sparkling with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. It would be much easier if he didn’t look at me like that.

I brought the wine to my lips, taking only a tiny sip. It was clear that Cohen had other things on his mind besides an innocent meal between friends. He uncovered the dishes and smiled.

“I hope you’re hungry.”

There was salad, soup, roasted chicken with herb butter, garlic mashed potatoes, and steamed asparagus. We ate silently for a few moments, and I savored every bite of the perfectly cooked meal. I welcomed the silence, but it wasn’t long before Cohen broke it.

“There’s something I want to show you,” he said, standing and offering me his hand.

I took it and he led me outside and down the deck stairs, where twinkling lights lit up a small pavilion nestled into a garden with colorful flowers. The second I stepped into the gazebo, I felt a rush of anxiety swarm through me.

Soft music played in the background and dozens of candles flickered around us, their light casting strange shadows on the lacy curtains that hung from the sides. When I turned to Cohen, he was already kneeling before me, a magnificent diamond ring held between his fingers.

My mouth dropped open in shock and my breath caught in my throat as I watched him slide it onto my finger. It felt surreal as if I had stepped into an alternate reality — did he really just propose to me? His grip was tight as he brought me closer, and his dark eyes burned fiercely.

“Nyla, I thought I could handle you choosing Miles over me,” he said, “but I can’t. I’m in love with you and I want to marry you.” He gestured to his cabin behind us, with its sprawling grounds and luxurious architecture. “Look what I can give you. Anything you want can be yours. I would do anything to make you happy.”

I could feel his eyes boring into me, willing me to say yes. He failed to understand that having expensive things wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want a grand life in the public eye. Cohen was a fighter, and I could see in his eyes that he didn’t want to give up on me, but I didn’t love him as I did Miles.

Reaching up, I cupped his face with my hands, letting the diamond ring on my finger reflect the flickering flames from the candles around us. It had to be worth tens of thousands of dollars, but that meant nothing to me; it was the most expensive thing I would ever have on my body.

Cohen stared at me expectantly, and it broke my heart knowing that what I was about to say would hurt him.

“I’m so sorry, Cohen. I made my choice.” I slowly stepped back, and his eyes darkened.

“How is this possible? I don’t see how you can choose Miles over me.”

Sadly, I lifted my shoulders in a shrug. “I love him, Cohen. I married him.”

He growled. “But it didn’t work. What we have is real, Nyla.” He averted his gaze and huffed before meeting my eyes again. “Do you not love me?”

Tears burned behind my eyes, but I stood firm. “I care about you deeply, and we had an amazing month together. But . . .” I paused and took a deep breath. “But I’m not in love with you.” Swallowing hard, I slid the ring off my finger and held it out to him. “You’ll find the right woman one day. It’s just not me.” He made no move to take the ring, so I reached for his hand and gently set it in his palm. “I think it’s time you take me home.”

Turning on my heel, I walked up the steps toward the cabin’s back porch and went inside. There was still a little wine in my glass, so I finished it off. I needed a lot more where that came from, but I was going to wait until I got home to Miles. He was going to need the alcohol when I explained everything that had happened.

I sat at the table for a few minutes while waiting for Cohen to enter. Luckily, it didn’t take him long, but the tension in the air was palpable. He had his phone pressed to his ear, but he huffed in annoyance when a disconnected beep echoed from the other end.

“Dammit,” he hissed, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

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