Page 26 of Deal with Mr. Cruel

“Lieberman’s.”

Lieberman’s was the best jeweler in the city. It was by appointment only, but they always made an exception for Jonas. Although, he usually only went around the holidays to pick out a gift for his mother.

The car pulled up to the glass building nestled between two large high rises. Jonas had been here several times, but for some reason he was nervous this time. He announced himself to the two security guards at the door who led him inside. Glass cases of sparkling jewelry sat on plush maroon floors. A large, crystal chandelier hung from the center of the room, directly under a large skylight, which made stars of light move elegantly across the walls.

“Mr. Matthews. What a pleasant surprise. We weren’t expecting you today,” said a short woman with a black bob cut. She approached him with her hands held out. Jonas offered his hand and she shook it graciously.

“Nice to see you, Elenore.”

“What can we do for you today?” she asked curiously.

Jonas cleared his throat. “I’m here to look at engagement rings and wedding bands.”

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Mr. Matthews. This is news to me. Usually, I know about every high-profile engagement in this city.”

“Yes, well, this has been a private affair. I know I can trust your discretion.”

“Of course.” She nodded assuredly, trying to brush off her surprise. “Right this way.”

She led him to a large glass case housing several settings. Jonas spent the next few hours looking at various combinations of settings and carats. Despite the marriage being a sham, he still felt the need to find the perfect ring for Mae. In fact, he had fun pulling different rings from their plush velvet holders.

Once he made his selection, Elenore carefully boxed the bands and engagement ring separately in matte navy-blue boxes. She tied the boxes with a white silk ribbon before placing them carefully in a bag.

“Whoever she is, she is a lucky woman,” Elenore said, handing Jonas the bag.

Jonas nodded. “Thank you for all of your help.”

Back at his condo, he placed the bag in the back of his closet. He would give her the rings tonight after the game. Jonas tried imagining her face and hoped it would be one of happiness. He checked his watch. It was already time to head to the game. He changed out of his suit and into a pair of jeans, a white shirt, and a baseball cap.

In the owner’s box, he was one of the last to arrive.

“Nice of you to show up.” Braydon called out when Jonas walked through the door.

Jonas shook his head at him and greeted everyone. He ordered a beer from the bar and casually looked around the room for Mae. He spotted her sitting in the front row, waiting intently for the game to begin. He felt nervous thinking about tonight. It was hard to focus on the game, but he followed everyone’s lead and cheered when he needed to.

It ended up being a shutout. The owner’s box became a full-on party. Music pumped through the speakers and drinks flowed. Jonas was happy for the win, but he was impatiently wanting to get home with Mae. He slipped his phone out of his pocket and texted her:Want to get out of here?

He watched her pull her phone from her pocket and read the notification. She glanced at him quickly with a look of curiosity. She gave a little nod as Braydon drunkenly started yelling the team chant. Jonas held back a smile and began saying his goodbyes. Everyone was too busy celebrating to care.

On the drive back to his condo, he couldn’t keep his leg from shaking. He was nervous. Going to his closet, he dug the rings out of the bag and placed them in his back pocket. He pulled out a bottle of champagne and placed it in a bucket of ice on the coffee table. Then he waited. He paced his living room before taking a seat on the couch. After about an hour, he heard the key in the lock. Mae walked in, looking around hesitantly. Jonas stood from the couch.

“I didn’t think you were coming,” he said.

“You know how Braydon is. He did not want the party to end. Plus, I didn’t want it to look fishy with us both leaving at the same time.” She shrugged.

Jonas nodded.

“So, what’s up?” she asked, curiously. She stood near the doorway, keeping her distance.

“I thought we could celebrate.” Jonas said, gesturing to the champagne.

She looked at him suspiciously before giving a shrug of defeat. She walked toward him and took a seat on the couch. He sat next to her and gently removed the cork, hearing the pop and fizz. He shakily poured two glasses. Jonas could feel her watching him. He handed her the glass. They clinked their glasses together and took a sip.

It was now or never.

“So, I got you something,” he said, reaching into his back pocket. He pulled out the ring box and heard her suck in a breath.

“Jonas.” She looked up at the box and up at him. A flicker of happiness crossed her face and faded just as quickly. It was almost real for a moment. He gently took her hand, which was shaking slightly. That simple touch sent a shockwave through him. Shaky himself, he carefully slid the rings on her finger.

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