An elegant woman without a hair out of place gave them a welcoming smile. “May I help you?”
“You sure can, pretty lady. I’m trying to find my girl a ring. Can you help me find what I’m looking for?”
Her lips stretched in wide smile. “Yes, I can. What’s the budget you’re thinking of?”
“No budget. It just has to have a lot of sparkle to match the fire in her eyes.”
The saleswoman practically swooned as she directed them to an office where they would be out sight of the customers milling around the store.
“Now, this woman wants to make a sale,” he muttered when the woman left them to bring in a selection of rings.
“Greer, I thought we would spend five hundred. A thousand at the most. Let’s leave. I’ll call Dustin and get him to pick Logan up so we can go to Lexington. They’ll be cheaper there.”
“Woman, are you trying to insult me?”
“Of course not. It’s just that now she thinks we’re going to buy an expensive ring.”
He dropped his arm from around her shoulders. “You trying to cut off my balls or—”
“No.” Her tear-filled voice had him turning toward her from the blank wall. “It’s just, an expensive ring never meant much to me. You know I love you. It’s not exactly secret. I just want to marry you. I would have been happy with one of those rings Dalton had that were previously owned.”
“I’m not buying you a ring that another man meant for another woman.” Sighing, he lowered his pride long enough to keep from spoiling the day. “I won’t buy anything I can’t afford, okay? When we walk out, the ring that will be on your finger will be bought and paid for with cash.”
“Okay.” She reached out her hand, and Greer took it in his.
He wasn’t much for displays of affection, but the dreamy look she was giving him had him puffing out his chest as the saleswoman came back into the room, holding a tray.
“I didn’t know what cut you wanted, so I brought several to help you decide.”
Greer watched Holly’s eyes flicker over the precious stones. Her eyes lit up on one in the top corner before skittering away. She then reached for one in the lower corner, but Greer stopped her, plucking the ring she had first glanced at and handing it to her.
“Try this one on,” he ordered, knowing when she bit her lip that she wanted to ask how much. “Holly, trust me. Try this one.”
Her hand trembled when he slid the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit.
“That’s an excellent choice. It’s the best ring we have in the store.” She started explaining the cut and clarity that made it so unique. “If you go to the window, you’ll really be able to see how the sun will play over the yellow diamond.” The jeweler laughed. “You said you wanted sparkle; that ring has it.”
“Yes, it does.” Greer stood up, taking Holly’s arm to lift her to her feet then taking her to the window so the ring would hit the light just right.”
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed out.
“You like it?”
“I love it,” she admitted, then shook her head as if to pull herself out of a daze. “But we don’t know how much it—”
“Don’t matter.” He turned back to the saleswoman. “We’ll take it.”
Even the saleswoman raised an eyebrow at the quick choice, hesitating. “It’s twenty-two thousand dollars.”
“Is that best price you can do? I saw a bunch of sale banners outside.”
“I can ask my manager if we can give a small discount,” she said, getting up.
“Bring him in here. Let’s make this happen.” He sat back down at the desk, and Holly sat down beside him. When she would have taken the ring off, he stopped her. “Keep it on. Possession is ninety-nine percent of the law.”
The salesclerk practically ran out of the room at that.
When Holly gave him a furious glare, he shrugged. “I was jerking her chain.”
“Will you please try to behave?”
“I ain’t making no promises.” He straightened his relaxed posture when the manager came into the room.
“Hello, Cheira told me you want to buy a ring.”
“That’s a beautiful name for a beautiful woman.” Greer gave her a flattering smile before setting his sights on the manager. “There’s no if about it.” Greer reached out, lifting Holly’s hand to the jeweler so the man could see the ring he intended to buy.
“That’s an excellent choice.”
Greer decided it was time to quit fooling around. It was time to talk money.
“Those are exactly the same words Cheira used. Darling, let me see that ring for a minute,” he asked of Holly, not taking his eyes off the manager.
Taking the ring when Holly handed it to him, with his other hand, he reached in his pocket. Feeling Holly jerk, his lips curled in a reassuring smile as he took out his loupe, showing the salespeople he had brought his own.