Ned tried hard to contain his excitement, as I could tell from the etches around his cheeks while he attempted to keep a straight face. “And why are we going to a jewelry store? I don’t remember you ever having the desire to purchase any bling before.”
“Shut up, Ned. You know why I want to go there,” I said, trying to sound stern, but it came out almost comical since I had been completely incapable of wiping the grin from my face.
“No, sir. I have a guess, but you know what they say, when you assume, you make an ass out of—”
“Fine, I want to buy an engagement ring for Aria,” I said. “Now can we hurry?”
“Of course!” Ned exclaimed with joy. “I am so happy for you, Zayden. She is exactly what you need in your life.”
“I’m glad to have your approval, Ned.” I smiled. “No, seriously, I meant that. It probably sounded like I was being sarcastic, but it was genuine. Your approval actually means a lot to me and if you don’t know that by now—”
“I know,” Ned said cheerfully. “Of course I know. Now before we drive off to get that engagement ring, might I suggest a pit stop?”
“Where?” I raised my eyebrows.
“To Aria’s apartment.”
“Huh? What will that accomplish? Aria is at the office.”
“Exactly.” Ned looked back at me and winked.
Within the next hour, we had managed to pick up Aria’s best friend Stacey from her apartment and made it to the jewelry store, while she squealed and made amusing sounds throughout the way there.
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!” She had been muttering those words as though it was a spiritual incantation for a while.
“You already said that.” I looked at her with a fake frown.
“But you don’t understand!” Stacey exclaimed, almost jumping. “You don’t understand! You’re…you’re going to…ask Aria to marry you!”
“I understand what I am about to do, since I am the one doing it. Makes some kind of sense, doesn’t it?”
She laughed hysterically, to my surprise. It was kind of endearing just how excited Stacey was for Aria. It made me realize how close they were and how much her friends cared about her. It also made me feel a little bit of an irrational jealousy. No one was allowed to love Aria more than I did.
“Zayden, this jewelry store! Everything is shining to the point of freaking blinding me. It’s going to cost you a fortune.”
“Well, your best friend and roommate are worth two whole fortunes and more.”
Her face lit up and I could see tears forming in her eyes. “Thank you so much. Thank you for loving Aria like you do. God knows she deserves it.”
“Hey! She’s mine, so thank you for taking care of her for as long as you have. I am quite grateful. But don’t forget she’s mine.”
“Ha!” she scoffed. “Since you’re about to, you know, marry her, I hope you know her well enough to realize she will not take well to be told who she belongs to.”
“I know.” I shook my head and sighed. “I will have to own her completely behind her back. Anyways, I am thinking of princess cuts, but I brought you here so you can help me decide what she would like. When I asked her if she prefers circles or squares, she said squares, which is why I think a princess cut would be the most—”
“You asked her what?” Stacey burst into another set of hysterical laughter.
“She reacted rather oddly to my question too. But really, how was I to ask it without raising any suspicion?”
“Men are hilarious sometimes.” Stacey sighed and looked at the shopkeeper. “Lucky for you, she always did kind of envision a princess cut for her engagement ring. Can we look at a few?”
“Of course, madam. I take it you’re not the bride?” An old, balding man with a silver moustache looked curiously at Stacey.
“No, of course I am! What bride doesn’t come to select her own surprise engagement ring with her fiancé?”
“You made your point,” said the man with a frown, pulling out a couple of boxes. “How about this one? 8 carat, on pure platinum.”
“No. I don’t want to look at anything that is less than 15 carat.”