Page 87 of Faking the Shot

“Hold out your hands.”

“Oh. Okay.” She obeyed.

He dug out the little box and placed it in her cupped hands. “Open,” he whispered.

She stared at the box, then up at him. “What have you done?”

“It’s just a little something.”

She gently slid the gold bow from the gift box, then took off the lid. Then gasped. “Zac.”

“Hey, I figured you deserved a little something.”

“This isn’t little.” She held up the diamond pendant. “Oh, Zac.”

Was her expression saying she didn’t like or didn’t want it? “They’d run out of smaller options.”

Her lips hovered between a smile and wonder. “I don’t know what to say. But—”

But?

“—but I don’t think I should accept it.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s far too valuable. And we’re not, we’re not…”

He didn’t want her to finish what she obviously wanted to say. Because in this moment he wanted the fantasy to be real. “I think a guy like me would be expected to give a girl like you something special.”

“Oh.” She eventually nodded. “You’re probably right.”

Definitely right. “Turn around and I’ll put it on.”

She did. And he tried to. But standing so close to her had made his hands shaky, his fingers clumsy.

“Do you need a hand?” she asked.

“You might need to lift up your hair. It’s a bit hard to see.”

She lifted up her hair so he could see her neck, and he knew the desire to kiss the skin where her jaw met her neck. But that would likely creep her out, so he refrained.

He finally got the clasp to work, and the diamond fell to her throat. She turned around, lifted it up. Glanced at it then him. “I don’t know what to say,” she whispered.

“I hope you like it.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She lifted a hand, as if to touch his cheek, then dropped it. Exhaled. Stepped back. “It’s getting late.”

It was. “Before I go, I think we should get one more selfie.”

“Right now?”

“Yeah.” So that, regardless of what happened between them, he’d always have this moment to remember her.

He drew her near, tucked her close, making sure the diamond was seen. Then held out his phone and took their photo.