“Will you just shut up?”
“Will you just tell me what we’re doing?”
We reach the door on the right, and I check the handle. It’s unlocked, so I push it open and smile broadly as the small room is lit up by cases and cases of rings, an attendant at each case.
“What the hell kind of secret jewelry heist is this?” Banner asks, eyeing the rings. “Listen, this is some black-market kind of shit, and I’m not interested.”
Turning toward my brother, I grip his shoulders, look him in the eyes and say, “I’m going to propose to Myla.”
Understanding hits him, and his eyes scour the rings again. “Dude,” he says, eyes wide. “Like legit propose?”
“Yes, and I want your help to pick out the right ring.”
“Holy shit. Does she know?”
I shake my head. “She has no fucking clue. That’s why I came here because I’m a high-profile figure in the city. If someone saw me walking into a jewelry store, it would have been splashed across the news, and she would have found out. So that’s why we’re here.”
Banner rubs his hands together and nods his head. “Black market rings.”
“No,” I say. “These are from a few custom high-profile jewelers from around the country. They’ve pulled their best and are showing them off. Nothing to do with the black market.”
“Maybe not, but I’m going to believe that’s what’s happening. It’s more fun like that in my head. Now, where do we start?”
“When are you going to do it?” Banner asks as he takes a sip of his beer.
“After the season. I want to be able to spend time together once I do it. I don’t want to propose and then take off for an away game.”
It took us about an hour and a half to look over the rings closely and pick the perfect one. I had my eyes set on one, a round-cut pink diamond that screamed Myla, but Banner was all about examining each and every ring just to make sure. I brought the pink diamond around, comparing it to the others, and nothing beat it out.
Easiest purchase of my life.
Once the ring was put into a jewelry box, Banner demanded I take him out for dinner. He earned it.
“True, good point. Any ideas?”
“I was thinking about taking her to Bright Harbor in the fall. She loves it there, and I could get Nola to take pictures from a distance.”
“That’s a good idea. Have you told Nola?”
I shake my head. “You’re the only one I’ve told. So don’t be fucking saying anything to Nichole.”
“Dude, I don’t talk to her. I haven’t seen her in a while. Nothing is going on there, I swear. And I’m not just saying that but mean something else. Seriously, nothing is going on.”
“Okay, well, just don’t say anything.”
“Your secret is safe with me.” He lifts his beer to his lips and says, “Still can’t believe you’re going to propose. I remember when she barely looked your way.”
“Tell me about it.” I lean back in my booth, keeping an eye on the door because Myla is supposed to meet us here. “But after the other night, when she told me she loved me, I knew she was ready.”
“The same night you met her dad and Verna, the venereal disease?”
I chuckle. “Yeah, the same night.” I let out a deep breath. “Fuck, that woman. She has got to be the single most, worst human I’ve ever met. I still can’t get over the shit she said with Myla sitting right there. Practically called her obese and said she was stupid and not good enough for me. Could you imagine Mom or Dad ever saying that about us?”
“Yeah, you know that trend that’s going around where people ask, ‘what would you say to your family to let them know you’ve been captured, without letting them know you’ve been captured?’ Well, Mom and Dad would say, ‘good riddance; you three children are the biggest disappointments in our lives, and we hope you rot in hell for eternity.’ That would confirm they’re being kidnapped because never in a lifetime would they even think those thoughts. When it comes to our parents, they believe we walk on water.”
“We kind of do,” I say just as the door to the restaurant opens and in walks Myla.
She’s pulled her long, brown hair back into a ponytail and has dressed up in a black jumpsuit with a jean jacket and black high heels. She looks so fucking good. And when she spots me, the largest grin spreads across her face as she approaches.
“From the heart beams coming out of your eyes, I’m going to guess Myla just got here.”
“Yup,” I answer as I stand from the booth just as she arrives. “Hey, you,” I say as I move my hand around the back of her neck and give her a soft kiss. “How was your meeting?”
She smiles brightly and says, “It went really well.”
“What meeting?” Banner asks.
I help Myla into the booth and hand her my beer before draping my arm over her shoulders and pulling her in close.
“I had a meeting with a non-profit. It’s called Renovate Chicago. They’re looking for volunteers to come in and help with renovating homes around the city. I’ve always been into interior design, and I’ve been looking to see where I could gather more experience. I was actually talking to Nola about it, and she said her friend got a lot of experience working with a non-profit. So that’s what I decided to do. I found Renovate Chicago, I just had a meeting with them, and they’re going to find a place to fit me in.”
“Babe, that’s amazing.”
Her smile is so big that I take a mental picture. It took a fucking second for her to recover from the dinner with her parents, and I’ve tried to speak positivity into her life as much as possible. I’ve reminded her that her mom is the one who’s spineless, worthless, and not Myla. She won’t unhear her mother’s words overnight, but I’m hoping she’s putting more effort into healing rather than stewing on the shit her mom piled on her.
“I know. I’m really excited. I was hoping to go to the office supply store tonight and grab some things so I could start some planning.”
“Yeah?” I ask. “Well, I can take you now.”
“No, I can wait. I don’t want to blow off Banner.”
Banner takes a long pull from his beer. “Actually, it would be best if you two left. There’s a blonde by the bar that I’m itching to talk to, and this third-wheel shit is making me look pathetic.”
“Are you sure?” Myla asks. “Because we can stay, and you know . . . talk.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, you sound so convincing that you want to be here with me. Seriously, go get your office supplies, maybe grab a late-night hot dog, and let me do my thing with that blonde over there.”
“You sure?” Myla asks, wincing.
“Positive,” he says. “Now get out of here. The longer you stay, the harder chance I’ll have at getting her to talk with me.”
“Doubtful,” Myla says as she sets my beer down.
I reach for my wallet, but Banner holds up his hand. “Jesus Christ, don’t even think about giving me any money.”
“Okay, just checking.”