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My lips pressed together. “This thing is my whole career. I’m not taking it off.”
Patricia could have sprained her neck from how hard she rolled her eyes.
I knew the only way to end this argument was to give in. I tamped down the flare of annoyance and handed my camera to Chad. “Fine.”
Reed put up his hands in mock innocence. “I promise you’ll get it right back.”
My wardrobe and my laugh were also a part of who I was, yet they were forced into a box, locked up, and the keys thrown away.
God, I had terrible taste in men.
“I can’t believe we’ve been together for two years,” he said, using his speech voice again. He looked around the crowd as if he had forgotten who he was speaking to. “She truly is the light of my life, and I have a surprise for her.” He handed off his glass to his brother who had been waiting. He fumbled around in his pocket.
“Wait, what’re you doing?” Anxiety rose in me.No.He couldn’t be?—
But he was.Reed grabbed a box out of his pocket and got down on one knee. He opened it, revealing the most basic ring I’d ever seen.
Oh. My.God.
Was he really doing this in front of his family? Now?
My breath came out in stutters, panic clawing its way up my throat. My eyes dragged over the people in front of us. Chad was yawning. Patricia glared daggers at me, as she always did whenever she was reminded that I’d stolen her baby boy.
And he wanted me to marry into this?
Winnie would laugh in his face. Nick would tell him off for his shit communication. And I?
I could only take one step back. Then two.
And before I knew it, I was running out the door,down the hallway, to the elevators, and out onto the street.
Bursting from the building, I realized I didn’t have a coat or keys. I was lucky enough to have a phone, so I pulled it out, trying to think of who to call.
Winnie was at work and my parents were at a different party tonight.
That left one person, one who I knew would come with no delay.
My brother.
In the last seven years,Nick had grown. Gone was the boy who challenged our parents and did what he wanted. Nowadays, he was dependable with a good job and a good apartment.
He apparently still didn’t go the speed limit, though, because he arrived in five minutes flat.
“What the fuck happened?” he asked the second he saw me sitting on the side of the road at night in the middle of winter with no coat.
My panic kept me from feeling the cold. The whole time I waited, I was terrified that Reed might come downstairs after me, but he didn’t.
He did, however, send a single text.
Reed
You should have said no to my face. I hope you find peace, Stella.
It made me sick. Of course he’d look like the better person. Of course he’d tell me to findpeacewhen he’d put me on the spot like that. We had neveroncediscussed marriage and this was brought up out of nowhere.
The only thing we talked about was how to get me to be better for him.
“Laugh quieter, Stella.”