Page 38 of Billion Dollar Vow

“Picky much,” Karley teases under her breath.

I shift my gaze to find her grinning.

“I bet you’ll be worse,wife,” I tease back.

Mr. Winston clears his throat. “The last option would be platinum.”

“I never pictured you as a platinum guy,” Karley remarks.

“I'm full of surprises,” I reply, earning a classic eye roll from her. I grin as I take off the black band and slip on the platinum one. It looks good on my hand… feels like it belongs there. “Yeah, I like the platinum.”

“Would you like any design? Maybe stones?” Mr. Winston asks.

I look down at the display, at the different platinum rings. There are so many designs, but I can’t decide without knowing what Karley’s going to choose. For some reason, I want them tomatch. Even though I’ll only be wearing the band for the short term.

“Why don’t we figure out Karley’s choice first and come back to mine?” I suggest, handing the band back. “But I think a plain platinum band will suit me the best.”

“Yes, Mr. Lincoln,” Mr. Winston says, putting the other bands back.

I lean in close to her ear, getting a good inhale of her sweet apple shampoo. “You ready?”

“Get out of here,” she mumbles, pushing my shoulder back gently as she stands. “This ought to be fun,” she adds sarcastically.

I rise, and we follow Mr. Winston, who’s holding the ring I chose, to another area of the shop. He settles behind another glass display of rings. I pull out a chair for Karley, and she sits, this time her body settling more easily.

“So, what do you think?” Mr. Winston asks.

“I always thought I’d go for gold,” she admits, tilting her head slightly, as if she’s thought about this before. A twinge of guilt hits me, knowing she’s probably thinking about her real wedding, the one she probably dreamed about since childhood.

“Well, why don’t we start by ruling out the ones you don’t like?” Mr. Winston suggests.

She nods, and he picks out a rose gold band.

She slips it onto her left finger, and I catch a glimpse of her freshly painted, clear-polished nails. I’m suddenly transfixed by how perfect an engagement ring looks on her delicate hand.

Chapter 11

Karley

I’mholdingmyhandout, inspecting the rose gold engagement ring. My fingers tremble with nervousness, and I wonder if Oliver notices. He doesn’t say anything, so I hope he hasn’t.

Having such a delicate and expensive ring on my hand feels heavy and foreign.

“The rose gold suits you,” Oliver says, his words pulling my gaze away from the sparkling ring and to his face. His eyes are slightly widened, and the hint of a smile plays at the corners of his mouth.

I’m a bit surprised, but I agree. “Yes, I didn’t think I’d like it.”

“Well, let's keep going and try different colors,” Mr. Winston encourages, holding out a platinum ring.

I slip off the rose gold, immediately missing its warmth against my skin, and try the plain platinum band. It feels colder and more clinical. “I think it matches yours better,” I say to Oliver,glancing down at where the ring sat on his hand, before looking back up to meet his gaze.

He shakes his head. “It doesn't have to match mine. I'll match you. I just want you to find a ring you love.”

Warmth spreads in my chest at his unexpected consideration. It’s such a nice gesture… letting me choose, rather than forcing coordination.

“Karley, let’s try on some other options in rose gold, and I’ll figure out how to tie them together,” Mr. Winston offers, glancing at me, then over to Oliver, who nods.

“I really like the rose gold with the Platinum,” I say, my hands steadier as I hand the ring back. Now that I’ve tried two on, I feel more confident exploring different styles. “Do you have any other designs you’d recommend?”