Page 34 of Rules Of Engagement: St. Louis (In The Heart of A Valentine #17)

Chapter

Twenty-Four

CHRISTIAN

“You want to practice together?”

Naomi was stretching on my living room floor, her yoga mat spread out next to mine. We’d both finished our individual workouts, but the marathon was only two weeks away.

“Makes sense, doesn’t it? We’re training for the same event. Might as well coordinate our schedules.”

“I cycle, you run. How does that work?”

“Easy. I’ll run alongside you while you cycle. We can keep the same pace, work on endurance together.”

She tilted her head. “You’d be okay with that? Running next to a bike?”

“I’d be okay with anything that means more time with you.”

She blushed. “We’ll see about that.”

“Is that a, yes?”

“That’s a yes.”

The next morning, we met at Forest Park at dawn. Naomi had her bike, I had my running shoes, and we both had water bottles and the fortitude to push each other harder than we would alone.

“What’s your usual pace?” I asked as we warmed up.

“About fifteen miles per hour on flat terrain. What about you?”

“Seven-minute miles. We should sync up pretty well.”

We started slow, finding our rhythm. Naomi pedaled steadily while I jogged beside her, both of us settling into a pace that we could maintain for miles.

“This is nice,” she said after the first mile. “Having company I mean.”

“It’s better than running alone.”

“I agree.”

We were silently focused but aware of one another. Mostly, we enjoyed being together, moving toward the same goal, literally and figuratively.

By mile three, we’d found our perfect synchronization. Her cycling cadence matched my running stride, and we moved through the park like we’d been training together for months instead of minutes.

“Same time tomorrow?” I asked as we cooled down.

“Same time tomorrow.”

Two days later, I was standing in the men’s department at Nordstrom, holding a pinstripe suit jacket against my chest and wondering if I was overdressing for my step-sister Adrian’s wedding.

The invitation had said “cocktail attire,” but with the Mackleberry family, you never knew if that meant business casual or black tie optional.

“That’s a beautiful suit.”

I turned to find a sales associate approaching with a smile.

“You think? It’s for a wedding.”

“Are you the groom?”

“No.”

“Then it’s a great choice. Would you like to try it on?”

“Yes.”

“Follow me.”

I ended up leaving with the suit, two shirts, and a tie. Truth be told, I didn’t need the suits. I had plenty. But I figured it was for a good occasion, so something new was better.

I was heading toward the exit when something caught my eye. The jewelry store’s window display was filled with sparkling diamonds that made me stop walking.

Not because I needed jewelry. Not because I was shopping for anything specific. But because one of the rings in the window made me think of Naomi’s hands, and once that thought entered my head, I couldn’t shake it.

Before I knew it, I was pushing through the glass doors.

“Welcome to Tiffany & Co. How can I help you today?”

The saleswoman strolled up to me with an award-winning smile. One thing about it, she was ready to sell her next piece of expensive jewelry.

“I’m only looking.”

“Of course. Are you only looking for someone special?”

I smirked. “Yes.”

She smiled knowingly. “What did you have in mind?”

“I don’t have anything in mind. That’s the problem.”

“Well, let’s start with something simple. Traditional or modern? Classic or unique?”

I thought about Naomi. Her style, her personality, the way she approached everything in life.

“Something elegant but not flashy. Sophisticated. Timeless.”

“I have the perfect thing.”

She led me to a display case filled with engagement rings. But when she pulled out a straightforward solitaire with a round diamond set in platinum, I could immediately picture it on Naomi’s finger.

“This is our classic setting. One carat, excellent cut, VS1 clarity. It’s elegant and timeless.”

I took the ring, holding it up to the light. It was beautiful, with the aura to withstand fifty years of wear and tear.

Was I ready to ask? And most importantly, was she prepared to answer?

“Some people are worth the risk.”

“I’ll take it.”