Page 143 of The Prize

I never wanted to take it off.

And goodness, this engagement ring was exquisite with the way it caught the light, its diamond refracting colors with its endless promise of serenity.

Tobias gestured for me to join him. I turned and headed into the bedroom, taking a detour along the hallway to the spare room, the one Tobias was forbidden to enter. Inside, my body thrummed with excitement as I neared the elegant white Monique Lhuillier wedding dress, with a delicate lace-trimmed overlay, ready to be worn this evening. Everything I had dreamed was coming true, starting off with a private beach wedding with just him and me beneath the stars at the foot of our home. Reaching out to touch the material, running my fingers over the charmeuse slip dress, I was eager to put it on and become his bride.

Heading down the staircase, I paused when I saw a flash of movement to my left. The only visitor due was the hair and makeup stylist who wouldn’t arrive for several hours. Tobias and I both wanted a low-key wedding and after much contemplation had decided it would be just us and the officiate as well as the artist who would capture our day in the pastel tones of a watercolor. I turned the corner and saw Coops carrying a large wrapped piece of art in white paper and he hurried around the corner with it.

Tobias had decorated this place with his extraordinary taste and I loved walking barefoot on the Spanish terra-cotta tiles and sitting near the fountain in the foyer. It wasn’t unusual for him to switch out his art from time to time or move them around to provide variety, though I wondered what new piece Tobias had purchased without me.

A painful thud hit my chest as Coops ran right into me, heading too fast back around the corner, his hands now empty.

“Careful, Coops.” I caught my breath. “Are you okay?”

“I’m so sorry.” He looked distraught. “Didn’t think you were back from the market.”

That took me back because I wondered how he knew I’d visited the farmers market in Santa Monica earlier, purchasing fresh seafood, fruit and heaps of salad for tonight as we’d planned on preparing food by ourselves too. Still, it made me wonder why it would be an issue for Coops.

I smiled at him fondly. “What was that?”

“What?” He looked nervous.

I pointed toward where he’d just come from. “That thing you were carrying?”

He gave a nod and hurried off. “Not sure what you mean.”

“Coops?” I called after him but he was already at the front door. Turning sharply on his heels he called back, “I never did ask you if the footage was clear?”

“I’m sorry?”

“When I converted Mr. Wilder’s videotape? You mentioned not wanting anyone to see it so I had a private firm take care of it.”

“Oh, Tobias’s birthday party?” I realized. “Yes, you did an amazing job. It’s preserved perfectly on a digital file.”

We’d watched it a month ago, and this time Tobias had managed to see the entire footage as he sat beside me scooping vanilla ice cream out of a china bowl and reminiscing about his childhood, sharing cute stories that made me laugh.

“Have an amazing evening,” he said. “Call me if you guys need any last-minute help with anything.” Coops hurried off.

“You’re always amazing.” Though right now he seemed unusually nervous.

Intrigued, I retraced his footsteps and went looking for the painting he’d just dropped off—my feet stuck where they stood—the painting he’d just denied carrying.

Vaguely, I recalled the kind of work Coops conducted for Tobias. He’d been his right-hand man for years and though young, had a maturity beyond his years and was fondly described by his boss as a tech genius. How had Tobias described him? He’d nicknamed him Q, as inquartermaster, because that was the term used in the military for men who provided the equipment needed for soldiers when they went into battle.

A chill washed over me that there was a new painting in this house that I knew nothing about. A secret that shouldn’t be. I was sure there’d be a perfectly good explanation and with a mouth dry and thirsting, I strolled into the kitchen, suppressing my old doubts that had no right to linger. I found my sunglasses on the granite island and slid them up to rest on my head and then poured two ice teas and adding a dash of lemon.

I carried them out into the garden and handed Tobias his drink. “There you go.”

“What would you say if we delayed our honeymoon by a day?” He looked thoughtful. “I want to spend our wedding night here. Have this place be our first memory of us as husband and wife.”

“You changed your mind?” I tried to read where this had come from, after all he’d painstakingly planned every detail of our wedding and all he’d talked about was that private island and how he couldn’t wait to get there.

“Zara?”

“Sure, I think that’s a lovely idea.” My thoughts flashed back to seeing Coops disappear behind the corner with that tall frame. I hesitated for a beat, wondering when would be a good time to broach the subject.

A buzz went off on Tobias’s phone. He reached for it and read the text and cringed, then flipped over the phone.

I’d not caught the sender’s name. “Who was that?”