Chapter 11: The Ring He Never Gave

The printer tray hit the floor with a loud crash.

Every sound in the office disappeared.

Adrian stood in the doorway of his office.

Nora was just behind him.

Three pairs of eyes met.

I couldn't breathe.

Had I really heard what I thought I heard?

A ring.

He had bought a ring.

For me.

"Emma?" Adrian asked quietly.

I looked down at the broken printer tray.

"Sorry... I didn't mean to..."

"Forget the printer."

I bent down anyway, pretending to pick up scattered papers.

Mostly because I didn't want him to see my face.

My hands were shaking.

"Let me help," Adrian said.

He crouched beside me.

Our hands reached for the same sheet.

His fingers brushed mine.

For a brief second...

Neither of us moved.

A month ago, I would've smiled.

Now, both of us pulled away at the same time.

"Thanks," I whispered.

"You're welcome."

Nora quietly disappeared down the hallway.

She knew we needed to talk.

Neither of us knew where to begin.

Finally, Adrian stood.

"Come into my office."

"If you're busy..."

"I'm not."

"You had a meeting."

"It can wait."

I followed him inside.

His office suddenly felt different.

I had been there countless times as an employee.

Today...

I noticed the framed photographs.

The bookshelf.

The coffee mug I had bought him online two Christmases ago.

He had once sent me a picture of it without realizing I was sitting three floors below him.

"Sit."

I obeyed.

Adrian remained standing by the window.

"How much did you hear?"

There was no point pretending.

"Enough."

"Enough?"

"I heard Nora mention flowers."

"And?"

"...the ring."

His shoulders dropped.

"I figured."

"Were you..."

I couldn't finish the sentence.

He turned toward me.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"I bought one."

Tears immediately filled my eyes again.

"Emma..."

"Don't."

"You're crying."

"I'm aware."

"Please stop apologizing with tears."

"I'm not apologizing."

"Then why are you crying?"

"Because I didn't know."

"You weren't supposed to."

"When?"

"Last Friday."

I blinked.

"Friday?"

"Before we met for dinner."

"You were going to propose?"

"Not exactly."

"Then what?"

"I wanted to carry it."

"Why?"

"Because if dinner went well..."

He smiled sadly.

"...I wanted the option."

My heart broke all over again.

"You really thought we'd start our lives together."

"I did."

"Instead..."

"Instead I found out my girlfriend worked twenty floors below me."

Neither of us laughed.

"You must hate me."

Adrian looked genuinely surprised.

"Emma."

"What?"

"If I hated you, I wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Then why does it hurt so much?"

"Because loving someone and trusting someone aren't exactly the same thing."

I nodded slowly.

"I understand."

"Do you?"

"More than I wish I did."

He walked to his desk and opened the top drawer.

For a moment, I thought he was actually going to take out the ring.

Instead, he removed a small velvet box.

He placed it on the desk between us.

He didn't open it.

"I should probably return it," he said.

"Don't."

"Why not?"

"Because..."

I looked at the box.

"It represents something real."

"Does it?"

"Your feelings were real."

"They still are."

I looked up.

"What?"

"That's the problem."

"Problem?"

"It would be much easier if I had stopped loving you Saturday night."

My chest tightened.

"But I didn't."

"Adrian..."

"I tried."

"You can't just decide not to love someone."

"Apparently not."

For several seconds neither of us spoke.

Then I quietly asked,

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"If you still love me... why are you pushing me away?"

He answered immediately.

"Because if I forgive you too quickly..."

He rested one hand on the desk.

"...I'll always wonder if you'll hide something again."

That hurt because it was true.

"I won't."

"I believe you want to keep that promise."

"I do."

"Trust takes longer than promises."

I nodded.

"Then let me earn it."

"How?"

"One day at a time."

"That's not a plan."

"It's the only honest answer I have."

Adrian stared at me.

For the first time since Saturday...

There wasn't anger in his eyes.

Only exhaustion.

"You've changed," he said.

"So have you."

"No."

"Yes."

"How?"

"Before... you always tried to fix everything immediately."

"And now?"

"Now you're letting yourself feel hurt."

He smiled faintly.

"Therapy would be cheaper."

"Probably."

A small laugh escaped both of us.

It lasted only a second.

But it was something.

"Can I tell you one more thing?" I asked.

"Always."

"The day I found out you were my boss..."

I swallowed hard.

"...I almost resigned."

"What stopped you?"

"You."

"Me?"

"That night you texted me."

"What did I say?"

"You wrote..."

I smiled through fresh tears.

"'Whatever happened today, thank you for making me smile.'"

Adrian remembered instantly.

"I did write that."

"I couldn't walk away after reading it."

"Maybe you should have."

"No."

"Emma..."

"Even after everything... meeting you is still the best thing that ever happened to me."

He looked away.

I could see him struggling to keep his composure.

Finally he whispered,

"You make this incredibly difficult."

"I'm sorry."

"There it is again."

"Because I mean it."

"I know."

"I wish I could change what happened."

"You can't."

"I know."

"So stop trying to rewrite the past."

"Then what should I do?"

He looked back at me.

"Be honest from now on."

"Always."

"Even if you're scared."

"Especially then."

He nodded slowly.

"Good."

A knock interrupted us.

"Mr. Carter?"

Nora opened the door slightly.

"The board members have arrived."

"I'll be there in a minute."

She looked at both of us.

Something in her expression softened.

"Take your time."

The door closed again.

I stood.

"I'll let you work."

As I reached the door, Adrian called my name.

"Emma."

"Yes?"

"Don't wait for me forever."

I smiled sadly.

"Too late."

"You don't know how long this will take."

"Neither do you."

"You're stubborn."

"I learned from you."

This time...

He actually smiled.

A real one.

Small.

But unmistakably real.

It was the first genuine smile he had given me since the truth came out.

As I stepped into the hallway, Nora was waiting near the elevators.

"How did it go?" she asked.

"He smiled."

"Only once?"

"It's a start."

"Good."

She pressed the elevator button.

"Because tomorrow you're both flying to Chicago together for the Morrison negotiations."

I stared at her.

"What?"

"Two days."

"Just us?"

"Business class. Same hotel. Adjacent rooms."

"Nora..."

"Don't look at me."

She smiled for the first time.

"The client specifically requested both project leads."

The elevator doors opened.

"Looks like fate isn't finished with you two yet."