“I think she’s another bird he found on the way from Heathrow. Guessing she flew right into his lap,” Fiona says smugly, reaching for her cocktail glass and taking a drink.
“Play nice, kids,” Dad says, his brows furrowed. Obviously Fiona’s referencing last Christmas when I brought home a woman I met in the airport bar. Fiona’s being a snot, but I understand why. She usually has reason to be. I’ve ruined enough family events with my drugs, drinking, and women to make her pissy. I deserve it.
But Claire does not.
“That’s funny, Fiona,” Claire says. “Landon actually calls me his little Bird.” She embellishes the truth, but I don’t mind. Not if she can iron things out with Fiona. “Though I don’t think I spend nearly enough time in his lap to elicit that sort of comment from you.”
“Oh, she’s feisty,” Dad says, laughing. I think he’s relieved to hear that Claire isn’t a girl I just met in passing. “Tell us, who are you then?”
“Landon,” she says demurely, her eyes lowered, a small smile on her face. “Tell them, love.”
“Love?” Mum’s eyes widen, and she covers her mouth.
“This is Claire,” I explain, reaching for her hand. “She’s my fiancée.”
Fiona literally spits out her drink. Chocking back her shock, she reaches for a napkin, a poor attempt to wipe away her surprise.
“You’re engaged!” Mum wraps her arms around Claire and me, her eyes instantly brimming with tears.
“Brandon,” Dad calls. “Champagne, we need champagne!”
“The prodigal son has returned,” Geoffrey says, his face revealing everything. Resentment. Jealousy. Loathing.
“It just happened,” Claire says, beaming. We find seats in the richly upholstered chairs, and sit facing one another. “We’ve been dating for months, and we decided this would be the perfect time for me to come out and meet you all, but then ... you’ll never believe it,” she says, laughing. Her green eyes are wild with intensity and pure absolute joy. She is a fucking amazing actress, because everyone is on the edge of their seats, eating this up. “Then, after we landed here today, he got down on one knee at the airport and proposed. It was magic. People were cheering, and wishing us good luck, and it was like a movie. I just ... I can’t believe it’s our life.”
She reaches over and kisses me softly on the cheek.
Mum and Dad are crying literal tears. Fiona is speechless. She stares at us with a look of empty hatred.
“Can we see the ring?” Dad asks.
“Of course,” Claire says, sticking out her hand.
“Now, this is a special ring,” he says. “The three stones are for the past, present, and future, I presume?” Of course he has an analogy for this. He has one for everything related to promises of forever and commitments and why he went into this bloody business in the first place. “But Landon, tell us about the emeralds?” He’s commenting on the two emeralds flanking the solitaire.
I breathe a sigh of relief. This is an easy answer. I’m sure there will be plenty more that I won’t have any words for. But this, I do. “Just look at Claire’s eyes and you’ll understand.”
Claire smiles coyly as all eyes fall on her green ones once again.
“That is very romantic,” Mum says. “But Landon, we have family jewels.”
“I know but, Mum, I couldn’t wait another moment to propose.”
“I didn’t even know you were dating anyone, dear. We have so much to catch up on.”
“Later, dear. Now, we must share a toast,” Dad says, smiling.
Brandon carries in a silver tray with six champagne flutes and a chilled bottle of champagne. Once we all have a glass of bubbly in hand, Dad stands and offers a toast. “To Claire and Landon, and a lifetime of love.”
We clink glasses and there’s a moment of silence as everyone takes a sip.
We spend the next hour catching up. Nothing new with Fiona and Geoffrey, besides bragging about how many promotions he’s earned. All the while, Dad looks on as if this is the last thing he wishes to discuss.
“Well, I must say everyone thought it was rather ingenious,” Geoffrey drawls on, “the way I expanded distribution in Mexico City. No one has made any inroads there for years.”
“True, no one has,” my father says. “But that deal required quite a bit of brand leniency didn’t it?” He shrugs. “If I wanted to sell diamonds in strip malls, I would have started my business in America. The King’s Diamond is all about the luxury experience.”