She reached for her ring and tried to twist it off. “Let’s end this quietly, here and now.”
Unfortunately, the ring wasn’t budging. Nor, judging from the grim scowl on Richard’s face, was he.
“You picked the time and place,” he reminded her. “Backing out now is out of the question.”
“Why?”
“It just is,” he said, his expression set stubbornly.
If she hadn’t known better, she might have entertained the crazy thought that he was trying to buy himself a little more time. But of course that couldn’t be.
He should have let Melanie have her way and ended things in his office the other day when she’d pleaded with him to get it over with, Richard thought as he forced himself to take out his tuxedo in preparation for the upcoming engagement party.
What idiotic part of his brain had thought that waiting another week was a good idea? If he’d been hoping that having dinner with a couple of business associates would change anything, he’d been sadly mistaken. That evening, much like this one was destined to be, had been a disaster. Melanie had been quiet and withdrawn. The other couples had been uncomfortable. He wouldn’t be a bit surprised if the deal they’d been discussing fell apart. Not that he could manage to work up much dismay over that. All of his dismay seemed to be reserved for the prospect of losing the only women he’d ever allowed himself to love.
“Why so glum?” Mack asked, when he found Richard pouring himself a stiff drink. “Tonight’s party is supposed to be a celebration.”
“Oh, can it,” Richard retorted. “We both know better than that.”
Mack seemed genuinely surprised by his reminder. “But I thought—”
“What? That something had changed? That we really were going to go through with the engagement and the wedding?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact,” Mack said. “All the signs were pointing in that direction, especially when the two of you slipped out of town for a romantic little getaway.”
“Well, where Melanie and I are concerned, things often aren’t what they seem to be. She chose that time to let me know that we were going through with the previous arrangement.”
Mack gave him a hard look. “And you did what to persuade her not to?”
“What was I supposed to do?” Richard demanded. “She’d obviously made up her mind.”
Mack groaned. “Did you tell her you loved her?”
Richard frowned at him.
“I’ll take that as a no,” Mack concluded. “What is wrong with you? Never mind. I know the answer to that. Believe me, I’m as gun-shy when it comes to romance as you are, but we’re talking Melanie here, bro. The woman is crazy in love with you, and you’re obviously in love with her. Don’t let her slip through your fingers.”
Richard wasn’t ready to admit his feelings, not even to a man he trusted with his life. “You’re forgetting one thing. This whole engagement thing has been a farce to prove something to Destiny.”
Mack, damn him, laughed. “You still think Destiny doesn’t know that? You’re delusional. All of this may have started as a stupid, immature game—”
Richard’s scowl deepened.
“Don’t pull that look on me, big brother,” Mack said, undaunted. “You can’t intimidate me. The important thing here is to admit that the game is over and try to fix everything before it’s too late. Don’t be stubborn, Richard. Not about something this important. If you want to make the whole engagement thing real, it’s entirely possible that she does, too, but was too scared to admit it given your ridiculous agreement about an exit strategy.”
Richard stared at him, startled by Mack’s insight. Could it be that Mack was right? Had he simply backed Melanie into a corner, the same way she’d backed him into one, both of them unwilling to risk being vulnerable?
“When did you get to be so smart, especially about matters of the heart, Mack?”
“I’m not the stupid one, bro. You’re the one who hasn’t seen the handwriting on the wall till now.”
It seemed pointless to keep denying his feelings when Mack wasn’t buying it. “Then what do I do?”
“You’ll think of something, some grandstand play, and don’t take no for an answer. Melanie can stage her scene, then you stage yours. I’ll put my money on you.”
With that kind of faith in his persuasiveness, how could Richard say no? Not when it meant getting the only thing he’d ever wanted this desperately. He picked up the phone and called his jeweler, then gazed at his brother.