“On and off for a few years now. We both decided it was for the best to keep this quiet. News of this doesn’t leave this room.”
“Can we see the ring?” Laura asked.
The ring. Amy hadn’t thought of that. Of course she’d need a ring. Why hadn’t she thought of that? “Like I said, we’re trying to keep this quiet. One little slip up and the press will descend on us like the low life predators they are. I don’t want to take a chance until after we’re married.”
“Ok,” Rich said with a laugh as he grabbed a second jelly donut. “So when’s the big day?”
“Today,” Amy replied.
“Are we invited?” he asked.
Laura leaned over and elbowed him again.
Rich coughed. “I mean, oh. Congratulations. What happened to the whole no personal involvement with clients thing?” As he finished his question, he blocked Laura’s elbow as it came at him for the third time. Instead, she slapped his arm. “Ow!” he yelped. “Ok. Ok. None of my business.”
Amy smiled. She knew there was a reason she had kept Laura around for all these years. “We’re getting married in judge’s chambers.”
“Romantic,” Rich said. He turned and looked at Laura as if to apologize.
“Quiet,” Amy replied. “This news doesn’t leave this room. If anyone finds out, it will be a tabloid mess. And we are in the business of squashing scandals, not starting them. No one outside this room can know about this.”
“What about him?” Rich asked as he pointed out to the waiting area.
“Who?” Amy asked as she looked over her shoulder to find Ethan waving. He was wearing a light gray suit and had flowers in his hand. “Shit,” she said under her breath. “I mean… I’ll be right back.” She looked at the grin on his face. He was enjoying himself a bit too much, she thought.#p#分页标题#e#
She turned and headed out into the hall to find out why Ethan had shown up in her office. The plan had been to meet later in the morning. By force of habit, she extended her hand to greet him, and he surprised her by wrapping his arms around her and leaning her back as he hugged. “Remember, we’re in love,” he said before kissing her cheek. Amy could feel that rough bit of stubble on Ethan’s chin. It offset the warmth and tenderness of that kiss on the cheek. She hated to admit it, but she liked it when he held her like that.
She looked at him for a moment and then thought, what the hell. She turned and met his kiss and felt a thrill run up and down her spine as she sealed her lips against his. Note to self, she thought, try this again.
After a pause, she cleared her throat. “Darling,” she said, “we’re in public.” She motioned to her office. If this was going to work, they would have to come up with ground rules. They would have to come up with them fast.
Amy could hear Rich and Callie clapping as she closed her office door behind her. “Ethan, what are you doing here?”
“I wanted to surprise you,” Ethan replied.
“I think you have fulfilled your surprise quota for the century. How about sticking to the script and letting me get everything in order.”
“I’m sorry,” Ethan said. “I just wanted to see you.”
Amy raised an eyebrow. “What’s the catch?” she asked as Ethan began to grin again. Amy knew that look too well already.
“No catch.” He placed the flowers down on Amy’s desk. “I just wanted to make this thing official.”
“Ah, you’re so romantic.” Amy rolled her eyes.
“And I wanted to give you this,” Ethan said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. Before Amy processed what was happening, he had slid the ring onto her finger. “I know last night wasn’t the proposal you deserve, and this isn’t either, but I figured I’d give it a second chance. Will you marry me?”
Amy looked down at the giant diamond on her hand. “Is this real?” she asked.
“I picked it out this morning.”
“I didn’t even know jewelry stores were open this early in the morning.”
“They aren’t. A friend owed me a favor, and well, it made his day.”
Amy looked down at the ring and the enormous rock again. “I’d guess that it made his month,” she said.
Ethan smiled. “Yeah, it probably did.”
“So what do I do now?” Amy asked.
“Say yes.”
“Yes, Ethan, I will marry you. Now come back over here and kiss me again. You know, so we can look convincing when we have to do it in the future.”