One Winter's Sunrise: Gift-Wrapped in Her Wedding Dress. Alison Roberts

told the consultant about your misbehaving skirt—only I didn’t call it that, of course. I told him about your shoes that laced up your calves. I told him about your turquoise necklace and your outsized earrings. I told him about your leopard-print shoes and your white trousers.’

      Andie’s eyes widened. ‘You remember all that about what I wear?’

      ‘I did say I was observant,’ he said.

      Ask him to remember what Party Planners Numbers One to Three had been wearing for their interviews and he would scarcely recall it. But he remembered every detail about her since that errant breeze at his front door had blown Andie into his life.

      At the jewellery store, once he’d relaxed into the conversation with the consultant, Dominic had also told him how Andie was smart and creative and a touch unconventional and had the most beautiful smile and a husky, engaging laugh. ‘This is a lucky lady,’ the guy had said. ‘You must love her very much.’

      That had thrown Dominic. ‘Yes,’ he’d muttered. Love could not enter into this. He did not want Andie to get hurt. And hurt wasn’t on his personal agenda either. He didn’t think he had it in him to love. To give love you had to be loved—and genuine love was not something that had been part of his life.

      ‘So... I’m curious,’ said Andie. What kind of ring did you—did I—end up with?’

      ‘Not the classic solitaire I would have chosen. The guy said you’d find it boring.’

      ‘Of course I wouldn’t have found it boring,’ she said not very convincingly.

      ‘Why do I not believe you?’ he said.

      ‘Stop teasing me and show me the darn ring,’ she said.

      Dominic took out the small, leather, case from his inside suit jacket pocket. ‘I hope you like it,’ he said. He wanted her to like it. He didn’t know why it was suddenly so important that she did.

      He opened the case and held it out for Andie to see. Her eyes widened and she caught her breath. ‘It...it’s exquisite,’ she said.

      ‘Is it something you think you could wear?’ he asked.

      ‘Oh, yes,’ she said. ‘I love it.’

      ‘It’s called a halo set ring,’ he said. ‘The ring of little diamonds that surround the big central diamond is the halo. And the very narrow split band—again set with small diamonds—is apparently very fashionable.’

      ‘That diamond is enormous,’ she said, drawing back. ‘I’d be nervous to wear it.’

      ‘I got it well insured,’ he said.

      ‘Good,’ she said. ‘If I lost it, I’d be paying you back for the rest of my life and probably still be in debt.’

      ‘The ring is yours, Andie.’

      ‘I know, for the duration,’ she said. ‘I promise to look after it.’ She crossed her heart.

      ‘You misunderstand. The ring is yours to keep after...after all this has come to an end.’

      She frowned and shook her head vehemently. ‘No. That wasn’t part of the deal. Timothy’s treatment was the deal. I give this ring back to you when...when I dump you.’

      ‘We’ll see about that,’ he said, not wanting to get into an argument with her. As far as he was concerned, this ring was hers. She could keep it or sell it or give it away—he never wanted it back. ‘Now, shouldn’t I be getting that diamond on your finger?’

      He was surprised to find his hand wasn’t steady as he took the ring out of its hinged case. It glittered and sparkled as the afternoon sunlight danced off the multi-cut facets of the diamonds. ‘Hold out your hand,’ he said.

      ‘No’, she said, again shaking her head. ‘Give it to me and I’ll put it on myself. This isn’t a real engagement and I don’t want to jinx myself. When I get engaged for real, my real fiancé will put my ring on my wedding finger.’

      Again, Dominic felt disappointed. Against all reason. He wanted to put the ring on her finger. But he understood why he shouldn’t. He felt a pang of regret that he most likely would never again be anyone’s ‘real fiancé’—and a pang of what he recognised as envy for the man who would win Andie’s heart for real.

      He put the ring back in its case. ‘You do want to get married one day?’

      He wasn’t sure if she was still in love with the memory of her first boyfriend—and that no man would be able to live up to that frozen-in-time ideal. Melody had been his first love—but he certainly held no romanticised memories of her.

      ‘Of course I do. I want to get married and have a family. I... I... It took me a long time to get over the loss of my dreams of a life with Anthony. I couldn’t see myself with anyone but him. But that was five years ago. Now... I think I’m ready to move on.’

      Dominic had to clear his throat to speak. ‘Okay, I see your point. Better put on the ring yourself,’ he said.

      Tentatively, she lifted the ring from where it nestled in the velvet lining of its case. ‘I’m terrified I’ll drop it and it will fall into the pool.’ She laughed nervously as she slid it on to the third finger of her left hand. ‘There—it’s on.’ She held out her hand, fingers splayed to better display the ring. ‘It’s a perfect fit,’ she said. ‘You did well.’

      ‘It looks good on you,’ he said.

      ‘That sales guy knew his stuff,’ she said. ‘I can’t stop looking at it. It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen.’ She looked up at him. ‘I still have my doubts about the wisdom of this charade. But I will enjoy wearing this magnificent piece of jewellery. Thank you for choosing something so perfect.’

      ‘Thank you for helping me out with this crazy scheme,’ he said. The scheme that had seemed crazy the moment he’d proposed it and which got crazier and crazier as it went along. But it was important he sealed that deal with Walter Burton. And was it such a bad thing to have to spend so much time with Andie?