Blossom Street Brides (Blossom Street #10)(89)

Lauren would gladly have turned him over to another of the sales associates, but they were all busy with other customers.

“What would you like to see?” she asked, doing her best to keep all emotion out of her voice and sound professional. She trained her gaze at a point directly behind Todd and avoided eye contact.

“A diamond ring,” Todd said.

“For a man or a woman?” she asked, thinking she must sound akin to a robot.

“A woman’s diamond ring. A beautiful one. The best you’ve got.”

Unable to stop herself, Lauren’s gaze shot to him. “A woman’s?”

“Yes.” He sat on the plush upholstered stool reserved for customers and stared down at the diamond rings on display.

“What price range?” she asked, doing her best to hide her surprise.

“Twenty thousand.”

A high-end diamond. Interesting, to say the least. “You should be able to find a lovely ring for that price,” she continued, in the same robotlike tone.

Todd scanned the wide selection of engagement and wedding rings, taking his time, giving each ring serious consideration.

“Would the young lady prefer white gold?” Lauren asked.

He glanced up. “Yes, I believe she would.”

Lauren was growing more confused by the moment. Had Todd come into the store to gloat? Their breakup had taken place only a few weeks earlier, so it didn’t seem that he’d found someone else this quickly. But then, she had, so it was a possibility. Apparently, it was true, which only verified what she’d told him at the time of their breakup. If Todd had genuinely loved her, they would have married long ago. It seemed he’d found that woman, and, frankly, she was pleased for him.

Afraid to ask too many questions, Lauren brought out a second tray of diamond rings for him to review.

“What do you think?” he asked, looking up at her, his gaze warm and gentle.

“Think?” she asked, perplexed. “Well, yes, seeing that I’m buying the diamond engagement ring for you, I’d like your input.”

Lauren gasped and slapped her hand against her chest. “Me?”

“Yes, my love, the diamond ring is for you. I made the biggest mistake of my life letting you go. You know how I feel about you. I was a fool. You made a mistake, too. It’s time we set all these mistakes right. I’m asking you to marry me.”

For one wild, impulsive moment Lauren had the nearly overwhelming notion to flee. It took every bit of restraint she possessed not to grab her purse and run for all she was worth. While her mind had her racing out the front door, her feet refused to budge. Her mouth had instantly gone dry, and all she seemed capable of doing was staring at Todd in utter incredulity.

“I’m married.”

“We can fix that, Lauren. We both know you married that … that Neanderthal to get back at me. You needed to do something drastic in order to wake me up, and, darling, it worked. The minute I heard the news you’d married Rooster, I went into shock. Then Elisa said things hadn’t worked out as you’d planned, and I realized I’d been given a second chance. I wasn’t about to let this opportunity to set matters straight slip by.”

“I love Rooster,” she said, more convinced than ever of what her heart had been trying to tell her for two long weeks.

Todd shook his head, denying her statement. “No, you don’t. You used him to teach me a lesson. Well, Lauren, I’m an A-plus student. We’ll get the legal stuff dealt with; I have friends who will help with the annulment, and …”

Lauren could barely believe what she was hearing. “Todd, please, stop. Just stop.”

Frowning, he stared back at her.

It was hard to take in what he was saying. Once she had his full attention, she continued. “Do you honestly believe that I would use another human being in such a despicable way? Do you seriously think I married Rooster in order to get your attention?”

He blinked at her as if she was speaking in a foreign language.

“You seem to believe I married Rooster for my own selfish purposes. What kind of person do you take me for?” she asked, both sad and angry. “That only goes to show you don’t really know me at all.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Todd said, doing his best to backpedal.

By then they’d garnered the attention of nearly everyone else in the store. Elisa looked concerned, as well she should. Lauren wasn’t someone who had a quick trigger, but she was fast reaching the point where she was about to explode.

“I’m not interested in being a bigamist,” she said, and she took the tray of diamond rings and quickly inserted it back into the display case and locked it. “Todd, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but it’s too late. In your eyes Rooster might be a Neanderthal, but I see him in a completely different light and I happen to be completely and totally in love with him. I’m sorry, and I genuinely mean it, but your proposal is too little, too late.” With that, Lauren retreated into the back room and started pacing, so frustrated and upset that she could barely think clearly.

Five minutes might have passed, or it could have been ten or twenty, she wasn’t sure. All Lauren knew was that she needed to walk off this anger. Pacing, she would have worn down the carpet, had there been one.

Elisa joined her, and Lauren shot her friend a look hot enough to melt iron.