A CONTRACT ENGAGEMENT

He glanced between her and the car that was now parked a few feet away with Abby inside, and his lips were drawn into a fine line.

She shook her head. “No, you don’t have to and it’s already past midnight. I’ll be fine. Your driver will take good care of the both of us, besides I know that once I get in that car, your sister is going to bombard me with a lot of questions. I don’t think I want you to be there for that drama.”

He looked as if he was going to press the point when she raised her hand. The diamond caught the glare from the headlights. Slowly she removed the thin band from her finger and pressed the ring into Julian’s palm.

“I won’t be needing this anymore,” she said lightly.

He frowned as he stared down at the delicate piece of jewelry lying in his hand.

It was ridiculous that this felt like a real break-up. Her heart seized and she had the absurd urge to snatch the ring back out of his hand and put it back on her finger.

She leaned up on tiptoe and brushed her lips across his cheek. “Bye, Julian. Have a safe trip home.” She said softly.

She turned and allowed the driver to usher her into the backseat beside Abby. As they pulled away, she saw Julian standing in the same place she’d left him, his hand closed around the ring. They stared at each other through the window until the car got too far away for her to see him any longer.

———————–

As soon as Nina stepped into the car and it began to move, Abby turned to Nina.

“Now I know this isn’t any of my business…. But… You know what, Julian is my brother so I think it’s kind of my business… What the hell is happening between you two? I barely saw you when we were on the island because somehow, for some reason I don’t know and don’t really understand, you were paired off with Julian all through our stay there. What is happening? . Are you guys dating? And you guys didn’t tell me? Why would you guys hide something like that from me?”

Nina shook her head slowly, looking at her hand and rubbing the finger that had had Julian’s ring on it. “No. No we are not” she said softly. “You know if I was dating anyone, you’d be the first person to know about it…. Especially if it’s your brother”

“Then what the hell is happening?” Abby asked, “Not that I have a problem with you guys being together. I think it’s amazing actually… you guys look amazing together. I’m just confused and curious”

“Julian was supposed to talk to you about it. I guess he didn’t. He made the whole thing up” Nina said. “The whole engagement thing… He made it up because he didn’t want to be alone at the wedding and he wanted to get your mom off his back and prove that he wasn’t hung up on Loveth or something like that. We are not together”

Abby nodded, watching Nina closely. “Okay I get that. But from your tone it sounds like you want to be together” she said.

Nina’s head lifted and she stared at Abby. “No… I’m not… I don’t.. I… I mean… I don’t know” she stammered.

For some reason her eyes got watery and she hated herself that very minute. She knew this was about business right from the beginning. He had told her so. Then why was she feeling this way?

“Okay, it’s fine,” DebbieAbby said. “Just that for people who were pretending to be together, you guys looked so into each other… And you make a beautiful couple. I can’t say that I’m surprised though. Julian has always had a crush on you since high school… He was just too shy to tell you”

Nina gave Abby a slow smile. “I can’t imagine or picture Damon shy,” she said. “He looks so confident all the time”

“He has changed a lot,” Abby replied. “I’m a bit worried though… You look upset”

“I am” Nina admitted “I didn’t know Julian’s plan at first and when I found out I agreed because I wanted his business account and it was kinda too late to deny it because we were already with your parents…. But things got… I don’t know… Kind of intense and out of control and now I just… Things happened between us… Things that were not supposed to happen since we’re not really together and I kinda work for him now”

She stopped talking.

“Ohhhhh…. Are you in love with him?” Abby asked.

WendNinay shook her head. That wasn’t possible. She was incredibly attracted to the man, but love?

“No, I don’t think so,” she replied finally. “It’s just… I don’t really know what this is.. This thing I’m feeling… I don’t know what it is, but I know it will pass after a while”

“Would you like me to say something to him?” Abby asked.

“Oh God no” Nina replied. She looked horrified by the idea. “There’s nothing to say really. I’m fine”

“Alright” Abby said. She knew that sometimes people just had to figure out things like this on their own. “But you should know that I’m here for you…, and you should also know that I think it would be amazing if the both of you get together… for real.”

Nina smiled at Abby, but she was hurt inside.

————————–

Julian tucked his hand into his pocket to touch the diamond engagement ring Nina had given back to him the night before. His finger ran over the edges, took it out and let it lay in his palm to catch the light.

For a long while, he stared down at it before closing his hand over it. As his driver pulled to the curb in front of Standard Gate Communications, he shoved the ring back into his pocket.

Nina wouldn’t be expecting him. Hell, he wasn’t expecting him. To be here, that is. He was supposed to be at his office. He had any number of issues to deal with including talking to his team about Tony Parker. They needed to come big with an offer, and they needed to make sure any offer they made was tied up neatly with a big bow.

Yet, here he was, getting out at Nina’s building because he wanted to see her again. And business had nothing to do with it.

He instructed his driver to find suitable parking and to swing back around when he phoned to say he was ready. Then he headed into the stately building to take the elevator up to the sixth floor.

When he stepped off, he was immediately impressed with the very modern, “in touch” feel of Standard Gate Communications. There was a lot of attention given to comfort, and it worked, because he felt relaxed.