It's Got A Ring To It Read Online Free Page B

regularly. Not that I was paying much attention. Dazed, I couldn’t help
but notice how his strong hands
appeared
so protective, the way he gripped
the pen. I had no clue what he filled out. Some kind of
paperwork or information card or something. It didn’t really matter. I
was losing my nerve with every
sweep
of
his
pen.
    Grinning from ear to ear, Betty was suddenly overly helpful. “Is your
best contact number still 5-5-5-2-3-7-9?”
    He said something else, but it was all I needed to hear. It was as if
things slowed to a glacial pace. Right in front of me, she confirmed that he
’s
been giving out my number
all along. No longer hypnotized by th
e
walking identity thief or the rhinestones
of the tiara I clutched, I couldn’t contain myself any longer.
    Downright ire r
an
through my veins
.
Every
fiber of my being urged me to go to him and unleash
all those
groggy morning
s
on him. The
nerve built up as I
squared
my shoulders and directed the fury in my eyes at his turned back.
As I closed in on him
, I
became less lady
like
and more of a lethal weapon. Standing behind Mr. Pretender, my strategic plan
to nudge him and give him my best Tae Bo jab-hook- uppercut, didn’t seem worth the vision of me being dragged away in cuffs.
    At some point, I must’ve infringed on his personal space
,
because he turned around
and locked me into his gaze. I might as well have been twelve again
and
in the middle of a
staring contest. I didn’t dare blink. The first one of us to blink would lose
,
and I’d already lost too
much at the hands of that man.
    Time froze, but true to form, Lena didn’t. “Oh…”
T
he ever familiar singsong shriek neared. “ Laila where are you? I’ve
found it.”
    Whether I wanted her to or not, she was coming. I didn’t know
if I should
be angry with
her for making me blink first, or grateful to her for saving me from the
jumbled words, which surely would’ve followed. Quickly, I squinted my eyes,
giving him my most intimidating stare,
and
then turned toward Lena’s voice.
    I knew
he
continued
to watch, but I couldn’t risk
glancing
back. “Oh my goodness, Lena. Where is it?” The Academy should’ve awarded me for
the show I put on. Lena ate it up
,
and gauging by the looks on Wilma
’s
and Betty’s faces, so did Mr. Donovan.
    Putting it on thick, I even threw in a little extra bounce to my
step. Down the hall, I glanced over my shoulder to see if he’d noticed, but he
was gone. Panic mode set in
.
I might never have the chance again to confront him. Hastily, I scrambled for a
reason to get back to the front of the store. Ah! The tiara
.
    “Lena, I have the perfect accessory for you.” She turned in awe. I’d
never made it a habit to make suggestions when it came to fashion, as I’d
usually get blame
d
later
had
she
decide
d
she didn’t need
or like it. Mostly, I’d just nod and agree for agreement’s sake. “I saw a tiara
in the showcase at the front of the store.” Still no
reaction. The time had come for the coup de gr â ce
. “Lena, every princess needs her crown for
her big day, don’t you think?”
    I
didn’t
expect it, but as soon as I saw the tears rolling down her cheek, I knew she
believed me. “ Laila , I knew you would start to come
around if I included you.” But my plan backfired. She trapped me in a bear hug
with a grip tighter and longer than I hoped.
    “Okay. I’ll just go grab it for you, LeLe .”
Breaking free, I bee-lined to where I last s
aw
him. Her suspicions were surely on high
alert, but I milked it for all it
was
worth. Her watchful eyes locked on me,
so I checked all the other cases before the one where the tiara was displayed,
to give me extra time. But, Myles Donovan was gone.
    Just as fluidly as he waltzed in, he vanished. There went my
redemption and closure
right
out
the door
—
along
with my opportunity to reclaim my phone number. Worst of all, he left but I
still had to be there. Stuck in a bridal boutique with my nuptially
crazed little