HARRY STYLES
Two Days Ago
"Do you have anything, like...bigger?" I pressed my lips together as I looked up at the sales associate behind the counter, fighting defeat.
He laughed the smug way that Parisian men do. "Yes, we certainly have bigger diamonds."
I nodded and watched him put away the royal blue velvet tray I was just searching through in exchange for another. The diamonds were bigger, as I had asked, but it was as if I could feel my wallet's non-existent eyes welling up as I inspected the more impressive gems. They weren't outrageously large, but they weren't as "delicate" as the array I was just looking at.
"What's the price range for all of these?" I dared to ask.
In his French accent, the well-groomed man said, "Around six thousand euros to eighteen thousand."
My cheeks puffed up as I exhaled. Eighteen thousand for a ring was a bit steep, but I could do six. I had enough money saved for six. "I'm afraid to ask, but what about this one?"
His brown eyes fell on the princess-cut diamond on a white gold band. "This one is eight."
"Eight," I echoed and held my palm out as he pinched the ring from its slot to let me hold it.
"What is her style?"
I stared at the diamond, mesmerized by the sparkle. "She definitely isn't a flashy person when it comes to jewelry. She'll do statement earrings sometimes, but nothing too out there. She likes dainty pieces and her beauty is always just classic and timeless."
"Well, I would most certainly say this ring is classic and timeless," he confirmed. "It doesn't get much more classic and timeless than this."
"I agree," I nodded and held the weight of it in my palm again. Honestly, I wasn't positive that I was going to end up buying anything when the idea came to me earlier that morning, waking me from my sleep, but then I couldn't imagine leaving without it.
"You're smiling," the man called me out. "You love her very much."
He wasn't asking me because it wasn't a question. I did love Lana very much-enough to know that I wanted to marry her after only knowing her for a year and dating her for less than that. Something about the epiphany makes me feel bad for my past self as well as Allison. We dated for eight years and I never felt like it was the right time to take that next step with her, but with Lana, I was having more trouble not blurting the question out every five seconds. I almost asked her last night right after we had sex in our Parisian suite. I wanted to.
"I'll take it," I nodded. "It's the one."
"Excellent," the man kept his smug smirk. "What size are you looking for?"
"Right," I pulled out my wallet to find the ring I stole from Lana's bedside table that morning. She typically wears it on her right ring finger, so I assumed the sizing would at least be similar. "Whatever size this is."
He used a sizer to figure it out, and as luck would have it, they had the ring in that size available for me to purchase in-store. That was convenient, considering I wouldn't be coming back to Paris anytime soon and I didn't exactly want to have the ring shipped all the way to America. I wouldn't be able to sleep until I had it in my hand.
After he set me up with a velvet box and a dust bag for it, I declined the offer for a small shopping bag and placed the box in the inside pocket of my denim jacket for now. I held my breath as I swiped my card, but despite the hefty price, I didn't feel any regret, remorse, or fear as he had me sign a receipt for it. Deep in my bones, I knew it was the right decision to make without a single doubt in my mind.
