me looking like he hadn't a care in the world, but the constant checking of his watch gave him away. He was nervous too. It was crazy, really. What did we have to be nervous about? This was all pre-planned. He knew what my answer would be, so there was no fear that I'd refuse. Still, it was the first time either of us had ever gotten engaged, and that was something.
As soon as our plates had been cleared, a waiter brought out two dessert trays. He handed Rob a plate with tiramisu while handing me one with strawberry trifle.
"I don't remember ordering dessert," I said once the waiter had gone.
"I had this prepared ahead of time," Rob said.
I eyed the trifle doubtfully and wondered if Rob had hidden the ring in it. All that pudding and syrup looked like it would be a mess.
"Please tell me the ring's not in there," I said.
Rob's smile faltered and he looked like I had taken his favorite toy away. "Would that be a problem? I can get it for you," he said, reaching out for the glass.
"No, forget about it. It's fine," I said.
I felt a bit guilty for ruining his special moment, so I picked up my spoon and started eating my way through the trifle. I went slowly, since I didn't want to chip my tooth, but it was frustrating because all I wanted to do was dig through the damn thing. I knew I had to control myself. With each bite, my anticipation grew. I wondered what the ring would look like and how big of a diamond he'd gotten.
Rob had been very secretive about the ring selection. I had offered to buy my own ring for the occasion, but he wouldn't have any of it. We'd gotten into a bit of an argument over it, actually. I thought it was stupid for him to go out and spend money on a ring when we both knew the engagement would never last. In the end, though, he got his way. Hopefully his taste in jewelry was better than his taste in dessert. I had almost reached the bottom of the trifle, but there was still no ring in sight.
"I think something's missing," I said, pushing my spoon around the glass to feel for the ring. "I hope the kitchen staff didn't run off with it."
"It's not in the dessert," Rob said, laughing. "I just wanted to see if you would eat the whole trifle."
I didn't know whether to punch him or throw the rest of the trifle at him. All this time he sat there, watching me stuff my face because I felt bad about ruining his surprise, and the ring wasn't even in the damn thing. That meant I'd eaten it for nothing--all those calories!
"You're an ass," I said.
"Sorry, I didn't really think you'd eat the whole thing," he said, not sounding sorry at all.
"And you expect me to say yes to your offer of marriage after you treat me like this?" I asked. In truth, I wasn't too upset. It was a silly prank and I was grateful that it took the edge off the actual proposal. If that was what Rob had in mind, then it worked.
"I hope you do," Rob said.
He pushed back from the table and got on one knee. I could hear a hush go around the restaurant and just knew that all eyes were turned in our direction. Rob reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a blue velvet box. "So what do you say?" he asked.
I didn't really know what to expect. Maybe a little more romance or some declaration of everlasting love, but that clearly wasn't going to happen. His words still left a lot to be desired, but I guess that's what happens when you enter into a fake engagement.
I released a small sigh before pasting on a wide smile. "Yes! Of course," I said before bursting into fake tears.
I hid my face behind my right hand while I felt Rob slip the ring onto the fourth finger of my left hand. Then I heard a round of applause from the other diners. Rob pulled me up once he had finished sliding the ring onto my finger, and we kissed to another round of applause. We sat back down again and I finally got a chance to look at the ring.
It was a beautiful vintage ring. The large oval cut emerald was surrounded by smaller diamonds, all set in a platinum
As soon as our plates had been cleared, a waiter brought out two dessert trays. He handed Rob a plate with tiramisu while handing me one with strawberry trifle.
"I don't remember ordering dessert," I said once the waiter had gone.
"I had this prepared ahead of time," Rob said.
I eyed the trifle doubtfully and wondered if Rob had hidden the ring in it. All that pudding and syrup looked like it would be a mess.
"Please tell me the ring's not in there," I said.
Rob's smile faltered and he looked like I had taken his favorite toy away. "Would that be a problem? I can get it for you," he said, reaching out for the glass.
"No, forget about it. It's fine," I said.
I felt a bit guilty for ruining his special moment, so I picked up my spoon and started eating my way through the trifle. I went slowly, since I didn't want to chip my tooth, but it was frustrating because all I wanted to do was dig through the damn thing. I knew I had to control myself. With each bite, my anticipation grew. I wondered what the ring would look like and how big of a diamond he'd gotten.
Rob had been very secretive about the ring selection. I had offered to buy my own ring for the occasion, but he wouldn't have any of it. We'd gotten into a bit of an argument over it, actually. I thought it was stupid for him to go out and spend money on a ring when we both knew the engagement would never last. In the end, though, he got his way. Hopefully his taste in jewelry was better than his taste in dessert. I had almost reached the bottom of the trifle, but there was still no ring in sight.
"I think something's missing," I said, pushing my spoon around the glass to feel for the ring. "I hope the kitchen staff didn't run off with it."
"It's not in the dessert," Rob said, laughing. "I just wanted to see if you would eat the whole trifle."
I didn't know whether to punch him or throw the rest of the trifle at him. All this time he sat there, watching me stuff my face because I felt bad about ruining his surprise, and the ring wasn't even in the damn thing. That meant I'd eaten it for nothing--all those calories!
"You're an ass," I said.
"Sorry, I didn't really think you'd eat the whole thing," he said, not sounding sorry at all.
"And you expect me to say yes to your offer of marriage after you treat me like this?" I asked. In truth, I wasn't too upset. It was a silly prank and I was grateful that it took the edge off the actual proposal. If that was what Rob had in mind, then it worked.
"I hope you do," Rob said.
He pushed back from the table and got on one knee. I could hear a hush go around the restaurant and just knew that all eyes were turned in our direction. Rob reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a blue velvet box. "So what do you say?" he asked.
I didn't really know what to expect. Maybe a little more romance or some declaration of everlasting love, but that clearly wasn't going to happen. His words still left a lot to be desired, but I guess that's what happens when you enter into a fake engagement.
I released a small sigh before pasting on a wide smile. "Yes! Of course," I said before bursting into fake tears.
I hid my face behind my right hand while I felt Rob slip the ring onto the fourth finger of my left hand. Then I heard a round of applause from the other diners. Rob pulled me up once he had finished sliding the ring onto my finger, and we kissed to another round of applause. We sat back down again and I finally got a chance to look at the ring.
It was a beautiful vintage ring. The large oval cut emerald was surrounded by smaller diamonds, all set in a platinum
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