by Suzy Shearer
“Hello Tammy. Is Adrian in?”
“Hi, Ms. Walters. I’ll just buzz him.”
I walked over to Dorian. He nodded at the hanging.
“It looks amazing. You are one very beautiful and talented woman.”
“Ellie! Hi. I’m just off to a meeting.” It felt a little strange around him, I tried to act natural.
“Oh, hi Adrian. I just wanted to drop off the quilts.”
I could see Adrian eyeing off Dorian so I introduce them.
“Adrian, this is my partner, Dorian. Dorian, this is Adrian.”
The two of them sized each other off and tentatively shook hands. Dorian had a very strange look on his face. It was easy to see what Adrian was thinking. What is this handsome young guy doing with Ellie? And, What’s with the long hair? It was so obvious, I didn’t need to be a mind reader. Dorian must have thought the same thing as me because he played up to it by wrapping his arm around my waist.
“Look, I won’t keep you Adrian, I just wanted to make sure you had these.”
We handed over the quilts and said our good-byes. We walked back outside and before we could get very far, Dorian grabbed me and spun me round and round.
“What are you doing?” I shrieked. “Put me down, silly.”
He set me back on my feet and gave me the most passionate kiss.
“I love you, Ellie Walters. Marry me.”
“Oh.” I felt weak at the knees.
“You don’t get it, do you?”
“Get what? I understand you just proposed.”
He laughed and grinned and kissed me again.
“I’m solid.”
Now I was weak and would have fallen if Dorian had not held me upright. It had not occurred to me when I introduced him that he was no longer invisible. I was so used to him being there I just didn’t think.
Suddenly I realised completely what it meant. It meant…I loved him!
“Dorian! I love you! I really love you!”
“I know.” He twirled me around again. “My beautiful Ellie. Say you’ll marry me in the fashion of mortals.”
“Of course I will. Oh Dorian, I love you.”
I burst into tears.
Okay. So I have been doing that a lot, but it isn’t every day you fall in love and get a marriage proposal.
Dorian grabbed my hand. “Come on. Keep hold of my hand,” he warned.
We vanished from the car park and materialised in an alleyway, I shook my head and changed to my new age of thirty something. We walked into a street, a street I had never seen before.
“Where are we going?”
“To make this official.”
He put his arm around my waist as we walked along to stop at a white building on a corner with the word “Graff” etched above the doorway. A man opened the door for us and we walked inside. I had no idea what he had in mind until we walked into this very exclusive jewellery store. Inside was hushed and spoke of opulence and lots of money.
A sales assistant had stepped forward as we entered but she looked a little down her nose at us. Dorian and I were both dressed in jeans and T-shirts, very casual, mine looked rather ragged as I had bought a pair of distressed jeans and was wearing them. Dorian was not pleased, I could feel his anger. He spoke curtly to her.
“Your manager.”
She looked a little taken aback but walked away and entered a doorway. She returned with a tall elderly man who smiled at us both warmly.
“Good afternoon miss, sir. May I help you?” He held out his hand, “I am Fredric Paton.”
“Mr. Paton, how do you do?”
Dorian introduced us and we all shook hands, and then Dorian spoke again.
“I am interested in seeing your engagement rings.”
“Ah, may I offer my congratulations? Do you have anything in mind? Price range?”
I shrugged. I had not been expecting anything like this. Dorian gave my hand a squeeze.
“Diamond. Emerald cut, I think. Price, whatever I like.”
I was sure the man gave a shake of delight at Dorian’s words, although in this place I doubt you would get much for a few thousand…maybe a paper bag? Mr. Paton led us to an alcove with lounge chairs and a small low table. He sat us down then went away into another room before returning with several ring boxes on a tray. He opened them and I drew a gasp at how beautiful they all looked.
“Do you like any, baby?”
I was a little overwhelmed, they were all so amazing. None had a price tag on and I got the impression that one did not ask the price in this store. If you had to ask, you could not afford.
The jeweller stood away a little so we could talk and look in private. Dorian was trying each one on my finger. Each one looked amazing. He kept coming back to one, I noticed. It was gorgeous. Dorian beckoned the jeweller.
“What can you tell me about this one?”
“Ah, sir, had a fine eye. That features an emerald-cut centre diamond of 2.9 carats with a 2.2-carat emerald-cut diamond either side of a shank covered in round brilliant-cut pave diamonds. It is set in platinum.”
I was holding my hand out, twisting it this way and that. It was a perfect fit and bloody heavy, but I loved it. I held my breath as Dorian removed it from my finger and peered through the loupe the jeweller handed him.
“Lovely diamonds. I cannot see any flaws and they have a beautiful clarity.”
“They have LC grading and a D colour grading.”
I had no idea what they were talking about but Dorian obviously did.
“As it is a Graff stone, it is laser inscribed on the girdle with the Graff logo and its unique Gemmological Institute of America identification number. It also comes with its grading certificate and I have also an independent certificate.”
“I would like to see the certificates on this one, please.”
The manager beckoned a young woman over and she returned a few minutes later with a few pages of paperwork, then left. Dorian spent a few minutes going through it all before finally turning it me.
“Do you like this one?”
I could only grin and nod.
“I’ll take this.”
“May I check the sizing for miss?”
I held out my hand as the man fiddled with a ring sizer.
“It is obviously meant for you, as the size is correct.” He smiled at me.
He bundled all the rings back into their boxes and put them onto the tray except for the one Dorian had chosen. He called for an assistant. It was the one who had originally looked down her nose at us. She had been hovering nearby. Mr. Paton gave her the ring boxes on the tray, keeping the paperwork and the ring Dorian had chosen aside.
Dorian pulled a wallet from his pocket. It seemed really strange for a Daemon to carry one, but he obviously did or else he just conjured it up. He dragged a black card from it and handed it over to the jeweller. The man smiled even more warmly. I had no idea why.
His whole demeanour changed. He went from friendly to fawning in a split second.
“Would you like a coffee while you wait? Perhaps a glass of champagne?”
“Champagne would be nice.”
He beckoned a man who was passing nearby and whispered orders to him. The man returned with a bottle and glasses on a silver tray as well as a small platter of cheeses and tiny biscuits. He made a great display of opening the bottle, then pouring out three glasses. He held out the tray for each of us to take a glass.
We took them with thanks. Mr. Paton waited as the man walked away, then returned with a smaller tray. Mr. Paton put the ring box, the papers, and Dorian’s card on the tray, beckoned the woman back again, and rather pointedly gave her the tray, ensuring she noticed the black card.
“May I offer you both my warmest congratulations. May you have a long and loving life together.”
I hid a smile at that—little did he know just how long our life together would be.
We clinked glasses then all took a sip of the champagne. Mr. Paton asked Dorian i
f we lived in New York and he listened attentively as Dorian replied that we were only visiting, just to select the ring.
The manager excused himself, then left Dorian and me to finish our champagne quietly.
“What was that change all about?” I whispered to Dorian.
“Black card?”
I nodded.
“You can only get one if you meet the requirements. Basically it means I have enough money to buy this building and still have plenty left over. I also imagine that woman who first spoke to us will be getting a lecture about not judging people by appearances.”
I just looked at him, and my heart was racing.
He clinked glasses with me. “I love you, Ellie Walters.”
I couldn’t really get my head around it but I looked at him and beamed, “I love you, Dorian,” and leant forward to kiss him. “Do you have a last name?” I whispered.
“Er…technically?”
I just looked at him and rolled my eyes.
He shook his head. “No.”
“What does it say on the card? Surely it has a name?”
“Yes, it says Mr. D Daemon.”
I couldn’t help it, I laughed, then took a gulp of champagne to cover it, only to almost choke on it.
“Your card, Mr. Daemon.”
The manager looked kindly at me as I tried to stop coughing. Finally under control, I sipped the remainder of my champagne. He gave Dorian something to sign, then with a grand flourish presented Dorian with the elegantly wrapped ring box which he had placed into a carry bag emblazed with the Graff Diamonds discrete logo.
We all stood. He and Dorian shook hands, then he shook hands with me.
“I hope we can be of further assistance to you Mr. Daemon, perhaps when you are choosing your wedding bands?”
Dorian thanked him and we left the store.
We returned to the alleyway and Dorian took my hand again, I had no idea if we were going home or not until we appeared in some mountain region. Again, I did not recognised the spot. I could see ruins, there was amphitheatre in the distance.
“This is Delphi. Zeus decreed this the centre of ‘his grandmother’s earth’, or the navel of Gaia. There are many ruins here, like the Temple of Apollo, Tholos Temple, the theatre and the stadium. I’ve been here many times.”
In disbelief I stammered, “We are in Greece?”
“Yes, baby. I told you we can go anywhere.”
“And we were just in New York?”
He nodded. I felt a little light headed and sat down on a large rock or piece of an old building, I wasn’t sure which.
“Is this Mount Olympus?”
“No Ellie, this is Mount Parnassus. Olympus is a few hours away by car. Mount Parnasssus is the home of the Muses and also much loved by my people, the Dorians. The God Apollo, a son of Zeus, is the patron of Delphi. This land is sacred to him as well as me.”
Dorian got down on his knees.
“I love you, Eliza Walters. I shall love you for all eternity. Will you become my wife?”
“I will. I love you so much, Dorian.”
He opened the ring box and placed the beautiful ring on my finger. It was the perfect place for his proposal, the link to his Gods. He leant forward and kissed me. I swear I heard clapping and cheers. I looked around but saw no one, but Dorian had a huge smile on his face, I guessed there were Gods, Daemons and demons looking on.
We both stood, his arms wrapped tight around me as we kissed on and on and on until finally we broke for air.
“They say diamonds are a girls’ best friend. Now you have a handful.”
I giggled at the thought that I was probably wearing something worth more than my house.
“I don’t know about best friends, but I do know that Daemons are forever!”
THE END
WWW.SUZYSHEARER.WIX.COM/SUZY
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Suzy lives in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. She is single, a Buddhist, an author, an artist, a computer nerd, and a voracious reader. Suzy has a penchant for crazy-coloured hair—pinks, purples even rainbowed…it changes every month—and for tattoos! Oh, and she is in her midsixties!
Her books always feature older heroes and heroines, ranging from midforties to sixties.
“Just because we are older doesn’t mean we aren’t intriguing, desirable, open to challenges and willing to experiment.”
Suzy wants her readers to understand that sexy isn’t just for the underthirties…
When not writing, she is usually painting—an accomplished watercolour artist. Her subjects range from portraits and animals to nudes and landscapes.
For all titles by Suzy Shearer, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/suzy-shearer
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
