by J. P. Comeau
The Spicy Pineapple was full of people that night, especially at the bar. Luckily, we were able to snag three empty seats next to each other. As soon as we sat down, Eva’s eyes lit up while staring at my engagement ring.
“Ginger, did Jorge actually propose to you?” Margo reached over and yanked my hand to her face, studying it as carefully as Ria had done.
Eva’s jaw dropped. “Oh, my God! I thought it was all an act, Ginger! When are you two getting married?”
I chuckled while shaking my head at both of them. “No, I just like wearing it. Besides, Jorge hasn’t asked for it back yet.”
“So,” Eva said while sipping her glass of merlot, “how did it go with Ria?”
“First of all, she’s absolutely gorgeous.”
“Oh, stop,” Margo said. “I bet she’s nothing compared to you. Besides, Chase told me that she’s all butchered up from so much cosmetic surgery.”
“Well, that’s true. Ria has had a lot of work done, and it shows. But she really is pretty. Anyway, she was a total snob to me from the second she sat down at our booth. She kept asking condescending questions, and even after she saw the ring still didn’t believe we were engaged!”
Eva rolled her eyes. “That woman is so obsessed with Jorge that he’s having a hard time getting rid of her. So, what made her believe it then?”
“Ria threw my hand onto the table so hard that it hurt, and when I went to rub it with my left hand, she saw the diamond tennis bracelet and lost her damn mind. She ripped into Jorge, telling him that in all of their time together, not once did he ever give her a piece of jewelry!”
Margo burst out laughing. “I think that sums up her relationship with Jorge. Then what happened?”
“Well, she stormed right out of here while everyone in the restaurant watched. Even the poor hostess nearly got trampled as she tried leaving. I’m telling you, that woman is batshit crazy. Although, seeing her get so worked up was the most satisfying thing I have ever witnessed.”
Margo shook her head while continuing to laugh. “And to top it off, you had an incredible day at the spa this morning! I still can’t believe Guadalupe and Yuslan did that to you so soon after your promotion.”
Eva’s eyes bugged out as she looked at Margo and then me, whipping her head back and forth. “Oh, my God! What happened at the salon? Tell me, Ginger!”
I laughed at Eva, who seemed more excited than I was. “Yuslan and Guadalupe gave me a raise, plus a bonus. But don’t tell anyone else at work.”
Eva clapped her hands together while bouncing up and down in her seat. Several people at the bar looked at her and laughed, wondering why she was so exciting. “Oh, that’s wonderful, Ginger! Everything is going so well in your life!”
Finally.
“Thank you. I’m just so happy to not only feel secure in my career, but also in my relationship with Jorge. Sure, the engagement ring was fake—in sentiment, not quality—and I’ll give it back to him the next time we get together. But after last night, everything just felt so…right.”
Margo shook her head at me while smiling. “I bet you’re going to keep that engagement ring, and I guarantee Jorge is going to propose!”
Eva clutched her heart. “Oh, I bet she will too! Maybe he’ll reenact something from a movie. But nothing too cheesy, of course. Jorge is a classy guy.”
I doubled over with laughter. “You guys, we’ve only been dating for a few weeks. It’s way too soon! And I’m only wearing it because it’s so pretty. Plus, it matches my diamond tennis bracelet.” I held both of them up in the air, close together.
“Well,” Eva said, “I don’t think Ria will be bothering you anymore. That woman got exactly what she deserved.”
We spent the rest of the evening catching up on gossip, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so complete. Everything in my life was finally coming together.
And when I went to bed that night, I wore both the tennis bracelet and the engagement ring.
16
Jorge
“Right this way, Mr. Stein.”
The hostess at Seafood Divine showed me to our table, located on their outside terrace right alongside the ocean. I’d chosen that restaurant to celebrate Ginger’s recent promotion because she loved seafood, and their cheese-stuffed lobster was some of the best I’d ever tasted. I also wanted to butter her up enough so that she’d say “yes” to being my fake bride, during our phony wedding ceremony.
Usually, I’d wait for Ginger to arrive before drinking, but I downed a whiskey neat right before she sat down. My nerves were officially shot from the argument with Ria and trying to come up with a plan to pull off a fake wedding ceremony. I kept repeating my speech over in my head.
So, listen, Ginger. Do you remember how Ria just up and stormed out of The Spicy Pineapple? Well, as it turns out, she still doesn’t believe that we’re engaged. We’ll have to throw a fake ceremony, too. Is that going to be a problem?
“I might as well dig my own grave right now.”
The waitress turned her head in my direction while walking toward another table. “I’m sorry, Mr. Stein. What did you say?”
“Oh, nothing. I’m just mumbling to myself.”
“Would you like another drink?”
Yes, but only because I’ll need to be wasted to get through this evening.
“No, that’s all right. I’ll wait for my date and then we’ll have champagne. Thank you for asking, though.”
As it got closer to fifteen minutes past our scheduled time, I was starting to worry about Ginger. I was also starting to become self-conscious about everyone staring at me, probably wondering why I was sitting all alone at a table for two. My mind started racing, wondering if Ria had shown up at the Lavender Dreams Spa to confront Ginger.
That’s something she would do.
Right as I was about to call Ginger, she arrived and sat down, clearly out of breath.
“I’m so sorry that I’m late,” Ginger said while opening up her menu. “Guadalupe and I were discussing a few things about the salon, and I didn’t want to rush her by saying that I had to leave. She’s like a mother to me. I was going to call or text you, but traffic was awful, and I can’t figure out how to work my hands-free option while driving.”
I picked her left hand up, brought it to my mouth, and kissed her finger right above the diamond ring. “You never have to apologize to me, Ginger. Believe me. I completely understand about running late due to work. And I can show you how to work your Bluetooth after we eat tonight if you’d like.”
Our waitress brought over a bottle of their most expensive champagne, popped it open, and then poured each of us a glass.
“To your new promotion at Lavender Dreams Spa.”
Ginger looked breathtaking as she studied the menu, especially as the candlelight flickered against her gorgeous auburn hair.
“Everything looks so good here. I can’t decide between the calamari or one of the shrimp platters.”
“I highly recommend the lobster. The cheese melts between the succulent chunks of lobster, and it’s absolutely mouth-watering.”
“I love that you know me so well, Jorge.”
And I hope that you still love me after this evening is over.
After placing our orders with the waitress, I was eager to hear how her evening had gone with Margo and Eva. She’d mentioned going with them to The Spicy Pineapple, which was a safe choice. After the fiasco there with Ria, her chances of showing her face again were pretty slim.
“It was so much fun! These past few weeks have been so busy, between work and, well, the whole Ria situation.”
I didn’t know how to reply because anything that came out of my mouth would eventually lead to us discussing a fake wedding. So, I shoved a piece of bread into my mouth.
“Anyway, they couldn’t believe Ria just up and walked out of the restaurant! Talk about a drama queen.”
I nodded while washing the bread down with some champagne, hoping Ginger would
keep on talking, but she waited for me to respond. “That would be the understatement of the year.”
Ginger told me all of the details regarding her promotion, and I found myself completely entranced by her beauty. She was wearing the diamond tennis bracelet on her left wrist, and it was impossible not to notice how all of the diamonds sparkled together with her engagement ring.
Fake engagement ring.
She started waving her hands in the air for emphasis, and fellow diners took notice of her jewelry. Several women eyed the engagement ring with envy while sitting across from their husbands and wearing ones considerably smaller. But Ginger wasn’t the type of woman who cared about the size or cost of something.
All she cared about was authenticity, and I suddenly realized that life without Ginger would be meaningless. She let out a long moan while taking a bite of her lobster. “Jorge, you were right about the lobster. This is the best I’ve ever had.”
“You deserve it after earning that promotion, Ginger. So, did you say that you also get more vacation days? Because I’d love to visit Paris with you sometime.”
As long as you don’t kill me over what I’m about to ask of you.
Whenever I interacted with Ria—whether it was about work or something personal—she always came off as phony. Which oddly suited her well, given how plastic her body had become. The last time she discussed plastic surgery with me, she was looking into butt implants. I didn’t want to offend her, so I merely nodded along. But nothing about her felt or looked real anymore.
Her personality aside, Ria was attractive before she went under the knife. Now she was a walking advertisement for silicone and collagen.
“Of course,” Ginger said while continuing to speak, “as soon as they mentioned more vacation time, my first thought was ‘where am I going to go?’ But I’d love to go to Paris with you!”
I reached across the table and took her left hand, smiling at her while once again rubbing circles over the ring. There were a million things that I wanted to say to Ginger at that moment. I tried to pour my heart out to her and tell her that she had turned me into a better man. She needed to know before we started our relationship, I was nothing.
But that had to wait until Ria was out of the picture.
“There are plenty of places we can visit during your time off, but Paris is definitely at the top of my list. We should visit the Swiss Alps sometime too. I have a feeling you’d love it there.”
Ginger smiled at me while leaning in for a kiss. “You are the most romantic man that I’ve ever known, Jorge Stein.”
“Only because you’ve made me that way, Ginger Bowers.”
As we resumed eating, I found it hard to look at anything other than her ring and the bogus symbol it represented. It was one big reminder that I had to throw a phony wedding ceremony and that Ginger needed to know about it sooner rather than later. But everything was going so well between us that night, that I couldn’t find the right time to tell her.
Ginger caught me staring at it, though, and suddenly became insecure. “I should probably give this back to you, Jorge. I’m sorry for still wearing it.”
I shifted in my seat, realizing that it was now or never. “Actually, I want you to keep it, Ginger.”
Her face lit up as she clapped her hands together excitedly. “Wait, are you serious?”
Oh, God, no. She thinks that I’m about to propose! “Well, yes, you see—”
“Jorge, I can’t believe you want me to keep this ring! Oh, God! I can’t remember the last time I was so happy! Today feels like one big walking dream!”
Well, it’s about to turn into one big walking nightmare.
Ginger started fanning her face as the tears fell down her cheeks, and I wanted nothing more than to slither under the table and disappear.
“You see, it’s just that—”
“First, I get a promotion at the spa, and now this! Oh, I’m sorry, Jorge! I keep interrupting you.” She smoothed the white napkin on her lap while composing herself, and at that point, everyone on the terrace was looking at us.
This cannot be happening to me.
I spent the next couple of minutes trying to find the words to tell Ginger about needing a fake wedding ceremony, but I couldn’t speak. Not with so many people staring at us so intensely, and especially not after realizing Ginger was expecting a real marriage proposal.
Ginger couldn’t take it any longer. “Jorge, please, just ask me! I can’t wait any longer!”
“Ria emailed me the morning after we met her at The Spicy Pineapple for drinks.”
Ginger’s face instantly turned to ice. Her expression fell, and her shoulders slumped, and with it went my heart. “Why did she email you?”
“Because she still doesn’t believe that you’re my fiancée, and she’s refusing to leave the company.”
Ginger stood up as she leaned across the table. “Are you kidding me right now? How could she not believe us, Jorge? She got up and left after seeing the tennis bracelet you gave me!”
“Is everything all right over here?”
Ginger sat down while nodding at the waitress, who then looked at me with concern. “Yes, I’m terribly sorry.”
Once the waitress left, I decided just to rip off the bandage. “Anyway, she’ll never believe that I’m getting married and that I’ll never be completely rid of her. Feeling incredibly frustrated, I called my friend Gavin who suggested that we follow through with a wedding ceremony.”
Ginger leaned back in her chair, slumping as all color drained from her face. “That’s why you told me to keep the engagement ring.”
I hated that she said it as a statement, rather than posing it as a question. I reached across the table and began rubbing the ring again as I held her hand. “Ginger, you must know that I love you! I’ve never been in love with any other woman before you, and this isn’t how I thought tonight would go. Not that I thought you’d necessarily be excited about being my fake bride, but certainly not this.”
“Are you honestly going to throw an entire wedding ceremony just to get rid of this woman, Jorge? Because if you are, then maybe it’s time you get your lawyers involved. I know you’re terrified of ruining your reputation in the diamond business, but this is getting insane. It’s one thing to be a fake fiancée, but I don’t even know how I’d pull off being a fake bride.”
It became incredibly uncomfortable between us over the next several minutes, which we spent shifting uncomfortably in our seats while poking away at our key lime pies.
“Well,” I said, “I think I can create some fake marriage documents. At least the certificate, although I’m not sure what else is needed. I’ll probably just hit up my lawyer, explain the situation, and see what he says.”
“Or you could hit up your lawyer, tell him that Ria embezzled near a million dollars from the company, and let them handle the rest. She’ll probably be forced out of the company while the investigation was going on, anyway, and I’d be more than happy to show them everything that I found.”
I let out a deep sigh before trying one last time to convince her. “When I say that Ria could ruin my reputation, Ginger, I’d lose everything. I would be out of business within a matter of weeks, if not days.” I reached across the table again, taking her hand and stroking it with my thumb. “All I’m asking is for you to get a wedding gown—on me, of course—while I work on the legal documents. Then we’ll figure out our next steps.”
Ginger's frustration was apparent as she thought about what I was asking of her before she finally nodded. “Fine, but if this doesn’t do the trick, then your only other option is getting your lawyers involved. This ends my involvement in the whole fiasco, Jorge. If we have a fake wedding ceremony and Ria still doesn’t leave you alone, don’t ask me to help out anymore. Do you understand me?”
I silently nodded as we finished our dessert.
What have I done?
I walked her to her car, and when I kissed her, she wasn’t nearly as passionate a
s usual. Her entire body had gone limp, too, and I realized that I’d ruined her otherwise enjoyable day.
“I am so, so sorry, Ginger. Do you want to come back to my place tonight?”
“No,” she said while getting into her car. “I just need to go to bed. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Ginger practically sped out of the parking lot, hightailing it onto the highway as people watched in horror. My driver held the door to my limousine open. I slid inside and closed my eyes the entire way home.
And as I made my way inside my penthouse, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d pushed Ginger too far this time.
17
Ginger
My day off should have been spent either sunbathing on the beach in my new blue bikini or shopping in downtown Miami. But there I was, smack dab in the middle of Natalia’s Bridal Salon with Margo and Eva, doing a poor job at pretending to be excited over wedding dresses. Even the sales associate had a hard time believing that I was looking forward to getting married, and why wouldn’t she? I was through with the whole Jorge and Ria scenario. If I weren’t madly in love with him, I would have bailed on his ass the second Ria came into the picture.
It was just the three of us in the salon, which meant that we had their full attention. I would have preferred it if other women were in there, too, since it’d take some of the pressure off of me. Instead, several women walked past while peering their faces into the windows, ogling over all of the gorgeous gowns. I knew they saw me and my fake engagement ring, and were instantly jealous. They probably assumed that I was marrying a wealthy man and would never have to work again in my life.
How about we trade places, ladies?
The sales associate walked out of the back room with a breathtaking white gown saturated in designer crystals. It was a dress that I would have fawned over on any other occasion, such as leafing through bridal magazines on my lunch hour. I would also remind myself that I could never afford such a lavish gown, not to mention it was far too much to spend on one day.
