Top Floor (Rendezvous #1)

Chapter 40

“But that means you won’t see Elli as much anymore.” She pointed out, wondering what he was going to do about that.

Chad shrugged. “Well, I’m trying to convince her to come live with me and-”

“What?!” Claire shouted, and her voice almost echoed in the empty hotel lobby. She quickly lowered her voice, but the shock was still at the same level. “You’re going to live together? You haven’t even been dating for a month yet!”

“We’ve known each other for years. We’ve liked each other for years. I think it’s finally time to do what we’ve always been meant to do. The sooner the better.” Chad nodded affirmatively.

Claire didn’t know if Chad was being confident, or just delusional. “You said you’re trying to convince her…does that mean she doesn’t want to move in with you?”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “She’s thinking just like you. She says it’s ‘too early for that.’”

“Probably because it is.” Claire muttered.

Chad looked straight into her eyes as he leaned on the reception desk. “So you’re telling me that if the boss suddenly proposed to you, you’d say no? Even though you two have known each other for only a couple of weeks?”

“That’s ridiculous. Heath wouldn’t propose to me.”

“Then what the hell is this?!” Chad slammed something on the counter as he shouted, and his voice really did echo in the hotel lobby.

But Claire didn’t care about that because there was suddenly a box in front of her. A small, black box that would fit into the palm of her hand.

Immediately, her throat closed up and she felt light-headed.

“You two must’ve finally got down in bed on the top floor, didn’t you?! I knew it! I should’ve known! The boss looked like some happy little kid when he was picking this out!”

Claire was too shocked to question Chad. Instead, she reached out her trembling hands and touched the velvety black box. Only after she traced the golden threading did she notice that it spelled out her name.

Claire Sparks.

She picked it up into her hand and slowly opened it. Inside was a golden band with a small, pure diamond on it. It was so simple, but so beautiful. On the inside was an engraving that read, Love H. Bishop.

Chad was still raging about something like how Heath had beat him to the punch, but she no longer cared about her friend. The only person on her mind now was Heath. And the fact that Chad had something like this must’ve meant he had come back while she was busing working.

Immediately, she stood up and shouted over her shoulder to Chad.