Beautiful Beast - Page 128

I never said it often enough, but I love you, Adam. I’m so proud of you, and I know that you’re going to achieve greatness with Townsend Enterprises. Even if you aren’t sure yet or confident in your capabilities, I am.

You were born to be a leader.

Uncle Dennis

C.S. Lewis wrote that grief is like cutting off the same limb over and over. It comes in waves and slowly fades with time because it has to. No one could carry on under the constant heavy pressure of anguish and despair.

But not a day goes by that I don’t think about my uncle, and his letter is like a swift sucker punch. Even in his last days, he wanted to make sure that I had what I needed from him because that’s just the kind of man he was.

My hand is shaking when I reach for the black velvet box. The second the ring comes into view, memories overwhelm me and are the equivalent of being underwater and unable to tell which way is up versus down.

I remember my mom wearing this ring.

Sitting on her lap and breathing in the lilac scent of her perfume, safe and happy in her embrace. These were our stolen moments before my father got home from work and brought an unbearable cloud of tension and anxiety with him.

When he traveled for business – or cheating as the case may be – both of us breathed sighs of relief that we would be spared from his presence.

Touching the ring is like being back in my mom’s presence, my skin connecting with something physical that she wore on her body. And without a doubt, I know that one day, Belle will wear this ring, too.

I can already picture the modifications I’ll design so that the ring is both sentimental to me and unique to the woman I love. But the essence of the beautiful pearl embedded in a platinum band won’t change.

With both treasured items in my hand, I walk to the safe and lock them away. Belle can’t find the ring early, and my uncle’s letter would give away what I intend to use it for.

As much as I want to share this experience of feeling close to my uncle with her, I will have to wait for the perfect moment.

She deserves no less.

I’m positive there’s no one else for me, but it’s still too early to propose. I need to prove myself to her first and show her that I won’t retreat when things get hard.

We also need more time to enjoy dating and continue getting to know each other before we start planning a wedding.

And I need to plan an epic proposal, which is already in the works because it will take me some time to acquire everything I need.

But as sure as if she were already branded with my last name, the woman is mine.

When Belle and Buster arrive, they find me sitting in a wingback chair staring into a glass of whiskey.

“What happened?” Belle asks. “I don’t smell Chinese food.”

“Shit,” I reply. “I completely forgot to tell Patricia to order it.”

Belle frowns. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” I promise. “It’s just been a tiring day. Having you here makes everything better.”

Buster reaches me first and rests his head on my lap before sticking one of his paws on my knee. Even though he’s seventy pounds, he still thinks he’s a lap dog.

Complying, I set the whiskey aside and lift him up so he can lick my face. “Hey, buddy.”

“I can’t believe you kissed Buster before me,” Belle says with a smile in her voice.

“You can order the food for us while Buster and I cuddle.”

Belle laughs and plops down on the adjacent couch before taking out her phone so she can put the order through.

But when she returns her attention to me, her face is somber. “My mother reached out again. She must have called from a payphone or something. I’ll need to change my number. And that’s not even the worst part.”

I hate when she’s under stress, and the restless movements of her legs and worrying of her lip show me that’s exactly what’s happening.