It's on the tip of my tongue to ask if it's real, but of course it is!

"This...wow, this is amazing, Zane," I say breathlessly. "But this is way too much! I can't-you know I can't..."

"Yes, you can."

He takes the bracelet from me and fastens it around my wrist. My skin tingles at the delicate weight. I am mesmerized by the way the diamonds catch the light and refract it into tiny little sparkles.

Zane's amused voice breaks my trance. "Now I'm going to save us both a lot of trouble by telling you right now, I'm not taking it back, and if you try to refuse it, you really are going to p.i.s.s me off. So you have to love it."

"Oh, I do! It's beautiful! But-"

"Then that's it. You're welcome."

I grab his shirt and pull him down to my height. "Thank you," I whisper.

Then I kiss him. Long and hot and hard. We break apart, smiling.

"So," I say, running my fingers over his well-defined jaw. "Does this mean I have to put out?"

Zane tilts his head to the side, pretending to consider. "Yeah, I think so."

I grin up at him. "I was going to, anyway."

"I know."

Okay, now's the perfect time to ask him about us. I take a deep breath.

"Sorry to interrupt."

Grr! It's Marissa and her s.l.u.tty dress.

"What?!" I snap. "I mean-what?"

She twirls a lock of her long blonde hair. "So, Gil keeps pestering me for a dance, and you know what a pervert, he is, right, Violet? Well, I said that I told Zane I would dance with him. So can I borrow you for a little bit, Zane?" She blinks vacantly up at him. "So is that okay?"

Seriously?!

Zane looks at me questioningly, one eyebrow raised.

I say nothing. In fact, my mouth is clamped shut. But Marissa takes my silence as a yes and squeals like a piggy. She grabs Zane's arm, tugging him away. He looks back at me with a shrug.

It's okay, Violet. Be calm. Look at the sparkly diamonds.

It's not working. I hide behind a pillar and glare at my date and the receptionist, dancing like they're a couple in televised compet.i.tion.

No, people, don't applaud them!

If it weren't for Marissa, it would be pure pleasure to watch Zane. His moves are professional and effortless, and I realize he must've received training.

"He's just full of surprises," I tell my bracelet.

I don't know why I'm talking to my bracelet.

By the way, the sparkle of a diamond will catch the eye of any woman, regardless of age. Heck, Adele spots it from across the room, and she's legally blind.

My old ladies ooh and ah over the sparklies on my wrist. Meanwhile, I'm watching Zane twirl the s.l.u.tty Marissa around in the longest song ever.

Ugh! I hate always being the jealous one. How would he like it if I danced with some hot guy? In fact...

I scout the area, but the closest I can find to a hot guy is the short-haired Raquel, who works the night shift. She is wearing pants tonight. Maybe from behind...?

Okay, no. I try to talk myself into being rational, and enjoying the evening. I know I'm being stupid. I can stop.

I dance with wheelchair bound residents, holding their hands and trying not to flinch when their foot rests bang into my ankles yet again. Zane gives quite a few old ladies the thrill of their lives, twirling them on the dance floor. They respond so enthusiastically, I know there's going to be a lot of aching bones in the morning.

It's almost eight. Helize wants me to take her upstairs, so I tell Zane I'll just be a few minutes.

"Well, Helize, you were the belle of the ball," I say as I wheel her into the elevator. "Did you have a good time?"

She chuckles tiredly, clutching a colorful bouquet of paper flowers in her lap. "I don't know about the 'belle of the ball,' but I did enjoy myself. I was very pleased to meet your young man. You know, he reminds me of an old boyfriend of mine. Charlie was his name, though he wasn't quite so handsome as your Zane. He was a charmer, though. Everyone just loved him. He could light up a room like n.o.body's business."

"Oh, yeah? So, why didn't you marry him?"

I have to wait for Helize to unlock her door before she answers me. I turn on the light and wheel her in.

"Because everybody loved him," she replies simply. "And he loved them all back. Biggest womanizer I ever knew!"

"Oh," I mutter sourly.

Helize shoots me a crafty old look. "You gotta watch 'em like a hawk when they're that handsome and charming, Violet. You remember that."

"I definitely will."

"Good girl." She pats my hand. "You're a very beautiful, very wonderful young woman. You two make a stunning couple. Just you make sure to guard your heart, you hear?"

I bend down and give her a loud smacking kiss on the cheek. "I hear, Grandma."

She cackles and starts to head for the bathroom. "Send Liz up to help me, would you, dear? I'm ready for bed now."

"Good night, Helize," I say, closing the door for her.

Her warning echoes in my head as I take the stairs back down. I run into Liz in the lobby on my way to find Zane, and I let her know about Helize. She thanks me, and also congratulates me on my engagement to a super hottie.

Where is Zane? I look everywhere, including the kitchen and the three unoccupied rooms downstairs. With a sinking heart, I notice Marissa is missing as well. Then Gina, the activities director, mentions that she saw them going outside.

Oh, really.

Pulse thumping, I make my way to the parking lot, where the employees' cars are.

Guess what I find? Zane, leaning against Marissa's sporty little car-and the ho is standing very close in front of him.

As I watch, she goes up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. They share an intimate laugh and then Marissa gets in her car. Zane steps away as she backs out, and watches her drive off.

So. Angry.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I move into his line of view. I'm shaking. I hope he doesn't notice.

"There you are," he says, walking over to me. "I was looking for you."

"Really? You were looking for me out in the parking lot when I told you I'd be upstairs with Helize?"

Zane goes to grab my hand, but I yank away. He frowns slightly. "What's with you?"

"Nothing," I snap. "Did you have a good time with Marissa?"

"Not really. I just walked her to her car because she was afraid to go out by herself."

I look around the well-lit parking lot, to the door to the building, literally five feet away. "Uh-huh," I say, my words dripping in sarcasm. "That's totally believable."

Zane sighs almost imperceptibly, running a hand through his hair. "Not really. She just wanted to hit on me."

My blood turns to ice, while the top of my head explodes. "That fake-nice b.i.t.c.h!"

"That about sums it up."

"Oh, you know what? Don't even! You were encouraging her all night!" I burst out, throwing my arms up in the air.

Zane stares at me incredulously. "Are you kidding me?"

"You spent more time with her, looking down her dress than you did with me!"

He makes an exasperated noise low in his throat. "I was trying to be nice," he growls. "I never touched her. And, yeah, I looked-she was shoving herself in my face! Just looked. Since when is that a crime?"

The more he talks, the angrier I get. I feel some kind of dam in me break, and a red mist settles over my vision.

"Yeah, lucky for you it's not a crime, because you'd be locked up for life!"

Zane eyes me warily. "Do I even want to know what you're talking about?"

"Like you don't know!" I shriek. "You know, with all the girls you flirt with in front of me, I have to wonder how many more there are when I'm not around!"

Zane is starting to look like he's getting a headache. "Wait, let's get this straight. You don't want me looking at, or talking to other girls?"

I can hear how I sound, I really can. I just can't seem to stop the crazy train my mouth has become.

"You're right," I say to him. "You can do whatever you want, sleep with all the s.l.u.tty little receptionists you want-"

"Violet," Zane reaches for me.

I pull away furiously. "Because we're nothing to each other. Just 'cause you gave me a diamond bracelet doesn't mean a d.a.m.n thing. You probably hand them out like candy. You can have this one back, though. I don't want it!"

I go to take off my bracelet so I can throw it at him.

Stupid tiny clasp!

I try for a good half minute to get the d.a.m.n thing off. Frustrated, I sigh explosively and glare at Zane. "Okay, I guess I'll mail it to you!"

I turn on my heel and stomp away. I only make it a couple step when Zane catches me from behind, trapping my arms against my sides. He holds me firmly against his body while I struggle uselessly.

"So-what? You don't want to see me anymore because of something you think I did?" His soft breath tickles my neck.

"Yeah," I snap. Can he feel my heart beating alarmingly fast? I hope not.

"I don't think so," Zane whispers. "Call me when you're over your tantrum, little girl."

I stiffen angrily. He trails a kiss down my neck before he releases me. My body already misses his strength and warmth.

I tell it to shut up. Whirling around, I flip him off with both hands.

"Don't hold your breath!" I scream.

Yeah. Like a little girl.

Chapter 19.

"So, to recap, Zane gives you roses and a freaking diamond bracelet...and you accuse him of cheating on you. Then you throw the bracelet in his face?!"

"Um. No. I couldn't get the bracelet off. It was dark, and I couldn't...figure out the...thingy."

Lauren sighs. "Violet?"

"Yes?"

"Can you come over here so I can smack you with something?"

"Okay," I say in a small voice. "Smack me hard, okay? I deserve it."

We're in Lauren's kitchen right now. Lauren is making zucchini bread while I feed baby Brianna something pureed and green-peas, maybe. Brianna has a cold and keeps sneezing green mush at me. I figure it's some kind of karmic punishment for stupidity.

It's been two days. I haven't talked to Zane, and he hasn't called or texted me. I don't know why I thought he'd come chasing after me. He is so not the type.