Small diamonds encrust the platinum prongs, designed to look like vines crawling up the sides, that hold the crystal-like ten-karat emerald. Larger diamonds radiate like flower petals around the center stone, three karats worth. Xan Valentine had worked with the jeweler for months to create the perfect engagement ring. But something’s wrong. He knows that something is wrong. It’s almost like he can’t touch Natasha, can’t feel her, like she’s always half-turned away from him, like her heart belongs to someone else. Or something else. Xan is going to propose anyway. This book is a short story and is about 40 pages long. The short story is a separate, time-honored literary form and should not be confused with a novel. A novel is an expansive work that seeks to encompass the whole of what it means to be human. A short story elucidates a moment in time or a pivotal moment in the life of a character. I hope you enjoy this short story.