Hot Mahogany (Stone Barrington 15)

“Well, I know a guy in the diamond district; he gave me a price.”

“I would not advise you on the purchase of diamond jewelry,” Stone said. “I have always avoided anything to do with diamonds.”

“That’s because you don’t know your women long enough to get around to gift giving, before they dump you.”

“Once and a while, if I’m a little out of sync, a birthday pops up. Or Christmas.”

Genevieve returned to the table and sat down. “Eliza is getting married to her doctor next Sunday afternoon,” she said to Stone, not too casually.

Stone snorted. “I’ll believe it when I see it,” he said.

“You can see it next Sunday afternoon; she asked me to invite you. She’s not sending out formal invitations.”

Dino spoke up. “I think you should send her a wedding gift – something nice from Tiffany.”

“If I did, she’d just have to return it when she calls off the wedding.”

“You doubt her commitment?” Genevieve asked.

“Gen, less than a month ago, she was telling me she’d rather perform major abdominal surgery on herself than marry a doctor.”

“Things change.”

“Like wedding plans.”

“This particular doctor is the most brilliant surgeon at the hospital.”

“Good, then she won’t have to perform surgery on herself.”

“Half the celebrities and rich people in this city have gone under his knife.”

Stone turned to Dino. “If I ever need surgery, put me in a different hospital.”

“I’ll just shoot you,” Dino replied.

“Eliza has dangled this marriage possibility before me, looking for some response,” Stone said.

“A response would be nice,” Genevieve replied.

“She’s expecting me to charge down the aisle when the minister gets to the part ‘if any man can show cause why this woman should not marry this man’…”

“How romantic that would be,” Genevieve said. “Shall I tell Eliza to expect you?”

“To charge down the aisle?”

“To come to the wedding.”

“I suppose it would be churlish of me to decline.”

“Very churlish.”

“Well, okay. I’ll send some sort of gift. What would be appropriate?”

Genevieve stared at the ceiling, as if deep in thought. “I don’t think there is an appropriate wedding gift from a man who has disappointed a woman,” she said finally.

“Disappointed? That assumes that I’ve appointed… uh, that I’ve made promises I didn’t keep.”

“Promises are often implied,” Genevieve said.