Speak of the Devil Read Free Page A

smiled at the boy as he knocked on the door.
    “Shhh.” The boy brought a finger to his lips. “The Devil is inside.”
    The hair on the back of Hector’s neck stood up.

4
    A woman at the next table was looking at Anna with pity. That was not the reaction Anna had been hoping to elicit tonight. She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks, burning with the pain of rejection and the embarrassment of having it happen so publicly. The latter was her own fault, for popping the question in a crowded restaurant. She tucked the little red box back into her purse, as if hiding the watch could also hide the debacle of presenting it.
    “Anna,” Jack said gently. “Wait.”
    She didn’t want him to see the hurt on her face. She looked down at her purse, like she was trying to find something in there. Maybe her dignity.
    “I understand,” she said.
    “You don’t understand.” Jack’s voice was quiet but firm. “Look at me.”
    She met his eyes. Despite everything, she still found them a warm and happy place to land.
    “When a couple gets engaged,” he said, “they have to tell that story over and over again, for years.”
    She tilted her head.
    “I’m a traditional kind of guy. In our story . . .” Jack’s eyes were twinkling. “ I want to be the one who does the asking.”
    He pulled out his own little red box, stood up, and walked over to Anna’s chair. Then he knelt down on one knee. He opened up the box and turned it toward Anna. Nestled in the white silk was a sparkling diamond on a platinum band. She found it hard to take a breath.
    She remembered this ring. It was the one Jack had pointed out when they were at the Tiny Jewel Box a month ago, following up on some evidence in a case involving an escort who was killed at the U.S. Capitol. When Anna realized he was checking out engagement rings for personal reasons, she’d freaked out. That had contributed to their breakup. Now she was overcome with happiness to see the ring again.
    “Anna Curtis,” he said, grinning. “I think I know the answer to this question. But I’ll go ahead and ask. Will you marry me?”
    Anna looked at the man kneeling in front of her. She wanted to take in every detail of this moment, knowing she would replay it for the rest of her life: Jack, holding the ring out like a glittering promise of their future, his green eyes glowing with happiness, his mouth curved into a broad white smile.
    “Yes!” The word came out in a hiccup. She realized she was crying. Her hands were shaking, but he held the left one steady as he slipped the ring onto her finger.
    They were both standing, arms around each other, her body pressed hard against his. She kissed him as tears streamed down her cheeks.
    The sound of clapping brought her back to the present. They pulled apart and saw that the rest of the restaurant was cheering for them. Jack grinned at her. He looked young and radiant and ridiculously happy.
    “We should’ve asked for a bulk discount at the Tiny Jewel Box,” he said.
    She laughed through her tears, feeling giddy. “When did you buy the ring?”
    “Before we even went there for the Capitol case.” He took a napkin from the table and dabbed her cheeks.
    “And you’ve been carrying it around ever since?”
    “I couldn’t bring myself to return it. It’s been sitting in my nightstand. That’s why I was late. Your friend Grace tipped me off. I ran home and got it.”
    “Grace! I swore her to secrecy.”
    “It was all in pursuit of a worthy cause.”
    He twined his fingers with hers and held up her hand so they could look at the ring on her finger. It sparkled even in candlelight.
    “How are we going to tell the office?” Anna asked. They’d kept their relationship a secret until now.
    “Forget the office,” Jack laughed. “How are we going to tell Olivia?”
    His sassy six-year-old daughter was either going to be Anna’s biggest fan or her severest critic. But Anna put aside her worries about office politics and family