Status: Complete

Before the Fall

Ch. 11

As soon as Nace was sure that Faye was asleep, he slipped out of bed and got dressed. On his way to the car, he called the local jeweler; one who he knew would answer a late-night call, and who had done so many times before for his father.

In the morning when Faye woke up, Nace was fast asleep- or so she thought- and there was a box on her nightstand. It was black velvet and long, and had a pretty silver ribbon tied neatly on it. Curiosity got the best of her, and she picked it up, savoring the soft texture, and opened it.

Inside was the prettiest bracelet she’d ever seen. It was delicate, with yellow gold curved pieces joined by teeny clusters of diamond and what she thought was amethyst. She felt tears collect in her eyes- she cried way too easily, always had. And this was the most lovely thing she’d ever seen. Could it really be for her?

“Do you like it?” Nace asked softly. She realized that she hadn’t moved since opening the box, which could have been several minutes ago. Every moment felt like an eternity to her as she stared at the bracelet with wonder. She drew herself back, though. He sounded worried.

“Did you buy this? For… for me?” Faye asked breathlessly.

“Well, I never did give you a birthday present and… I want you to remember me while you’re off with him,” Nace confessed. Faye grinned and shifted closer to him, giving him a big bear hug. The bracelet made her feel more grown up, more extravagant. She rode on that emotion and kissed each of his cheeks in a very European way, and released him.

He was blushing, he knew, but at that moment he didn’t care. He could still feel her lips on his tingling skin. They were both grinning at each other like fools.

“Now, I’d better get dressed so I can take you to the airport,” Nace muttered, half running to the bathroom to change.

Time passed much too quickly after that. Before he knew it, Nace was dropping her off where she pointed, right in front of the boy who could only be Logan. Nace grimaced. Logan was better looking than he’d hoped. Faye turned to him, studying him with her big, eerily light green eyes.

There were three things happening just then that made Nace’s next move unavoidable. First, he never could think properly when she was so focused on him. Second, everything in him was sinking just then with the knowledge that he wouldn’t be seeing her for a week. Third, he was feeling- and he would never admit to even thinking about feeling this way to anyone but himself- jealous of Logan.

So who could blame him when he kissed her?

And for a wonderful moment, she was kissing back, until there was a hammering on the window.

Logan looked positively livid. Faye opened the door and stepped out, then gave Logan a tight hug, looking up at him with brilliant green eyes that were positively glowing. He smiled at her, then went around to the trunk to get her suitcase.

When she was sure that Logan wasn’t looking, Faye stuck her head in the window and softly said, “Goodbye, Nace.” She studied his face as he studied hers, both storing up enough to last them a week.

Nace waited until she was walking away from him, too close to Logan, in his opinion, and whispered, “Goodbye, Faye.”