The Proposal

"Shawn, I'm not so strong, but I have one last request for you." Riele started.

He held her hands gently as he waited for her to make her request.

"I want you to get a lady. Even if you guys don't end up together, at least have a relationship—a real one. Cassie broke you, and ever since then, you haven't been able to date another girl. At least, I need to be certain my son is still intact." She managed to tease despite her excruciating pains.

His face was blank; this was something he never wanted to do.

"But mother-"

"No buts, son. Please." Her eyes were bubbly, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. She reached out her hand to caress his face. He gently pulled her hands away and walked out. "I'll take that as a yes." She muttered in a low tone, smiling to herself after he had left.

He got into his SUV.

"So, how did it go?" Kevin asked.

"I don't know, Kev. She wants me to get engaged." Shawn sighed.

"And that's a problem, why?"

"Because I'm not interested in relationships. Cassandra was and will always be my last." He adjusted his seat.

"The bitch? Hell no. Well, I figured that's what your mom would say, and I found someone fit enough for the role. Joan, that's her name; she's beautiful and classy; your mom would love her…"

"Kev! Stop. I didn't ask you to search for anyone for me. I know you're my best friend, and you're only trying to look out for me, and I appreciate it, but I don't need this."

He sighed. "I'm only trying to help, Shawn. Your dying mother's last wish was for her to see you happy. Ain't you going to at least fulfill that for her?"

"I am. I just didn't think it would be now. Set up a meeting with Joan. I'm sure you've explained everything to her. Fredrick, stop here. I need to get a ring for this." Kevin smiled.

In front of him was Camilla's Carats, the most popular and classic jewelry store in town. He walked into the store and up to the jeweler, who was busy cleaning up some jewelry.

"Hey," he started.

She stared up at him with a beautiful smile playing on her lips, looking so radiant.

"Good morning. How may I be of help to you?" She asked.

"I want to get a ring. One with quality."

"Oh, then, you've come to the right place. Wait here while I get them. She swayed her hips, her heels clicked against the tiles at each step she took as she walked elegantly, heading for the shelf room. He couldn't take his eyes off her, watching every step she took, how she swayed her hips, and how she acted like the boss, making sure everything was in order.

She returned a couple of minutes later with a pile of boxes in her hands.

"So, this here is a diamond ring. You mentioned earlier that you wanted one with quality, and I thought I should bring you the choicest ones I've made myself. I'm guessing the ring is for an engagement. My pick? The pink star, which weighs approximately sixty carats, is one of the most expensive yet quality diamond engagement rings."

"I'm Shawn. And which ring would you love if you were getting engaged?" He smirked.

She stared at him wide-eyed for a moment before chuckling. "I'm Jazmyn Camilla, owner of Camilla's Carats. The pink star is my pick. Or Cartier's ring, or Kohinoor, or even the Cullinan diamond. I'd have said a red diamond, in fact, but,"

He took out the pink star from the box, staring at it as he listened to her talk about her choice of ring. "Jazmyn, marry me." He said, holding out the ring to her.

"I'm sorry, what?" She said it quietly, in between gritted teeth.

"Marry me. My mother's last wish is for me to be engaged or dating; in return, I'd compensate you handsomely, of course, in cash."

"I can't pretend to be your fiancée. You must be out of your mind to think I'd accept that. Please, leave." She said this, trying to withhold her annoyance.

"Here's my number in case you change your mind. I'll see you around then, I guess." He walked out of the store, grinning to himself.

"What took you so long? And, where's the ring?" Kevin asked.

"Change of plans; I think I've found Ms. Ryder." He smiled.

"Cool because Joan's at Delacroix's already."

He laid back on his seat, adjusting a little as he kept grinning from ear to ear. "Oh no. Not Joan. Jazmyn Camilla; the owner of Camilla's Carats. She's got the ring, and she, my dear, is my Ms. Ryder."

Kevin stared at him in surprise. "So, what are we supposed to do with Joan? She's been there for over 30 minutes."

"It looks like someone's so desperate for the money. Well, I don't know; maybe call her and tell her the proposal is off. Tip her off, even for her patience." He said.

"Well, that's awful, but you seem happy and positive about Jazmyn. If that's what you want, then so be it. I don't know the last time a lady made you smile. So, she did agree to be your pretend fiancée?"

Shawn smirked. "Not yet. But I know for sure she would agree. Yes, she asked me out of her store when I made the proposal, but I know she'd consider it and ring me."

"I'm sure you went like, Miss Camilla's Carats, be my pretend fiancée." Kev said.

"Don't be ridiculous." He chuckled. "That's glorified nonsense. It was much more interesting and magnificent than that. It was a grand proposal." Shawn smiled.

He looked at Shawn with raised brows. "No, you didn't. No, you didn't. You asked about her name, then went straight up to ask her to marry you. First meeting, you didn't wait 30 minutes at least. Shawnnnnnnnnnnn."

"Oh, I waited 20 minutes, tops. That was how much time she spent trying to bring those piles of boxes filled with pathetic engagement rings. It's a pity I didn't go through any of the boxes she brought. I just took out a ring and proposed while she was still talking. A better way than to do it in a ridiculous manner." He chuckled.

"Typical Shawn. I thought as much." Kev said, texting Joan about the recent change in plans. "Now, we have a mad lady asking for sixty thousand dollars as compensation."

"How can she be that greedy? I decided to tip her out of my goodwill, and she's putting a price tag on how much the tip should be." Shawn sighed. "Tip it. I don't want a bug on my bed."

"Oh, so that's what she is now?" Kev teased. "She hasn't even gone to your bedroom yet."

He smirked. "Almost every lady in New York wants to be in my bed, so you can never tell, Kevin."

"That's only Cassandra. She's the only lady who's ever made it to your bedroom."

We arrived at the mansion a couple of hours later.

"Welcome, sir. Your mom requests your presence in her room." The nanny said this after he walked in.

His face lit up a little. Raising a brow, he said, 'She's been discharged already?'

He stole a glance at his phone, a part of him wishing Jazmyn would call.

"Shawn," Riele said as he sat next to her on the bed.

"Mother, I know you to be stubborn. I'm tempted to ask why you were discharged so early, but I already know the answer. How are you doing?"

"Well, I'm living, son. Maybe I'd live longer if you bring home Ms. Ryder; who knows?" She chuckled.

He smirked, taking his phone out of his pocket again.

"Are you expecting a call? You've been stealing glances at your phone."

"No, actually, mother, I've got to go. Duty calls." He kissed her on the forehead before heading out of the room.

Kevin grabbed a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses from the shelf. "Let me guess, Jazmyn?" Kevin raised a brow, watching Shawn pace up and down the room, endlessly stealing glances at his phone.

"Why hasn't she called yet? Am I losing my charm?" He raked his fingers through his hair.

"A shot of whiskey might fix it." Kevin said, holding out a shot glass full of whiskey.

He settled down on the cushion. "She'd call. I haven't lost my charm." He reassured himself, gulping down the contents of the glass before sitting it back down on the table.

Kevin sat across from him, laughing at how the all-so-high and mighty Shawn Ryder, stubborn, charming, and totally incapable of love, was almost losing it when a girl wouldn't call to show interest in his golden offer.

"What's funny, Kev?"

"I'm sorry, dude, but it's just... you're a sack of worry right now. Chill, she'd call, and it isn't bad to lose your charm now, is it? She's just not among the many people who would kill to have this offer. You're kind of worried she's not going to fall for your charms." Kev said.

"She would fall. She would."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, sirs, but you have a visitor, Mr. Ryder." A hefty man said.

"Who is it?"

"A lady, sir. She says it's important." He says, then Shawn asks him out of the room.

"See? I knew she'd accept it." He raked his fingers through his hair again, rubbing his face gently and adjusting his suit.

"How do I look?" He asked.

"Like Shawn, I guess."

He stared at him for a while. "Never mind. I have Ms. Ryder to attend to." He left the room to meet her.

He buttoned his suit as he approached the living room, looking down at his shirt as he buttoned it. "You had to wait this long, miss."

He looked up from his suit to see her. A surge of emotions swept through him as his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Hello, Shawn." She said softly.