What A Lie Looks Like | ✓

2.17: sephine

I roll over, turning my head straight into the bed frame, jolting myself awake. "Ah, shit." I groan, rubbing the spot of my forehead I hit before I look at the mess surrounding me and the lack of Hayes's ring on my hand.

By the time I manage to clean the room up, still not finding the ring and shower, it's finally light outside. I don't bother with blowdrying my hair because it's too much effort, and I'm too nervous to tell Hayes that I can't find his mom's ring, but it's not like he isn't going to find out.

I presumed he'd be in the kitchen drinking his cup of coffee, but I'm surprised to find he's not there, or the living room, or in his room which leaves the only possible place he could be in the study or maybe he's just not here at all.

I'd only been in the study once because I never had a reason to find myself in there. What if he doesn't forgive me for losing it? I mean for Christ sakes it's his mother's ring, and I was careless enough to completely space on where I put it? Who does that?

I hesitate because I have no idea what I'm going to say if he's even in there. But then my hand makes contact with the door, and I brace myself kind of hoping that Hayes isn't here, but he opens the door with his phone up to his ear, looking at me with surprise.

Hayes holds up a finger telling me to wait a minute as he offers me a soft smile, and I only feel the lump in my throat grow bigger. "Send it to my computer, and I'll take a look at it later." He nods his head, listening intently to what the person on the other side of the phone is saying while I bite my lip to keep the tears from welling up in my eyes. "Thanks Marcus, I appreciate it."

He hangs up and sets it on the desk as I fidget with the bottom of my shirt. "Are you some kind of secret early riser..." He trails off as the first tear escapes my eye, "What's wrong? Is it your shoulder?" Hayes asks concerned as he brushes the tear away with his thumb, but I feel myself crumble at the simple touch.

I shake my head, "You're going to hate me," My voice cracks as I lose control of it and the tears as they start to stream. All I can think about is the fact that it was his mom's ring and I'm a terrible person for losing it.

"Seph, I don't think I could hate you even if I tried. Believe me; I've tried." He jokes, and my hands shake as I start to stammer out the words before I lose my nerve.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened, I could have sworn I left it on the dresser by the door, but it's not there, and I tore the room apart looking everywhere for it. But I couldn't find your mom's ring. I'm so sorry, Hayes."

And then Hayes laughs. "Montgomery, if you had just slept a little bit longer, I would have made you breakfast and had the actual chance to ask you this, but I guess I can't now."

I wipe my cheeks, not sure what he's saying. "Ask what?" And then in the middle of Hayes's office, he drops to a knee and pulls the ring I spent hours looking for last night out of his pocket. "Where the hell did you get that?" I ask, covering my mouth with my hand.

"This is crazy, and I know it, but so is everything we've gone through. I know what I want even if you don't, and I know that I've waited for seven years to get you back. I know for a fact that I don't want to lose you again." My eyes widen as I realize what's happening, and Hayes finishes uttering the words I know I'll never forget. "I should probably be nervous because I'm asking the woman I think I've been in love with for seven years to marry me, but I'm not. So Sephine Claire Montgomery, will you marry me for real this time?"

He's completely serious, and I'm speechless at this point. "I'm sorry, what? You realize this is insane, right?"

Hayes shrugs, "It's no more insane than you agreeing to be fake engaged to me."