Free The Ivy League by Ruby Parker Page B

just drop it, but he just couldn’t help himself.  “With who?”
    “Yes, a date,” she said.  She hoped that he wouldn’t notice the red hot stain that was stuck on her cheeks.  “I don’t believe it is any of your business with who.  I can come tomorrow evening if that will be ok.”
    “Of cou rse,” he said, “I didn’t mean…tomorrow night will be fine.”

Chapter Twenty Three
     
     
    Sara fumed with herself as she dug her knife into the thick steak on her plate.  Against her better judgment, she had spoken to Madame Gwen.  She wasn’t entirely sure how it had happened, but the woman had talked her into taking another job.  This was not the road she wanted to go down.  But what could she do?  She needed the money, and it was so hard to decline it when it came so easy.
    “I think it’s only fair,” Sara said, looking up at Dan only briefly, “that you know, I won’t ever be doing this again.  So don’t ask for me anymore.”
    “Oh?” Dan said, an arch in his perfectly groomed eyebrow.  He so enjoyed a good challenge.  Madame Gwen told him she wasn’t very interested.  In fact, it was one of the things that made Sara so irresistible to him.  She gave him a chase, something that other girls never did.  Given enough time, and Dan was sure he could win her over.  She would be his newest trophy in a line of conquests between him and Banks. 
    “Why ?” Sara asked, setting her fork and knife down.  She rested her hands in her lap as she stared back at him.  “I’m sure you could have any woman you want.  So, why do you want to pay to see me?”
    “Why not ?” he said, with a smile.  He was very handsome, and terribly charming.  Sara found it hard not to fall for him. 
    “Are you going to give me a real answer?” Sara said with a smirk.
    “I will,” Dan said.  He wiped the corners of his mouth with his napkin before setting it on the table next to his plate. “I will be very blunt with you.  There comes a point when a man of my means must settle down.”
    He had been planning this for the end of dinner, but since she had brought it up, he may as well just do it now.  He stood from his seat, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box.  He knelt down before Sara, opening the box and looking up at her.  Sara nearly choked on her own saliva when she saw the massive blue diamond staring back at her.
    “I picked this out to match your eyes,” he said.   “I know we have only had one date, and I realize how unconventional this is.  But I want you to marry me Sara.  Accept my proposal, and I promise you will want for nothing.”
    Sara simply had no words to answer him.  She couldn’t really believe this was happening.  But as she stared down at the dime-sized diamond, sparkling against the black velvet of the ring box, Dan’s words began to sink in.  She would never want for anything.  Perhaps she was overwhelmed by everything that had happened recently, or perhaps she was swayed by his argument. Whatever the reason, she found her mouth saying yes before she had enough time to really think about it.

Chapter Twenty Four
     
     
    Sara stared at the ring on her finger as she rode the elevator up to Mr. Banks’ top floor office.  She had never seen a diamond so big in all her life, and there it was on her finger.  There was a sinking feeling in her stomach, knowing that Mr. Banks would see the ring.  She had gone back and forth on whether to wear it or not.  She decided it was best to wear it and hope it would dispel some of the feelings that had developed.
    The elevator came to a stop and opened with a cheerful ding that made it somehow even harder for Sara to step out.  Her legs were heavy, rooting her to the marble floor just outside the door to his office.  She raised her balled fist to knock on the door when it suddenly swung open, Banks standing there.
    “Ms. Weiss,” he said, gesturing with his hand for her to enter, “come in.  Have a