Steal Your Girl Novel – My boyfriend proposes to me right just as I overheard that he has been sleeping with her assistant for months. “Conleigh. Will you marry me?” I watch in horror as he pulls a ring box from his pocket. He opens it and looks at me expectantly. “Marry you. Aren’t you asking the wrong idiot!” I snap. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked. “What I am is an idiot who was informed moments ago that her boyfriend was sleeping with his assistant behind my back!” “What are you talking about, cheating on you? Who told you this?” He demands. “Just tell me. Don’t lie to me.” “It was one time,” he admits. “It’s a mistake. Please give me a chance.” “Once a cheater, forever a cheater. No chance between us. We’re over.” I tell him calmly and turn around to leave.
At some point, I must have dozed off. I wake up to the light tapping of a knock on the bedroom door. “Con, let me in, baby.” Ezra. Wiping the sleep from my eyes, I open the door and allow him into the room. “Were you sleeping? Why was the door locked?’ “I must have dozed off and just habit from the dorms I guess.” “Well, get dressed. I have a surprise for you.” He smiles and ushers me toward the closest. “Wear something nice.” “How nice? Where are we going?” “Dinner. I have a client meeting us for a drink, but he won’t stay long.” I sigh. I thought he was taking me out, but what he really means is he wants me there as eye candy. I’d rather stay here and write. Ezra brushes past me, going into the closet and pulling out my signature little black dress. “I was thinking this would be perfect. You know I love it on you.” I want to say to him, and you know how much I hate dressing up, but I refrain. I smile and take the dress from his extended hand.
Ezra eyes his watch as though he is in a hurry, and I am slowing him down. I hate when he does this. He plans a date and doesn’t tell me he has reservations and conveniently has a client who stays through the whole meal. I guess it is sweet that he is trying to include me and balance our relationship and his career, but I usually end up sitting there bored and listening to them discuss business while I look pretty. I hate it and would rather stay home. When we get to the restaurant, our table isn’t ready, so we are seated at the bar where Judy and some older guy in a suit join us. I sip on a cocktail while they talk business. I can’t help but notice the way Judy’s eyes seem to linger on Ezra a moment too long or how she finds a way to touch him on the arm briefly every few minutes. Maybe I am paranoid or simply feeling guilty for having sexual thoughts about Holden, who was Ezra’s best friend. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go to the ladies’ room,” I tell Ezra and he doesn’t even look at me. He waves his hand over his shoulder with his back to me and continues talking. Prick.
I go to the bathroom and go straight for the largest stall in the corner. What I really want to do is go home, but I find myself typing notes on my phone for the follow-up book to my love triangle book. I am still holding onto hope that someone will love it. As I type away lost in my fictional world, I hear a woman talking on the phone. “It’s pretty pathetic that she’s so blind. I mean, he hasn’t said three words to her since I arrived. He’s only with her because her stepdad is some big shot surgeon and promised to take out a huge ad with him. He doesn’t want to lose the account. I’ve been getting laid with him for months. She’s a doormat.” She continues rambling on, but I can’t listen to anymore. I peer through the crack between the door and the wall, but I can’t see her. However, I recognize her nasally voice. Judy, Ezra’s assistant.
She did this on purpose. Well, screw her. Though I suppose Ezra has already. With my head held high, I plaster a smile on my face and go for the sink, ignoring her as she applies her lipstick feigning a shocked expression. I make for the soap and accidentally elbow her, causing her to smear her lipstick down her chin. “Oops,” I call out, not bothering to hide my pleased smile. “It’s fine.” She grabs a tissue and dabs at the red line. I don’t say anything. I don’t know what to do. I should be upset. I should want to bash her head into the sink, but I don’t. I’m eerily calm. I simply smile at her and dry my hands. She keeps glancing at me, waiting for me to make a move or say something, but that is what she expects me to do. Get upset and do or say something to justify her means. Not happening. I rejoin Ezra at the bar and go for my drink with a shaky hand.
“Are you okay?” He questions and it’s now that I notice he is alone. “Never better.” I down the rest of my drink and beam at my no-good cheater of a boyfriend. “Judy and Mr. Malvoy said it was lovely to see you. Our table is ready.” He places his hand at the base of my back, and I cringe while wondering if his hands have been on Judy today. He guides me to the hostess podium to be shown to a table. One where his parents and mine are seated. “What’s going on?” I hiss. “It’s a surprise. Don’t ruin it.” The alcohol I consumed moments ago lurches in my belly, and I feel ill. “Conleigh, are you quite alright, you look positively sick,” my mother pesters with fake concern. “Must be something I ate earlier.” Ezra’s mother, Monica, looks at my mother with a knowing glance. She must’ve told her about the three months in middle school I suffered from bulimia.
I’m sure she failed to mention it was from all the stress she was putting on me to look good in my cheerleading uniform. “Well, have a seat,” Ronald insists as Ezra pulls out my chair. “Thanks,” I tell my scummy boyfriend with a clipped tone, trying to fight the urge to leave right now. “How’s that campaign coming?” Ronald asks Ezra once he has taken his seat next to his father, Corbin. “What campaign?” I hedge. “Didn’t Ezra tell you? He’s handling all my advertising now. As my future son-in-law, I feel it best to keep business in the family.” I raise my head towards Ezra. “Why didn’t you say anything, sweetie?” “It was meant to be a surprise, but I had a brilliant idea that will save Ronald thousands and give me a reason to do this.” He pushes his chair back and our parents fall silent. “Conleigh Nicole Meyers,” he says, going down on bended knee and taking my hand in his. Suddenly a violinist appears at our table and the whole dining room goes quiet.
“I never knew I could love someone as much as I do you. From the moment I met you, I knew you were special. I said to myself, I’m going to marry her, and she is going to give me beautiful children. I wanted to wait until you finished school, but why wait when I know what I want. I want you to be my wife, Conleigh. Will you marry me?” I watch in horror as he pulls a ring box from his pocket. He opens it and looks at me expectantly. I always imagined when Ezra popped the big question that our families would be present just as they are now. I thought we, Ezra and I, would both even shed a few happy tears. However, nothing about tonight is joyous. Nothing about tonight feels right. It feels forced. His words sound well-rehearsed and fake.
I can’t believe he is pulling this right now. “She’s speechless,” my mother interjects. Ezra is holding the enormous rock, ready to slip it on my ring finger. Everyone is staring at me. My phone buzzes from my clutch and I don’t know why but I grab it with everyone watching me like a sideshow. “Conleigh. What are you doing?” My mother grabs a hold of my arm as I see Holden’s name on the screen. Holden: Be at the bar around 11 am tomorrow to begin your training. Dear God, is this a sign to say with Ezra? A red number one is glowing on my inbox for my email. I click it as Ezra growls. “Conleigh, I am asking you to marry me. Put down the phone. You’re making me look like a goddamned fool.” My eyes widen in shock. It’s from a publisher.
They want my book. I look at Ezra and he squeezes my hand, growing impatient. “Marry you. Aren’t you asking the wrong idiot!” I snap. “What’s wrong with her?” I hear Ronald asking. “First the car and her phone. Is she on drugs?” “What I am is an idiot who was informed moments ago that her boyfriend was sleeping with his assistant behind my back, while unable to breakup with me because he was afraid it would cost him a huge account with my stepfather.” Monica’s hand goes to her mouth. Ezra gets up from the floor and my mother shoos the violinist away. “What are you talking about, cheating on you? Why would I ask you to marry me? Who told you this?” He demands. “I overheard Judy on the phone while I was using the restroom. Why would she say it if it weren’t true?” “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. I swear to you Conleigh, I don’t know why she would say such things. I’ve never given her any reason to believe any of that to be true.
I asked you to marry me because I love you and want to spend our lives together.” “You said that Ronald’s campaign led you to asking me, so why is that?” “I thought we could use our engagement photos for the advertisement. You have such a beautiful smile. I thought the whole world should see it and see our love.” “By advertising my stepdad’s practice?” I laugh. “Why don’t you take her home,” Monica suggests. “That’s a great idea. I’ll get a cab,” I announce, pushing my chair back. “As always, it was nice to see everyone,” I exclaim with mock enthusiasm. “Conleigh, wait.” I stop and give him one chance. “Don’t lie to me.” “It was one time,” he admits. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Thank you.” I spin around and make my exit.
“Conleigh, please just give me a chance to explain. At least let me drive you home.” “I gave you two years of my life, Ezra, two years! All you had to do was be honest with me. Why did you ask me to move in with you? Why did you just propose?” “Because I don’t want to lose you. You’re everything to me. I swear on everything, I only want to make you happy, Con. That’s all I want.” I nod, unable to find my voice. The valet brings the car around and I allow Ezra to drive me home in silence. I don’t know what to say. I keep replaying our conversation over in my head. I wish I could say I believe him, but out of everything he’s said, there are two things he didn’t say. He didn’t apologize and he sure didn’t promise it wouldn’t happen again. He says it was one time as though that somehow makes it okay. I will definitely not trust him again.