After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms novel Chapter 38

Catherine finally let herself relax, a quiet sigh slipping out as she took a sip of tea.

Across from her, Lawrence glanced up. “When do you want to have the wedding?”

She nearly choked on her tea. The wedding... Right, she had totally forgotten that getting married actually meant having a wedding.

But with things so tense at home, she knew Nestor wouldn’t be on board with anything right now. She looked at Lawrence, a little desperate. “Can we hold off on the wedding for a bit? I want to wait until my dad cools down.”

Lawrence nodded, not missing a beat. “Of course, there’s no rush.” He reached over and put some food on her plate. “We can talk about it later.”

His easy acceptance warmed her heart. For the first time all night, she started to actually enjoy her meal.

As they ate, she found herself telling him about developing Resonance AI—all the excitement and the heartbreak. She even told him about losing the original prototype on a USB drive, and how Shirley had probably taken it.

“You built it five years ago? Why didn’t you ever release it?” Lawrence asked, genuinely curious.

Catherine poked at her soup, a wry smile tugging at her lips. “I was too young. I thought love was the most important thing. I didn’t want Waldo to feel pressured by my achievements, so I hid Resonance AI. I was actually planning to give it to him as an engagement gift.”

She looked up and laughed softly. “But honestly, I should thank him. If he hadn’t left me, I might never have realized my own worth. And I wouldn’t have met you.”

Lawrence listened quietly, his gaze warm and steady. “You should never have to hide your talent for anyone. From now on, just be yourself.”

Her eyes stung a little, but not from sadness. The heaviness she’d been carrying around finally lifted. “You’re right. I’m going to prove to everyone that Catherine Blair is not the family failure.”

Lawrence leaned in, a spark in his eyes. “Tomorrow, let’s go pick out wedding rings.”

She blinked in surprise, then grinned. “Sure. I’m starting my new job soon, so it’s about time I had a ring to show I’m married.”

Catherine came downstairs in a crisp white shirt and jeans, looking so fresh and bright she could’ve passed for a college freshman.

Lawrence couldn’t help but stare for a second, caught off guard by how stunning she looked.

“Let’s go,” Catherine said, slipping her arm through his.

He let her pull him out to the car, opened the door for her, and made sure her seatbelt was fastened before getting behind the wheel.

They headed downtown to a jewelry store. Catherine had already made up her mind on the way there. She didn’t want the most expensive ring, just the one that felt right.

Even though Lawrence didn’t seem like the type to worry about money, she still didn’t want to spend it carelessly.

When they arrived at a famous jewelry shop, Catherine pulled him straight toward the more modest display cases. Lawrence looked a little surprised, but she was already leaning over the glass, carefully comparing rings and checking out each price tag and style.