Anya was anxious tomove the process along. “Show to me settings.”
Levi lifted a tray fromthe case and placed it on the glass. Every setting in the tray wasbreathtaking. He pulled a ring from the back row and dropped thediamond into the center. Two rows of small diamonds surrounded themuch larger stone, and Gwynn gasped.
Anya glanced over hershoulder at her partner and then back at Levi. “I want somethingsimple and elegant, like my friend.”
Gwynn grinned, and Levilooked at Volkov.
The Russian showed theIsraeli his palms. “It’s her diamond. Mount it in the setting shewants.”
Levi lifted the stonefrom the elegant setting. “Are you sure you want something simple?This stone is so beautiful, I think it deserves some glitter aroundit.”
Anya brushed her handagainst Gwynn’s. “My diamond is beautiful without glitter. I amsure I want white gold solitaire setting.”
Levi watched the dollarsigns blow away. “Okay. If that’s what you want.” He producedan oversized keyring with sized rings hanging from a metal loop.“Which finger?”
Anya peered down at herhands and finally stuck out the index finger of her left hand. “Thisone.”
Levi slid sizing ringsacross Anya’s finger until he found the perfect size. He thenstepped through a curtain into the back of the shop and returned withtwo rings. They were identical except for the number of prongs. “Ifyou plan to wear the ring every day, I suggest the six-prong setting,but if it will only be worn on special occasions, four prongs willshow off more of the stone.”
“Yes, of course Iwill wear every day. Is my first diamond, and I wish to see it on myfinger every time I look down.”
“Six-prong it is,”he said as he lifted the stone and headed for the back room.”
Viktor said, “Leaveopen the curtain so she can see how you set the stone, or better yet,let her come back there with you.”
“I’ll leave thecurtain open so you can make sure I don’t switch the stone, but shecan’t come back.”
“Good enough,”Volkov said.
Anya asked, “Whatdoes this mean, switching stone?”
“There are someless-than-reputable jewelers who will trade out a similar but lessvaluable stone when they have your diamond behind closed doors, butmy friend Levi knows I never forget the details of a stone, so hewould never try doing this to me.”
With the curtain pinnedback, giving an unobstructed view of the workshop, Levi clamped thesetting in a small vise, slid on his jeweler’s glasses, and gentlyplaced the diamond in the setting. Working with the skill of a mastercraftsman, he drew the prongs into place, securing the stone in thesetting. When he finished, he gripped the diamond and tugged at it,making sure it was firmly seated in place.
He buffed the ring,restoring its brilliance, and held it out toward Anya. She extendedher index finger, and Levi slid the ring across the knuckle. Anyastared down at the gorgeous ring and momentarily lost herself inamazement.
When she held it up forGwynn to see, she was disappointed but intrigued that her partnerseemed to have no interest in the ring. Instead, she was intentlywatching Veronique inspect a collection of loose diamonds on theother side of the shop.
Anya turned back toLevi. “How much?”
He stared at theceiling for a long moment. “Two seventy-five.”
Viktor slid a pair ofone-hundred-dollar bills across the counter, and Levi stared down atthe bills. “It’s two seventy-five.”
Volkov huffed. “Today,it is two hundred, and that means you doubled on your investment. Youforget that I have eyes and ears everywhere. I know exactly how muchyou paid for that setting, and two hundred is generous.”
Anya followed Gwynn’sgaze as she watched Frenchie skillfully clamping stone after stoneinto her tweezers and bringing them to her eye. When she foundexactly the diamond she’d been searching for, she loosened thetweezers, allowing it to drop into her palm. She quickly covered thediamond with her thumb, and using the tweezers, grasped thereplacement diamond she’d been palming for twenty minutes. Loadedwith the new stone, Veronique handed the tweezers back to the salesassociate, and the woman returned the stone to its brivke.
As if mesmerized by thebrilliance of her first diamond, Anya held the ring up to the lightand watched the colors dance from the prism as she tilted and twistedher hand. She leaned toward Volkov and pressed herself against him.“It is more beautiful than anything. I do not know how to thankyou, Viktor. Is it really mine?”
He slid his hand acrossher shoulder and down her back, and in their native Russian, said,“It is yours forever.”
“I’m happy you likethe setting,” Levi said. “If you ever need anything else, pleasecome back, but don’t bring him.” He motioned toward Volkov.“Every time I see him, I lose money. He’s bad luck.”
Volkov leaned acrossthe glass and gave Levi a playful shove. “I’ve put more money inyour pocket than you’ve ever put in mine, so stop whining.”
Levi grinned. “Getoutta here.”
Volkov motioned towardVeronique. “If she wants anything, let her have it, and you and Iwill haggle over prices later. Mazl un brokhe, my friend.”
Back on the streetwithout Veronique, the three continued through the crowd, and Anyacouldn’t take her eye from the diamond resting on her finger. Shetook Volkov’s arm and squeezed. The smile that had melted heartsand resolve all over the world didn’t garner the same reaction fromViktor Yuvelir, the jeweler. His reaction was more like thatof a father happy to see his daughter pleased with his gift.
“Why did you give tome such a beautiful diamond?”
As if the question wereabsurd, he looked down in confusion. “I did not give the diamond toyou. I gave you to the diamond. It was lonely without you. Now youcan make the diamond happy every time you stare at it in admiration,and the diamond can make you happy every time you catch a sparkle oflight from a facet.”
Anya slapped his arm.“How many times have you given this speech to women?”
He shrugged. “It’sa good speech, no?”
“Is very good speech,Viktor, but you must not buy for me expensive things. I feelobligation to you after such gift.”
He raised an eyebrow.“An obligation, you say? In that case, you will have dinner
