"Darling," Jonathan said as Jennifer entered his office.

"Hello," she responded giving him a kiss.

"I am glad you could make it. Stanley found Victor Heart, Jr. in Grand Rapids."

"Really?" Jennifer asked with mixed feelings.

Noting a hint of disappointment, Jonathan said, "We don't have to do this."

"Yes, yes we do," Jennifer said.

"I love you," Jonathan said feeling his heart fill with admiration at the kindness of his future wife. Jennifer smiled.

"Shall we call him?" Jonathan asked.

"Yes."

Jonathan dialed the phone. An older gentleman answered the phone.

"Can I speak with Victor Heart please?" Jonathan asked.

"This is Victor."

"Mr. Heart, my name is Jonathan Hart. I am calling regarding La Coeur de La Vie. Does that mean anything to you?"

There was silence for a moment and then, "There was a family heirloom with that name. It was lost during the war."

"Yes, that is it. Mr. Heart, I recently purchased that ring and after hearing about its history my fiancée I set out to find you."

"Well, I am glad to hear that the ring is no longer with those Nazi bastards that killed my parents, but I don't have the money to buy the ring from you."

"We don't want to sell you the ring. We want to give it too you. The thing is we are getting married this weekend. It would be easier for us to arrange to have you come here to pick up the ring than it would for us to deliver it to you."

"I don't believe it."

"Well, believe it. We can make arrangements to fly you out here. As a matter of fact, we can put you up in a nice hotel and you can have a mini-vacation as well as pick up your ring. How does that sound?"

"It sounds...great," Victor said still in disbelief.

"Great. My secretary Deanne will call you later once the details are determined."

"Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much."

"Oh we are happy to do it."

Jonathan hung up the phone.

"Well?" Jennifer asked.

"He is in a state of shock."

Jennifer smiled, "It feels good to do good."

"Yes it does. So what do you have planned for the rest of the day?" Jonathan asked moving around to the front of his desk closer to Jennifer.

"I would enjoy having some lunch with my handsome fiancée. At 3, I am meeting with the caterers and at 5 I am meeting the furniture delivery guys at the house." Jennifer stood up putting her arms over his shoulders.

"I am so glad we were able to get a quick closing. I am so looking forward to carrying you over the threshold into our new home and new life," Jonathan said picking her up in rehearsal.

"Jonathan!" Jennifer said in surprise. He kissed her.

Three days before the wedding, Jonathan and Jennifer drove to L'Orangerie for dinner to meet with Victor Heart, Jr. and his wife to deliver the ring. Jennifer had removed the ring and placed it in a box. As they drove, she looked at her bare hand with melancholy.

"Darling," Jonathan said taking her hand and kissing it, "It won't be long before a wedding ring is there."

"I know it's just that the ring has many wonderful memories with it."

"And a couple of not so great."

"That's true."

They parked at the restaurant and entered.

"Mr. Hart, yes, your table is this way. Your guests are already here."

Jonathan and Jennifer followed the waiter back to their table.

"Mr. Hart?" Victor asked.

"Yes, and this is my fiancée Jennifer Edwards,"

"This is my wife, Florence." They exchanged pleasantries.

"Thank you so much Mr. Hart..."

"Jonathan,"

"Jonathan for this wonderful trip."

"It is my pleasure."

"Oh here, I have something for you," Jennifer said removing the box from her purse and giving it to Victor.

He opened the box with tears in his eyes. His wife too began to cry.

"You don't know what this means to me," he said.

"Oh I think we do," Jonathan responded happy to be able to do something good for someone.

Victor took the ring out of the box. Getting on one knee, he took his wife's hand and placed the ring upon it. Jonathan and Jennifer were moved. Victor and his wife hugged.

"Now the ring is where it belongs," Jonathan stated.

"Yes," everyone agreed.

"Jonathan, do you think we'll be as happy as Victor and Florence when we've been married 30 years?" Jennifer asked as they drove away from the restaurant.

"Happier," he said smiling at her.

Jennifer sighed. Jonathan felt bad that Jennifer was sad over giving the ring away.

"Let's go to the house," he said.

"It's not done yet," she said. "I want to surprise you."

"Come on, it will be fun. We don't have to stay there I just want to see it."

"Okay," Jennifer agreed. She really had been anxious to know what Jonathan would think.

They drove up Willow Pond Drive and through the gate. Jennifer opened the door and turned on the light. Jonathan walked in and was amazed at the transformation. Jennifer had decorated with needlepoint rugs, soft leather chairs, and various artworks.

"This is fantastic!" he said as he wondered through the house.

"You think so?"

"Yes, it is very warm and rustic." Jonathan took Jennifer's hand and they toured the rest of the house hand-in-hand.

In the bedroom, Jonathan picked Jennifer up to carry her across the threshold.

"Rehearsal!" he exclaimed.

"How many rehearsals do you need?"

"None really, I just love holding you."

"Oh that nice," Jennifer said giving him a kiss.

After touring the inside of the house they headed out the back door to the patio.

"You even got patio furniture."

"I expect to have many quiet romantic dinners out here."

"Come here," Jonathan said pulling Jennifer toward him. He held her close with one hand behind her back and the other on her cheek. He pressed his lips to hers giving her a long, slow passionate kiss.

"I expect lots of those too," Jennifer said.

"Here, I have something for you."

"Again? Jonathan you are so full of surprises."

"You can expect a lot of those too," he said pulling a small box out of his pocket. Opening it, Jennifer found a diamond ring. It had a marquee cut diamond with smaller diamonds cascading down either side of it.

"I decided I should give you your own ring instead of someone else's so I commissioned this. I call it, the Jennifer Hart diamond."

"Oh Jonathan, it's beautiful," Jennifer gushed with tears in her eyes. Jonathan removed it from the box and placed it on her finger. Jennifer took a minute to admire the ring on her hand.

"Since we are in the giving mood," she said, " I have something for you." She took a box from her purse and handed it to Jonathan.

"You got me something?" he asked beginning to open the box.

"Yes."

Jonathan opened the box and found a gold Rolex watch. He smiled at Jennifer.

"This is great,"

"You like it?"

"I love it."

"I had it engraved," Jennifer said turning the watch over.

"To Jonathan, My love for you is timeless, Love Always, Jennifer," Jonathan read. Jonathan was too touched for words. He took Jennifer in his arms and held her close.

"I take it you like it," Jennifer whispered in his ear.

He smiled still unable to find words to describe his feelings. They sat together in silence swinging in a country swing.

"How about a swim?" Jennifer asked.

"You mean skinny dip?"

"Yes," she said getting up and beginning to remove her clothes. Jonathan watched as each part of her body was exposed.

"You have the most gorgeous body."

"Come and get it," Jennifer challenged running to the pool and diving in. Never one to be out done, Jonathan stripped off his clothes, and new watch, and dove in after her. He swam to her and took her in his arms. The pool was cool and refreshing while their bodies were warm.

"Gotcha!"

"That you do," Jennifer responded kissing Jonathan. Jonathan and Jennifer swam and played in the water oblivious to the world outside of their haven. Later they got out and dried off with the new towels Jennifer had bought for the house. Laying her towel on the grass, Jennifer laid down watching the stars. Jonathan, with his towel around his waist, sat next to her. He looked at her body, the moon shining on it. He bent over and began to lightly suckle her breasts. Jennifer closed her eyes, focusing on the warm sensation that was reverberating throughout her body. Jonathan kissed her chest, and neck moving up to her lips. Softly, he took her mouth in his. Jennifer put her arms around his shoulders, completely losing herself in Jonathan's long, slow kiss. Jonathan began kissing her neck. Each time very lightly. The sensation sent shivers through Jennifer's whole body.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear.

"Oh Jonathan," Jennifer moaned, wanting to feel him inside her. She reached down and removed his towel. Jonathan positioned himself over her and slowly entered her. He kept his rhythm slow, watching her as the tension in her body grew. He massaged her thigh and kissed her neck. Jennifer tightened her hold on him, as she prepared for her release. Jonathan's excitement rose as Jennifer tightened around him. He began to move quicker, more forceful.

"Oh please Jonathan," Jennifer gasped on the verge of ecstasy. Jonathan rolled over, pulling Jennifer on top of him. Letting her impulses take over, Jennifer took Jonathan deep into her and began moving rhythmically on him. Jonathan held on to her hips guiding her. Jennifer's whole body began to shudder as she experienced a serious of releases. Feeling her release sent Jonathan over the edge as he too exploded in complete rapture.

The next afternoon, Jennifer picked her father, Stephan Edwards, up at the airport. She gave him a tour of their new home and the LA area before returning to Jonathan's apartment for a quiet, introductory dinner. She believed they would both get along although admittedly she was a daddy's girl and her father could be stubborn.

"I have talked with heads of state and confronted hostile business people with out a single thought but, I am a little nervous about meeting your father," Jonathan confessed earlier in the day.

"Oh, you'll be fine," Jennifer reassured him although she wasn't necessarily convinced herself.

"Pa, this is Jonathan Hart," Jennifer introduced, "Jonathan this is my father, Stephan Edwards."

The two men shook hands. Jennifer left the two men to chat while she got champagne for them all.

"So Jennifer tells me you're in business?" Stephan said wasting no time in interrogating his future son in law.

"That's right sir."

"What kind of business."

"Well, it is quite diversified. I am into electronics, computers, research and development, shipping, and others."

"And your parents? How do they feel about your quick engagement?"

"Well, my parents are dead sir."

"Oh, I am sorry." Stephan said.

"It is alright. They died when I was young. Max took me in when I was a teenager and turned me into a proper citizen."

"So you are self-made."

"I guess you could say that."

"Well there is no doubt that you are a hard worker. I admire that. But, when it comes to my little girl...."

"Pa I am not so little," Jennifer complained bringing in the drinks.

"Nothing is too good for her. I want only the best for her. She seems to think that is you. I trust you will do everything in your power to make her happy."

"I guarantee it," Jonathan said winking at Jennifer.

The evening went on well. Stephan liked Jonathan although he wasn't prepared to let him know it just yet.

Stephan left early to go to his hotel. Jennifer and Jonathan stayed up finalizing wedding plans.

"Do you really need to spend the night at the hotel tomorrow?" Jonathan asked. They were sitting on the couch holding hands.

"Its tradition. It is bad luck to see the bride before the wedding."

"How could it ever be bad luck to behold a beauty such as yourself?"

"You are such a charmer, Jonathan Hart!"

He smiled.

"But, this is one time that you will not get your way."

Jonathan frowned.

"I want this wedding to go off without a hitch. I am not taking any chances," Jennifer continued.

"Well, since this is our last night together before the wedding, perhaps we could do something to help me get through the night?"

"What did you have in mind?" Jennifer said straddling Jonathan's lap.

"A game of gin?"

"Gin?" Jennifer exclaimed giving Jonathan a pat and moving to get off of him. He grabbed her and held her on him. Standing up he carried her to the bedroom.

"How about strip gin?" he said.

"That sounds better," Jennifer replied kicking the door shut as Jonathan carried her into the bedroom.

It was the day of the wedding. Jennifer ordered some coffee and fruit for breakfast from room service. Her stomach was all a flutter and she didn't think she could hold any thing else down. While waiting for her breakfast, she took her wedding dress and other necessities for the wedding down to the car. Jonathan allowed her and her father to use the Bentley so she could arrive in style.

Once back in her room, her meal arrived. She ate on the terrace of her room. She was lost in thought about the emotional high she was on since the day, six weeks prior that she had met Jonathan. There was a knock at her door.

Jennifer opened the door to Arthur and James.

"You!" she exclaimed recognizing them immediately. She tried to shut the door but Arthur put his foot down blocking the door. He pushed the door open forcing Jennifer back. She looked around the room to see if there was anything she could use to defend herself. The phone! She ran for the phone but Arthur beat her to it.

"Now, now Ms. Edwards, we won't take up too much of your time," he stated.

"Where is the ring," James followed.

Jennifer sat on the edge of the bed, "I don't have it."

The two men laughed. "What do you mean you don't have it?" Arthur stated.

"I mean I don't have it," Jennifer said holding her hand up to show them she had a different ring.

"Where is it then?" Arthur said getting annoyed that nothing regarding this ring had gone as planned.

"We gave it away."

"You have got to be kidding."

"No, we found the rightful heir and gave it to him."

"I don't believe you. No one gives away a ring like that. You know it cost him a fortune. Does he know his beloved has given it away?

"Yes. How do you think I got this ring?"

"Do you believe her, Arthur?" asked James.

"I don't know. Let's search this place just in case." The two men proceeded to search each part of the room, dumping the contents of drawers, removing bedding, and emptying closets.

"Its not here."

"I told you, we gave it away."

"What should we do now?" asked James.

"I could just kill you both!" Arthur yelled at Jennifer in exasperation. He shook his head and sat in a chair near the terrace door. James let Arthur alone, knowing he was trying to figure out what to do.

"James, I think it is time we retire from Fisk's employment. That ring just isn't worth it anymore." Jennifer was relieved. Now maybe they would leave her and Jonathan alone.

"We need the money from the job. Besides, Fisk will surely kill us if we don't come back with the ring."

"I was thinking of leaving Fisk. As long as he doesn't know where we are we will be all right. The United States is a nice place. The weather is better."

"We still need money," James argued.

Arthur looked at Jennifer, "I think Ms. Edwards is a jewel worth much more than that ring to Mr. Hart." Jennifer's heart sank.