A Moment Like You (The Baker’s Creek Billionaire Brothers #2) - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,76
that you can’t finish the trial and therefore forfeit the arrangement. The second option is...well, there’s no second option. You want to live here, you have to pull your weight too.”
She glares at me and says, “Once we’re married you’re going to regret doing this to me.”
The rest of the evening isn’t any better. At dinner time everyone leaves. There’s a note on the table that says:
We’re heading to Sophia’s for dinner.
It comes as no surprise to learn that they are choosing her, and I’m glad, but what am I supposed to do now?
“On the board, it has Beacon’s name. Am I supposed to wait for him to cook?” Martina asks as she enters the kitchen.
“No, he made other arrangements,” I inform her, trying not to sound bitter at the fact that they went to my girl’s house. I reach for the phone and announce, “I’m ordering pizza for us.”
“I don’t eat carbs,” she complains.
“What do you eat?”
“Salads,” she answers. “You can get me one of those in this town, can't you?”
If I was in the mood to fuck with her head, I’d take her to Tasty Corner, the diner where they deep-fry everything, even kale.
“I’ll call my chef and have him prepare you a Caesar salad.”
She scrunches her nose. “Make sure it doesn't have iceberg lettuce. That makes me…gassy. Also, have them put the dressing on the side and no anchovies.”
“Then would you like me to ask for a different dressing?” I ask because surely, she knows that the traditional Caesar dressing comes with anchovies. Also, they use romaine lettuce.
I’m not a chef, but it’s my job to know the basics of what’s served in my kitchens all over the world.
“Well, I’m sure he can manage to prepare a vegan dressing. You pay him to do that, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t pay him to do that. If you want a one hundred percent vegan salad, I’ll make sure he serves you that,” I answer and make the call. “Can you get me a prime rib, house dressing on the side, and a dinner size vegan salad with the dressing on the side. Also, send the usual chocolate-covered strawberries to Baker’s Lane.”
“You’re not going to put me off by being an asshole with me,” she says after I give directions to the hostess to bring it to my house and to make sure the strawberries are sent every night to Sophia until further notice. “I grew up with my father and my brothers who might have a worse attitude than you. If my mother put up with Daddy for ten years, I can do the same with you.”
“Why would you want to live with someone you can barely stand?”
“What else am I supposed to do?”
I look at her stunned because she believes that there’s no other option for her than to stick to this ridiculous arrangement. In order to what? Have money?
“What do you do for a living?” I ask, wondering if there’s more to her.
“I head charities, help Mom with some of her parties, and go out with my friends,” she states.
“Who pays for your expenses?”
“Daddy, but he’s going to cut me off the day we get married,” she states. “If I don’t marry, he’s still cutting me off. Now do you understand why this isn’t optional?”
No, I don’t, because even in a world where I can buy pretty much everything and do whatever I want, I was also raised to work hard if I want to keep my status. Searching for someone to just support me is like…well, being a parasite. I’m sure that’s not the way she sees it. She learned from her parents who don’t know any better.
When I raise my daughters, I’ll make sure they learn to earn everything they have and will need. I have no doubt their mom will help me with it. I can see Sophia waking them up early and having them do their chores right after breakfast and before playtime.
“Life is full of choices. You have options, and you should never resign to follow what someone else decided for you,” I speak from my own experience. “We’ll get through this three-month trial because that’s the only possible way I can get out of it. However, it might be wise for you to use this time to think about what you plan in the future.”
“Mr. Parrish said that if you fall in love with me, the outcome will be in my favor.”
“He’s right.” It’s all I say because I’m not going