‘Currently with my dad, but naturally that won’t be an ongoing situation. And I happen to be thinking aboutour babyas well, Rocco! A loveless marriage does nothing when it comes to providing what a child needs.’
‘You’ve made your case, Ella. You don’t have to drive the point home. Back to your living arrangements. I’ll be buying you a house.’
‘Hold on just a minute! Don’t think you can swan in here and start telling me what I can and can’t do!’
‘No, Ella,youhold on. I didn’t see this coming and neither did you. You might think it’s acceptable for your pride to be in the driving seat, because what you’d really like is the fairy tale dream of happy-ever-after in a situation like this, but there’s no room for pride here and you’d better start accepting that.’
‘Or else what?’
‘Or else I can safely say that your concerns revolve around yourself and have nothing to do with this baby, whatever you say to the contrary. I won’t be able to relocate here, but I will buy a house close by for weekend use. This isn’t about telling you what you can and can’t do. This is about practicalities. I’m rich and I can afford it.’
‘Where do you even live?’ Ella suddenly asked ‘Spain? Not Ireland, I’m sure. Isn’t it going to be inconvenient for you traipsing up here all the time?’
‘I have bases in a number of countries, and nothing’s inconvenient when you have a private jet at your disposal. At any rate, I can personally oversee work on the store and remote work as needs be.’
‘Private jet…’
‘Additionally, I will set up an account for you. You’ll find that you’ll have more than enough money to do whatever you want.’
‘An account forthe baby,’ Ella corrected.
Rocco ignored that. With his end goal in sight, he intended to hammer home all the advantages that would come with being his wife. ‘Of course, should you meet someone else, then…’ Heeloquently shrugged his shoulders and sat back, allowing her to register that possibility.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noted her taking stock of something she hadn’t thought about.
‘By which,’ he hammered home, ‘I mean some renegotiation would have to take place. I won’t be paying for another guy’s upkeep.’
‘Another guy’s upkeep?It’s months before I evenhavethe baby. At what point will thisother guycome along, demanding tobe kept? This is all moving way too fast!’
‘I’m not a man who likes to take chances,’ he said smoothly. ‘You could say this is the outcome of taking a chance, or at any rate of losing sight of self-control. You ask when some guy might come along looking to be kept? You’re going to be a very wealthy woman. You’ll be surprised at how many men will start circling because of your money.’
‘I really don’t think we need to—’
‘And naturally, there’s me, while we’re discussing probable scenarios.’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘I would want a wife, and sooner rather than later. But, you’re right, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.’ He waved that aside dismissively, shrewd enough to know that the idea would find a way into her head. ‘To be discussed at a later date, no doubt. First on the agenda will be accommodation that’s suitable for us and, after that, we can work on the details of finances and the rest. I’m assuming, at least for now, that lawyers need not be involved?’
‘No!’
‘Good.’ Rocco nodded. ‘Like it or not, we’re in this together, Ella, so stop fighting me. Let’s enjoy lunch and we can talk about…whatever you think needs doing at the department store as a final hurrah. And one more thing?’
‘What’s that? I don’t think I’m up to dealing with much more at the moment.’
‘Your father? I would like to meet him, and today seems as good a day as any to do that.’
Chapter Six
A wife? Soonerrather than later?
What happened to the marriage proposal? He’d certainly accepted her refusal at the speed of light!
The bill was paid and as Ella was faffing, gathering her gloves and idly checking her phone for messages. She said casually, ‘You would want a wife sooner rather than later, you say?’
She started sticking on the gloves and surreptitiously stared at Rocco from under her lashes. He didn’t believe in love, and didn’t think it was necessary for a healthy, happy marriage, so of course he wouldn’t have a problem marrying a woman just to be a mother to their child, to provide the family unit he thought was important. A woman who would probably come from the same background as him. A rich, beautiful socialite who wouldn’t make a nuisance of herself by demanding shows of love and affection.
She felt a dizzying tightness in her chest at the thought of that. It was fine waving aside a marriage proposal as unacceptable because it didn’t meet her requirements. It was a little different when the marriage proposal was then airbrushed out of existence to give way to the possibility of another woman stepping in to fill the space.
