That gave me a little bit of hope, and I sat up straighter. “Like sailing?” I loved sailing, though I’d only been a few times with Jade and her friends.
He chuckled almost snidely. “No, Poppy. I have a yacht.”
Defeat filled my chest, and I remained silent to encourage him to continue.
“I enjoy practicing with various weapons, but I like guns. I frequent a private range weekly. I would go daily if I could. Do you work out?”
“Not really. I mean, I enjoy sports, so I suppose that could count. I have to stay in shape to snowboard and the like.”
He nodded as he glanced down at his phone and typed something in. “I will get you in with my personal trainer. You’ll start spin class next week, early mornings, and yoga around lunch. Do you have a private chef?”
“No, I’ve cooked for myself for a while now.”
I didn’t mention that I hadn’t ever had the money to feel like I could hire a chef until now. He had to know that.
He typed some more into his phone before he looked back up at me.
“Vernon Callahan will be your new chef. He will prepare meals for you and your house guests weekly. High protein, low carb, high fat.”
How had us talking about him turned into him changing everything about my life?
“Do you have a personal shopper?” Was his next question.
“No, I’ve enjoyed shopping for myself.”
More typing, and my agitation grew in my chest. Would this be the rest of my life? No, because he was getting it all established now, so he wouldn’t have to do it later. I would be expected to follow along, and I hated it. I gritted my teeth together as I stared at my full wine glass. I wouldn’t even bother with drinking tonight. There would be no enjoyment in this date, even with alcohol to float me.
“I understand that, but your life is different now, Poppy. You will need a personal shopper. I’ll send mine over, and she’ll get all of your measurements, as well as go through your closet to ensure what your wardrobe has and doesn’t. We need to make sure you’re red carpet ready and, of course, you’ll need clothes for our engagement events.”
“Right,” I muttered.When was the food arriving?
He placed his phone face down and leveled his gaze onme again. “Anyway, I enjoy frequenting the gym and going to MMA fights. Sports aren’t entirely my thing, but I do love a good fight.”
It was time for my eyes to glaze over. Nothing about us was compatible, which would have been fine if he had even cared about my interests.
He carried on, and I was having a hard time not zoning him completely out. When could I go home? “I also enjoy expensive alcohol. I frequent tastings and gatherings for various bourbon and whiskey distilleries.”
I couldn’t relate again. I didn’t mind a drink every once in a while, but I didn’t care either way about a tasting or going to find alcohol somewhere besides the store or a restaurant.
When our food finally arrived, I was sure I hadn’t said more than five words in almost thirty minutes. He didn’t ask me about anything else regarding myself again, and he continued on and on about the fighting styles he preferred, how much he gambled at events, and how we should probably have our wedding in Ireland. I honestly didn’t even know if I cared anymore. All the hope that swelled in my chest before I arrived popped and left me feeling empty. I wanted nothing more than to curl up on the couch with a big tub of ice cream and binge-watch anything on TV. It didn’t even matter at this point as long as I was far away from this future husband of mine.
I stared down at my fancy salad covered in a dressing I didn’t even know the name of, with rare steak. High protein,low carb, and high fat. I wanted to send it back. “Do you have a favorite ice cream?”
He was bringing a small sliver of rare steak to his lips when the question popped out of my mouth. One of his auburn brows lifted on his forehead. “Do you think this body indulges in sugar?”
That would be a no, then.
“Will we live together?”
He shook his head as he chewed thoughtfully. “No, we won’t. Closer to the wedding, I’ll have you moved to the renovated part of my penthouse, but they won’t be connected. You’ll have an entire floor to yourself with private access through a shared elevator.”
“What about when we have kids?”
I wondered why I was doing this to myself.
“Especially not then. I have too much business to conduct and I don’t have the time or the patience for little sticky fingers and loud mouths.”
My brothers had shackled me to everything I would never want for myself. I hadn’t ever thought about having kids, but when I asked if we would live together after having them, I guess I expected to have a partner.
