The server raises her eyebrows. “I’ll give you a minute before I put the order in. I’ll check back in a few.”
The look she gives Ken says he’ll probably end up with some of her spit in his wine when she brings it.
“Why are you being so difficult?” he asks, his voice exasperated.
“Because I don’t like duck.”
“How do you know? It’s like people who think they hate coffee because they’ve only had cheap stuff. Then they try mine—”
“I’ve tried the duck here, Ken. I don’t like it.”
He throws his hands up. “Okay. Didn’t realize you were such a picky eater.”
“It’s not picky to dislike something you like.”
“Let’s get back to why we’re here. How do we make sure I’m not pushed to that point again?”
Again, it’s my fault. This is all on me even though the only reason we met was because I was on a date. Even before things progressed to the bedroom with him, I was honest. I told him I was seeing other men.
“It feels like you’re trying to force me into a commitment.”
“I thought you liked me.”
“I did. But I told you from the start that there were two other guys I was seeing, and you’re acting like you’re blindsided.”
“I figured sleeping together was your decision. Are you sleeping with all your dates? Was I right?”
There it is. Implying I’m a whore again. “What I do with anyone else doesn’t matter. We’re not a couple, and we haven’t been.”
“So, you do sleep around.”
“No, I sleep with people I connect with. And I don’t think you’re someone I feel a connection with anymore.”
He exhales slowly, clearly attempting to keep his cool. “This isn’t going the way I wanted.”
“And how was it supposed to go, Ken?”
“With you apologizing.”
I stare with wide eyes, and I almost laugh. Except he’s not joking. “If you’d let me explain, you’d see there’s nothing for me to apologize for. We weren’t exclusive. You knew that.”
“I see a future with you, Holly. That’s what I’m fighting for.”
“A future where I can’t tell you things I find funny because you’ll get jealous? Where my dog disappears because you don’t like him? Paint me a clear picture of what this future looks like, Ken.”
“I see you living with me, helping me unwind, and maybe even helping me expand my businesses. Being cared for by me. Every girl’s dream.”
I frown. “And my dog? Where does he land in this?”
“With your brother. That way you can still visit.”
“You really expect me to choose between you and my dog?”
“It’s not really a choice,” he says with a chuckle.
I stare in shock. None of this sounds like the person I first dated. The man who cooked me dinner and made me feel like I’d won the lottery with him. “And do I have a job in this fantasy?”
“Of course. You take care of the house. When we get married, you’ll raise the kids.”
