Read Online I Married a Billionaire by Melanie Marchande - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melanie Marchande
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tired."
"Well, you'll forget all about it when we get where we're going."
There was something different in the tone of his voice, now that he was talking to me in front of John. Something a little…distant, maybe. Aloof? Uncaring, even. I was beginning to put the pieces together - how he must live large portions of his life, or maybe all of his life, striving to fulfill the expectations that were placed on him.
Poor little rich boy . I smirked at myself. Was I really trying to feel sorry for him? The man who could buy a space shuttle?
Man, I was really getting fixated on those shuttles. Maybe it was the summer moon shining so brightly every night that had me dwelling on space travel.
"Did you ever want to go to the moon when you were a kid?" I blurted out, sitting up straighter and looking at him.
His face broke into a smile - a genuine one. "What?"
"It's a simple question. Did you ever want to go to the moon?"
He shrugged. "It's just a rock. A giant rock out in the middle of nothing. What's to see?"
"Yeah, you know that now. But when you were a kid. Didn't you ever look at it, and marvel at how close it was, and think man, I'd really like to go there . It looks like it's so close, like you could just jump in the car and drive there in a few minutes." I looked out of the window; it was waxing, big and round, glowing just above the tallest buildings. "Doesn't it?"
"Honestly…" he squinted at it. "Well. Maybe."
"See? I used to imagine climbing the tallest trees around my house to try and get there. I knew it wouldn't work, even when I was little, but I just wanted to go there so badly. Just to do it. I don’t know why. I know there's nothing there. I'd just like to be able to experience it, once in my life."
"Well, you know, space tourism is under development as we speak. You may yet have a chance."
Hell - he was right. If I was wise with my profits from this whole venture, I might be able to actually afford a trip to the moon someday. What an insane idea. My childhood dream, that I thought for sure would never come true. I really could have anything I wanted.
"I'll make sure to put it on my Christmas list," I said, leaning back in my seat.
The drive was a short one, taking us to a place downtown that I'd walked past many times, never even considering the possibility that I might eat there someday. It was sleek and elegant, more along the lines of what I had been expecting on our first date. While the Inn was lovely and comfortable, this looked more like the sort of place a high-powered businessman would propose to his supermodel wife.
Or me, as the case might be.
When we pulled up to the curb, Daniel jumped out of the car and quickly ran to my side, opening my door before I had a chance. He gave me his hand to help me out. As we walked arm-in-arm up the steps that led to the entrance, I could feel eyes on me.
I really should have gotten my hair done.
The host looked up and smiled when we walked in the door. "Mr. Thorne, we have your table right over here. Please follow me."
I had never felt more awkward in my life - and that was saying something. Walking between the booths and tables of the fanciest restaurant in the city, I tried to keep my eyes focused on the wall directly in front of me, but I knew people were watching me. Of course they were. Who wouldn't? I looked like a little girl playing dress up in Mommy's fancy clothes. It was absurd to think I could ever fit in an environment like this. No matter how much money Daniel spent on me, I'd always stand out as someone who was just pretending.
"Here you are, sir. Ma'am." The host handed us our menus. "Your server will be with you in a moment."
"Thank you, Tom." Daniel laid his menu down on the table, unopened. "Before you decide on anything, I recommend waiting to hear the specials. They're always seasonal and fresh as it gets."
"Thanks," I said. I didn't feel like looking at my menu anyway. I didn't feel like eating, for that matter.
The
"Well, you'll forget all about it when we get where we're going."
There was something different in the tone of his voice, now that he was talking to me in front of John. Something a little…distant, maybe. Aloof? Uncaring, even. I was beginning to put the pieces together - how he must live large portions of his life, or maybe all of his life, striving to fulfill the expectations that were placed on him.
Poor little rich boy . I smirked at myself. Was I really trying to feel sorry for him? The man who could buy a space shuttle?
Man, I was really getting fixated on those shuttles. Maybe it was the summer moon shining so brightly every night that had me dwelling on space travel.
"Did you ever want to go to the moon when you were a kid?" I blurted out, sitting up straighter and looking at him.
His face broke into a smile - a genuine one. "What?"
"It's a simple question. Did you ever want to go to the moon?"
He shrugged. "It's just a rock. A giant rock out in the middle of nothing. What's to see?"
"Yeah, you know that now. But when you were a kid. Didn't you ever look at it, and marvel at how close it was, and think man, I'd really like to go there . It looks like it's so close, like you could just jump in the car and drive there in a few minutes." I looked out of the window; it was waxing, big and round, glowing just above the tallest buildings. "Doesn't it?"
"Honestly…" he squinted at it. "Well. Maybe."
"See? I used to imagine climbing the tallest trees around my house to try and get there. I knew it wouldn't work, even when I was little, but I just wanted to go there so badly. Just to do it. I don’t know why. I know there's nothing there. I'd just like to be able to experience it, once in my life."
"Well, you know, space tourism is under development as we speak. You may yet have a chance."
Hell - he was right. If I was wise with my profits from this whole venture, I might be able to actually afford a trip to the moon someday. What an insane idea. My childhood dream, that I thought for sure would never come true. I really could have anything I wanted.
"I'll make sure to put it on my Christmas list," I said, leaning back in my seat.
The drive was a short one, taking us to a place downtown that I'd walked past many times, never even considering the possibility that I might eat there someday. It was sleek and elegant, more along the lines of what I had been expecting on our first date. While the Inn was lovely and comfortable, this looked more like the sort of place a high-powered businessman would propose to his supermodel wife.
Or me, as the case might be.
When we pulled up to the curb, Daniel jumped out of the car and quickly ran to my side, opening my door before I had a chance. He gave me his hand to help me out. As we walked arm-in-arm up the steps that led to the entrance, I could feel eyes on me.
I really should have gotten my hair done.
The host looked up and smiled when we walked in the door. "Mr. Thorne, we have your table right over here. Please follow me."
I had never felt more awkward in my life - and that was saying something. Walking between the booths and tables of the fanciest restaurant in the city, I tried to keep my eyes focused on the wall directly in front of me, but I knew people were watching me. Of course they were. Who wouldn't? I looked like a little girl playing dress up in Mommy's fancy clothes. It was absurd to think I could ever fit in an environment like this. No matter how much money Daniel spent on me, I'd always stand out as someone who was just pretending.
"Here you are, sir. Ma'am." The host handed us our menus. "Your server will be with you in a moment."
"Thank you, Tom." Daniel laid his menu down on the table, unopened. "Before you decide on anything, I recommend waiting to hear the specials. They're always seasonal and fresh as it gets."
"Thanks," I said. I didn't feel like looking at my menu anyway. I didn't feel like eating, for that matter.
The
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