disappointment fade.
Chapter 8: Emilia
Rob was going to propose tonight. We had agreed to it beforehand. In the contract we had specified that the engagement take place no later than two months after our first date. It had been seven weeks and three days since our first outing at The Vine.
The past few weeks had gone extremely well. Rob had been the perfect boyfriend. People who were skeptical about our relationship were now finally coming around and believing that we were the real deal. We'd even been dubbed "Romilia". It was such a stupid name and I cringed every time I heard it, but Charlotte and Arnie had been really pleased.
"That just means you two are actually a thing now," Arnie had explained. I didn't ask him to clarify.
Rob had found our moniker highly amusing. In fact he couldn't stop laughing about it. "This is just too rich! I have to send this to my mother," he said, wiping the tears from the corner of his eye.
Speaking of his mother, I had yet to meet the woman. I felt a little bad about it. Since signing the contracts, we had been solely focusing on my needs and requirements. Rob had attended fashion shows, movie premiers, parties, and other industry events with me, but I had yet to go to one of his functions. I hadn't thought to ask him about it since he never brought it up. I had to remind myself to ask him about it tonight.
He was going to pick me up at my house and whisk me away for a romantic dinner at Flemings. The restaurant was handpicked because it was small and intimate, but I knew several industry people frequented the place. It was the perfect location to stage a fake engagement. Hopefully one of the other diners would take a picture of Rob in the act and tweet it or post it on Facebook or Instagram. Just to be sure though, Arnie had arranged to tip off the paps toward the end of our dinner.
Rob arrived at my house dressed impeccably in a black suit and tie. He grinned at me as I stepped outside and walked toward his car.
"Do you have the ring?" I asked, as I got in and buckled my seat belt. He nodded his head. I waited for him to elaborate, or maybe pull it out so I could look at it, but he remained silent.
"Are you ready for this?" I asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be," he answered. "Besides, it's not like it's a real engagement."
I tried not to think too deeply at why his words sent a stab of disappointment through me. He was only speaking the truth after all. We arrived at the restaurant and Rob and I were immediately seated at an intimate table by the back and away from the other diners.
"This is a perfect spot. We're far enough away that no one can overhear us, but still out in full view where anyone with a camera can snap a shot of us," Rob said as we sat down.
"How lucky," I said. "You're getting really good at staging these scenes."
Rob shot me a curious look, but I avoided eye contact and ignored him. What the hell was wrong with me? I needed to get myself together. This was not the time or place to start acting like some love struck fool.
Since the beginning, Rob had made it no secret that the last thing he wanted to do was settle down. He was never going to change, and I wasn't a fool enough to try. I had to ignore that little voice in the back of my head that tried to tell me there might be something more between us.
"We should order champagne," Rob said.
"How do you plan on doing it?" I asked, ignoring his suggestion.
Rob grinned at me and shook his head. "I already told you, it's a surprise. Even though this is a fake engagement, I'd like to make it at least a little exciting. You know, my pride and all that. Plus, I think the reaction shots would be a lot more authentic if you didn't know when or how it was going to happen."
I had to settle for that, but all through dinner, I couldn't help anticipating when Rob would finally pop the question. Once we had finished our meals, I started to get anxious. Any minute now!
Rob sat across from
Chapter 8: Emilia
Rob was going to propose tonight. We had agreed to it beforehand. In the contract we had specified that the engagement take place no later than two months after our first date. It had been seven weeks and three days since our first outing at The Vine.
The past few weeks had gone extremely well. Rob had been the perfect boyfriend. People who were skeptical about our relationship were now finally coming around and believing that we were the real deal. We'd even been dubbed "Romilia". It was such a stupid name and I cringed every time I heard it, but Charlotte and Arnie had been really pleased.
"That just means you two are actually a thing now," Arnie had explained. I didn't ask him to clarify.
Rob had found our moniker highly amusing. In fact he couldn't stop laughing about it. "This is just too rich! I have to send this to my mother," he said, wiping the tears from the corner of his eye.
Speaking of his mother, I had yet to meet the woman. I felt a little bad about it. Since signing the contracts, we had been solely focusing on my needs and requirements. Rob had attended fashion shows, movie premiers, parties, and other industry events with me, but I had yet to go to one of his functions. I hadn't thought to ask him about it since he never brought it up. I had to remind myself to ask him about it tonight.
He was going to pick me up at my house and whisk me away for a romantic dinner at Flemings. The restaurant was handpicked because it was small and intimate, but I knew several industry people frequented the place. It was the perfect location to stage a fake engagement. Hopefully one of the other diners would take a picture of Rob in the act and tweet it or post it on Facebook or Instagram. Just to be sure though, Arnie had arranged to tip off the paps toward the end of our dinner.
Rob arrived at my house dressed impeccably in a black suit and tie. He grinned at me as I stepped outside and walked toward his car.
"Do you have the ring?" I asked, as I got in and buckled my seat belt. He nodded his head. I waited for him to elaborate, or maybe pull it out so I could look at it, but he remained silent.
"Are you ready for this?" I asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be," he answered. "Besides, it's not like it's a real engagement."
I tried not to think too deeply at why his words sent a stab of disappointment through me. He was only speaking the truth after all. We arrived at the restaurant and Rob and I were immediately seated at an intimate table by the back and away from the other diners.
"This is a perfect spot. We're far enough away that no one can overhear us, but still out in full view where anyone with a camera can snap a shot of us," Rob said as we sat down.
"How lucky," I said. "You're getting really good at staging these scenes."
Rob shot me a curious look, but I avoided eye contact and ignored him. What the hell was wrong with me? I needed to get myself together. This was not the time or place to start acting like some love struck fool.
Since the beginning, Rob had made it no secret that the last thing he wanted to do was settle down. He was never going to change, and I wasn't a fool enough to try. I had to ignore that little voice in the back of my head that tried to tell me there might be something more between us.
"We should order champagne," Rob said.
"How do you plan on doing it?" I asked, ignoring his suggestion.
Rob grinned at me and shook his head. "I already told you, it's a surprise. Even though this is a fake engagement, I'd like to make it at least a little exciting. You know, my pride and all that. Plus, I think the reaction shots would be a lot more authentic if you didn't know when or how it was going to happen."
I had to settle for that, but all through dinner, I couldn't help anticipating when Rob would finally pop the question. Once we had finished our meals, I started to get anxious. Any minute now!
Rob sat across from
Similar Books
