Chapter 105
A fter endlessly emailing, I shut my laptop, excited to see Adam at Cut tonight—a four-dollar-sign restaurant in River North, a short walk from my apartment.
As I check myself out in the mirror, I realize that everything I’m wearing has been purchased by him.
Everything in my apartment paid for by him.
I sigh at that realization and leave, making my way to dinner.
Waiting in the restaurant’s lobby, Adam enters wearing a perfectly tailored navy suit. He looks incredible, as always, but I’m mad at him. This past week has been bullshit.
“Peanut.” The stress on his face seems less pronounced than the last time I saw him. There’s something extra—a small, wrapped present in his hands. “For you.”
Taking it, he nods, implying that I should open it right now.
A bottle of perfume. It’s thoughtful, but I hope he doesn’t think a bottle of perfume excuses this past week—especially after he missed the chance to hang out with Kelsey.
“This smells amazing.” I’m smiling after spraying it on my wrists, feeling a little less grumpy. It’s perfect. The scent feels like it was made for me.
“Think of me when you wear it,” he says, leaning down for a kiss. While we have a lot to discuss, the gift helps set a more positive tone for the evening, making the past few days feel a little less bad.
“We’re not talking about me tonight,” he says, pushing my seat in. “How are you? What’s new?”
As we sit across from each other, the candlelight flickering between us, I’m reminded why I love my life with Adam. Even though his time is currently a very precious commodity, I always enjoy being together. Before I can share the complete details of my weekend with Kelsey, his phone interrupts me.
He groans and glances at the caller ID. “It’s a Chinese investor—he needs to wire money. I’ve been waiting all day for this call.”
Tonight was supposed to be our night! I want to scream. All I want is a brief escape from the demands of his work. Disappointment sinks in. Dating a billionaire has a growing list of downsides.
My face clearly shows how I feel. “I know. This sucks, but I have to go, Peanut. I’m so sorry.” He hesitates. “Could you call a friend?”
It’s impossible to mask my feelings with a smile. “Sure.”
“I gotta go back to the office. Hopefully, this is our last conference call. Love you,” he says, kissing my forehead. “Use the card I gave you.”
I roll my eyes, holding back a tear. Buying dinner for me and a friend doesn’t make up for the fact that he left me. The steakhouse loses some of its sparkle as I watch him leave. Determined not to let the night be ruined, I rack my brain for who could join me on such short notice.
Kate? Pressing her contact in my phone, she answers immediately. She’s already in River North and can join me in minutes.
“Girl!” she squeals upon seeing me. Her enthusiasm is a welcome silver lining. “You don’t know how much you saved me.” I stand and hug her.
“You smell amazing!” she says, squeezing me. “I think we were meant to meet tonight.” She analyzes my face. “Obviously, you’re having a shit night too. Let me tell you what I’ve been up to for the last ninety minutes. It’ll make you laugh.”
I smile and take a sip of my wine, relieved she’s sober and excited to actually catch up with her.
“Brandon thought a good date idea would be a sound bath,” she says, looking around for the waiter.
“Wait, you and Brandon are dating again?” It feels like no time has passed since we were drinking and talking about everything and nothing day after day at Sorin’s place.
“Very casually. Since this summer. Please, let me tell you about this fucking sound bath.” I hold my hands up, relenting.
“Ninety minutes of listening to the most annoying sound. Why would that be fun? I haven’t been with my thoughts that long in my entire life,” she rambles.
When the server approaches, she points at a cocktail on the menu without breaking her story.
“I was praying for it to be over. And then—a call from Tiny!”
Laughing, I realize how much life we have to catch up on and how happy I am that it feels like we can seamlessly pick up where we left off.
“How does it work—you not being sober and Brandon being very sober?”
“Not great,” she says, sipping the cocktail that just arrived. She rolls her eyes. I recognize that feeling. All the emotions playing across her face remind me of my every interaction with Declan.
“I love that you’re still rocking purple hair.”
“Are you hitting on me?” she whispers, and I shake my head.
“We are not talking about that!”
As dinner progresses, our conversations deepen, weaving through the last five years. It feels good to have this companionship. After seeing Kelsey over the weekend and now Kate today, it’s refreshing to talk about things outside of engagement, prenups, kids, and Adam.
“So, you and Adam Harris. That’s an upgrade from Sorin!” Kate says after the waiter clears our plates.
“He’s amazing. But life with him is challenging.”
“Dude, I get it. My dad’s first, second, and third wives are his work.”
“I feel like an idiot for not realizing your dad is the CEO of Pour.”
“I do my best to leave out the context clues. People always treat me differently once they learn who my dad is.”
“So, is he going to run for governor?”
“Who’s asking?” She raises an eyebrow. “Adam, Brandon’s dad, and so many other people are on his dick about running.” Kate leans back in her chair. “It’s not like I could see any less of him, but he at least has asked me how I feel about it.”
“And?”
“I think he would be a good politician. He came from a humble upbringing and has overcome so much. But the money guys …” She cocks her head at me. “They have a lot of plans for him.”
Thinking about the hard drive of Bitcoin Adam gave him at dinner, I have an idea of what she means. Should I know all of Adam’s business dealings? Should I be involved in the weeds with him? I’ll have to keep considering that as I also think about whether or not we’re getting married.
“Adam seems great, though,” she says after a moment. “Dani and her older men.” She winks.
I laugh at the truth in that. The server sets the bill at the table. “It’s been taken care of.” Instinctively, I assume Adam took care of it, but then the server continues, “By the guy over there.”
As Kate and I turn, Declan’s eyes meet mine across the room. There he is, unmistakably Declan, looking as good as ever. He’s at a table with five other guys, none of whom look familiar. My heart skips—not out of fear, but something far more dangerous.
Kate bursts out laughing. “You and those Kruk brothers.” She swats my arm before waving at him. “Stop,” I hiss. “I don’t want him to come over.” Her amusement of this situation only makes my heart race more.
“Kate, nice to see you again,” Declan says as he approaches, but when his eyes shift to me, it’s charged. I put my hands in my lap to hide the ring, which I’m wearing on my left finger. “Dani.” The tension in his voice saying my name … I don’t know what to do with that.
“Declan, I have a bone to pick with you.” Kate glares at him playfully. “Why did you have to introduce Brandon to sound baths?”
A small smile grows on his face. “It’s good for your brain.”
“You didn’t have to buy us dinner,” I say, wanting to know his intention. His eyes convey that he saw Adam leave.
“Two beautiful women all alone. I’d rather it be me than someone else.”
Those words. They’re intentional, reminding me of the chemistry that simmers beneath our little banters.
“You know that means you bought us drinks,” I sass.
He squints at me, annoyed, before walking away.
“Tiny!” Kate scolds in a whisper. “Let me get this straight. You’re engaged to Adam and want to fuck Declan.”
“Neither of those things are true,” I snap.
She takes a sip of her drink. “Interesting.”
Saying goodbye to Kate outside the restaurant, we agree to get coffee soon. Heading toward my apartment, my thoughts consume me until Declan’s voice stops me in my tracks.
“Dani, wait up.” Turning, he’s jogging to catch up, a determined look on his face making me feel all sorts of ways.
“I’m heading home.”
“Let me walk you.”
I shouldn’t read into it, but I can’t help myself. “I’m okay.”
“It’s late in the city. Let me walk you.” The statement is just that—he’s not taking no for an answer.
“Such a gentleman.”
The city streets are a blur as we silently make our way toward my apartment. His presence is a magnetic force at my side, but I look ahead.
“Why are you stalking me?” I joke, but I am curious why he was at Cut.
“I’m not stalking you.” He chuckles. “That was a monthly meeting of the minds with fellow startup founders.”
I give him a side-eye, but believe him.
“Why did you buy dinner?” I finally ask, needing to hear the words, to understand the why behind his actions.
His reply is a low grumble. “You know why.”
“Mmm. Explain it to me.” My defense mechanisms bring out my bratty side.
“I would never leave you like that,” he says, holding piercing eye contact until his gaze lands on my ring. “Tell me that’s not what I think it is!” His deep voice snarls, catching me off guard.
“It’s not.” The relief is immediately visible on his face. Considering what I said, I’m not ready to be engaged to Adam. We still have so much to figure out—like the prenup that was emailed to me. What the fuck was that? I internally groan, not wanting to think about it.
Then, his expression shifts into a complex matrix of emotions. “What?” I press.
“If we were together, my entire world would revolve around you.”
“You also would never date me.” I laugh, defensive and not ready to let his words sink in. “You’re too self-righteous.”
“Self-righteous?” He shakes his head. “Me? Or you?”
“Me?”
“You can be narrow-minded.”
“Agh!” I scoff. “Well, it’s not like you could date me anyway because I’m with Adam.”
“How much more time are you going to waste with him?”
“Fuck off. You can leave now.”
“Not until we get to your apartment.”
“Agh!” I huff, and we keep walking. “Why did you bid on the painting?” I ask, at my wit’s end with him. But it’s a question I’ve been thinking about since the gala.
I can tell he’s holding back his response as we continue to walk. “You’re happy?” he finally asks. It’s a yes-or-no question, but my mind races with all the gray in it.
“Very.” I attempt to assert, but I don’t believe it as I say it, and unfortunately, I think Declan hears the lie too.
He shakes his head, his jaw tightening. I expect him to call me on it, to say something that will get me all riled up. But instead, he turns and walks away from my building’s entrance, leaving me in an existential crisis.