20. Mila
Mila
Dear Diary,
When I marry Ryker Walker, I’m going to have a big wedding and invite all those girls in school who made fun of me for having a crush on my brother’s friend.
“He’ll never be with you,” they said. “He’ll never want you,” they said.
I’ll show them. One day, he’ll be mine, and they’ll be eating all of their words.
Mila
XOXO
“Lara, I’m telling you that Ryker has been the perfect gentleman since I said yes,” I whispered into the phone during my lunch break.
“It’s only been a week, Mila.” Lara didn’t sound impressed. “I would hope he’d still be a gentleman in the first week.”
“He’s a perfect lover.” I sighed as I thought about the previous night’s lovemaking. “So giving.”
“I should hope so,” Lara said, and I knew that she was a little jealous because I kinda had Ryker and she had nothing with Parker.
“He wants me to move in with him,” I said and bit my lower lip. “Hold on, I think Parker is coming.” My brother walked into my office. “What can I do for you?”
“Ryker’s here,” he said with a frown. “Are you going to bring him to dinner tomorrow night? I think our parents and Nonno deserve to know that you guys are engaged now?”
“I guess I’ll ask him.” I sighed, not really wanting to have to lie to my parents and Nonno.
“Is Lara coming?” Parker asked almost indifferently. “I haven’t seen her in a while.”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged, my eyes narrowed. “Why do you care?”
“I don’t.” He looked away. “I was just wondering.”
“Okay,” I said and whispered into my phone as he walked out of the room, “Ryker’s here, I’ll call you back in ten minutes, Lara,” I said and hung up. I hurried out of the office to look for Ryker.
“There you are, darling,” Ryker said as he walked toward me with a large bouquet of flowers.
“Hi.” I smiled shyly, still not quite believing that I was sleeping with and dating this amazing man. I leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “What brings you by?”
“I wanted to say hi, see your pretty face, and ask you to dinner tonight.”
“Okay.” I smiled. “That sounds good.”
“It’s a work dinner.” His eyes bore into mine. “With my dad. And the board.”
“Oh, okay.” I nodded, reality hitting me. “An important dinner, then?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “Real important.”
“Okay.” I nodded again. “Can you come to my family dinner tomorrow night as well? Parker thinks we need to tell everyone about our engagement.”
“I can do that.” His lips thinned, and my heart dropped.
“Unless you don’t want to, of course.”
“I want to.” He smiled, leaned forward, and kissed me lightly. “Of course, I want to.”
“You didn’t have to buy me a new dress,” I said as we drove to the restaurant to meet his dad and the board of directors. “I have cocktail dresses.”
“I wanted tonight to be special,” he said, reaching over to squeeze my knee. “I want you to make a good impression.”
“Okay,” I said, feeling peeved. What did that mean? Did he think that my own wardrobe wasn’t good enough? “Is there anything you want me to do or say?”
“Just pretend that you love me.” He shrugged. “Act all lovey-dovey and pretend you want more than my body.”
“Okay,” I said, my voice stiff. How could I tell him that I did love him, and I did want more than his body?
“Okay, we’re here,” Ryker said with a small smile as he gazed at me. “Just act natural and be yourself. Everyone will love you.”
I smiled at him as I got out of the car, not knowing how to tell him that I didn’t want everyone to love me, only him.