He has no experience and even less brains, but there’s only the two of us, so I don’t have many options. My team of lawyers have been at this non-stop for the past year and the clause is airtight. I don’t have to be married, but I do have to have a baby before my birthday, which is in exactly ten months.
It’s harder than you think to find a woman to impregnate, especially one that doesn’t want a lot of money in exchange. It’s not the money I’m worried about, but that’s not exactly the kind of mother I want for my child.
I sigh again as I push away from my desk and grab my phone. I glare down at the alert from that stupid dating app telling me there are more singles in my area. I’ve also got a text message from my mom with baby emojis and pink hearts. She knows what kind of pressure I’m under, but she’s really enjoying this far too much.
“Just remember to keep an open mind,” Geoff says as he walks over and straightens my tie. “You don’t have to be the grouchy asshole that everyone else sees. Be the grouchy asshole you save just for me.” He smiles brightly and I grumble as I walk toward the elevator.
“Have I not fired you yet?”
He pretends to think about it. “Not today.”
The elevator opens and I step inside. “Add that to my to-do list.”
“You could never get someone as charming as me to put up with you.” He puts out his hand to keep the doors from closing. “I’m serious, Dash, be nice and try to put forth an effort. We’re all running out of time.”
With that, he lets go and the doors close automatically. The weight of what I’ve built and the employees I’ve brought into this rests on my shoulders. I don’t want to meet another woman that I have absolutely nothing in common with and spend an hour trying to get away from. But for my mother and Geoff, I will try.
Goddamn it, I have to.
My driver is at the curb with the door open and I slide inside. I text my mother back to mind her business and she sends me a video on how to pick up women. I swear to god, whoever showed her how to use YouTube is fired.
I check the dating app to remind myself who it is I’m going on a date with tonight. It’s someone named Brooklyn, but the picture is just of a sunflower. How the hell I agreed to this to begin with is beyond me, but when I look back at our exchange there wasn’t much said. I asked her to dinner and she said yes. The end.
Maybe we’re both desperate, which can’t possibly be good.
“Be positive,” I tell myself, even though I don’t want to be.
I download a new game on my phone in case I end up needing it at dinner tonight. After that I put it in my pocket and stare out the window.
I’m tired of lamenting the way things are and how I ended up in this position. When I was younger I thought I had all the time in the world. Now it feels like a ticking time bomb that’s counting down the days until this all blows up in my face.
I have a responsibility to my mother and to the people that work for me, and if I have to put up with someone annoying long enough to put a baby in her then so be it. Time is running out. I don’t know why I haven’t done that yet. I keep going on all these first dates and scaring everyone off or ditching out.
The car stops at the curb and I jump out before the driver can open the door. “Wait in the park for me. I should be done in an hour,” I tell him, and he nods.
When I walk into the restaurant, it’s crowded and the hostess looks busy. I step up to the podium and the young woman beams at me. “Mr. Belmont, welcome back.” She curls her finger and another person appears at her side. “Your table is ready and I believe your date is at the bar.” She makes a face that looks like she’s surprised as she tilts her head to the lounge area.
There are a few women sitting nearby and as I scan them, I think it’s not so bad. I have no idea what my date looks like, so this could be tricky. I should have thought about this before I agreed so easily.
“Ah, here she comes,” the hostess says, and I’m shocked when I see a young woman walking toward us.
She dressed in yoga pants with an oversized college sweatshirt on and her hair is wild like she’s been in bed all day.
“Right this way,” the hostess says as my jaw hits the floor.
Without so much as a glance in my direction, my date walks right past me and follows the hostess like she owns the place.
Who the fuck does she think she is? And why do I like it?
Chapter Three
Brooklyn
I’m going to need another glass of wine.
I guess I must have missed the part where my friends said that Dash was extremely attractive. But I didn't miss the way the hostess made heart eyes while lingering at our table for a moment too long.
Dash isn't only handsome, he’s built too. It’s not in the way where he’s got a million abs and not a drop of fat on his body. He looks like he could pick me up and manhandle me to where he wanted to go. I bet he could do almost anything without getting winded. The thought makes me cross my legs.
I saw his profile picture, but it did not live up to seeing him in person. I must have barely glanced at it or something because sitting here now, no one could ever dismiss
