“You dine here tonight,” Tony said and led them over to their usual table, which was already set with two glasses and an open bottle of wine. One of Tony’s sons brought over a basket of bread, grinning hugely at the two of them. “The usual?” he asked.
Pepper looked up at Dimitri hopefully, who only rolled his eyes, then nodded. “Yes. The usual.”
The man grinned, rubbing his hands together. “Lobster ravioli and fettuccine Alfredo, coming up!”
Several of the other diners, people she knew from the neighborhood, stopped by to congratulate them on their engagement and Pepper was grateful for their comments. Their interruptions also allowed her temper to cool slightly. So, when their dinner arrived, she dove in, hungrier than she’d realized.
After the first bite, she closed her eyes, savoring the rich, decadent flavors of garlic, cheese, and rich cream. “Just as wonderful as always,” she sighed.
“You were hungry,” Dimitri observed.
Pepper shrugged. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was until Tony brought the food. But yes, I suppose I was hungrier than normal.”
He sliced a rich, lobster-stuffed square, then waved his fork at her plate, indicating that she should eat more. “Good. Now, let’s discuss the wedding.”
Pepper twirled thick strands of pasta onto her fork. “I need to tell my sisters about the baby.”
His lips firmed as if he had some bad news. “What is it?” she asked, worried and she leaned forward, wanting to take his hands, but not sure if he would appreciate that gesture of affection at the moment.
“I have to travel again next week. I want you with me when I go.”
Pepper pulled back, startled by the non-request. “Dimitri, you know that I can’t travel right now. I’m preparing to show my designs to Nordstrom’s. This meeting has been on the calendar for…”
“Fine,” he agreed, running a hand over his face. “Then let’s get married this weekend.”
This weekend? He wanted to get married this weekend?! That was in only a few days! “But…my sisters! I want my sisters at my wedding.”
Dimitri reached out, taking both of her hands in his. “Pepper, we’re going to have a baby together. In…” he paused and looked into her eyes, “…perhaps seven months? We need to be married. In my culture, it is imperative. And I respect that you have work issues, but I want my ring on your finger. I want everyone to know that you are mine.” His fingers tightened on hers. “Let’s marry this weekend. I know that this meeting with the retail store is important for you. So after that meeting, we’ll visit both of your sisters and give them the news. We can organize a party later, if that’s what you want. But I need this, Pepper. I need to know that you are my wife. And I need our child protected with my name.”
Pepper looked into his eyes, not understanding the urgency. “Dimitri, being pregnant doesn’t mean that we have to…”
His fingers tightened slightly around hers as he looked deep into her eyes. “It does to me. And I think it is important to you as well, if you’re being honest with yourself.”
She leaned back, searching inside of herself. Yes, it was important. In fact, she suddenly realized something horrible about herself. Looking around, she dropped her hands so they were hidden under the table. Had she really been…but…why would she do that? It seemed ridiculous, and yet…yes. She had!
“I’m sorry,” she blurted, covering his hands with her own. “I think I was testing you. I was pushing you away, refusing to move forward with a wedding because I needed to know that you wouldn’t…” she stopped, searching for the right words.
“You needed to know that I wasn’t like your father. That I wasn’t going to leave you. You needed proof that I wasn’t going to disappear as soon as an unexpected pregnancy was announced.” He turned his hands over, his fingers tightening their hold on hers. “You never have to worry about that, Pepper. In fact, I will be speaking with my lawyer first thing tomorrow morning and I’ll ensure that you and our baby will have financial security, no matter what happens to me. Understand?”
“Yes,” she replied, but her voice was barely above a whisper because emotion was overwhelming her. “I don’t want…” She needed to tell him that she didn’t want his money. But he interrupted her.
“This is just as much about what I need, as what you want, Pepper. I need to know that you and our child will be taken care of.”
She twisted her hands together, her thoughts going down paths that she hadn’t anticipated. “You don’t think that I tricked you into this?”
He laughed softly, shaking his head. “Pepper, you warned me about this freakish fertility of yours and I didn’t listen. You told me to wait until after you were on a second form of birth control, but I’m the one who pushed our relationship to a more intimate level. So no, you didn’t trick me into this. And in fact, I don’t know of any other woman with whom I’d want to share my life.”
Pepper’s heart warmed. It wasn’t a declaration of love, but it was pretty darn close! “Thank you,” she murmured, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall over her lashes. How humiliating to weep at a time like this. “Okay, so marriage. Something fast that we can…”
“I’ll have my assistant contact a judge. We’ll get this done over the weekend.”
She stammered slightly, her heart thudding against her ribs. “But…my sisters…they won’t be able to make it in time,” she gasped.
He looked at her carefully. “I promise, we will fly to your sisters, both of them, and tell them the
