Page 24 of The Grumpy Billionaire Baby Daddy

"I'm here, Eva. Trying to park."

When I finally park, I sit still in the car, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel. She'll bring up marriage and kids; I need to stay composed — no losing my temper, no saying what I'm not supposed to say. I'm no fool, I know she's been in love with me for years, even though I pretend not to know. I also know her father, Davidson must've mentioned that I hinted at marrying her. Even though we were childhood friends and even dated at some point in high school, I don't see a future with her. I don't even like her. But like Dad says, when it comes to business, only the insane ones ever make headway. Yes, I'll marry her for a business deal, that's how far I'm willing to go.

I sigh, arrange my hair with the rear mirror and step out of the car. It's unusually hot tonight and a little hotter as I step into the restaurant. The smell of spicy noodles assails my nostrils. A strong mix of veggies, cheese, and lime smell is in the air as I look around. Two women are seated near the door, giggling. A man takes a portion of his soup and feeds it to his toddler. It's not noisy in here, but it's not too quiet, either. An Asian woman beams when she tries the shrimp soup, the same one I had years ago. I grimace.

It's not beam-worthy.

I turn around to the other side, searching for Eva. Finally, I find her in a short, sleeveless gown at the far end. The gown reveals just enough of her cleavage to make anyone else crazy. A little sympathy wells up in my heart. She's trying too hard.

The sun-kissed tone of her skin accentuates the beauty of the dress, while the deep hue of her hair amplifies the radiance of her wide eyes. As I approach our table, I meet Eva's intense stare, her jaw tightly clenched.

"You've made me wait for over thirty minutes."

"I'm sorry."

I clasp my palms as if doing a short prayer before taking my seat. She picks up the menu.

"What will you get?"

"I told you I don't like Thai Food."

"You did?"

Her eyes are wide.

"I never heard. I think you should still try something. You just might like it.”

I shake my head and pick up the menu to go over drink options. There's nothing for me to eat here, but perhaps there's something I can drink. The fresh mango smoothie catches my attention. I'll go with that. A waiter shows up at our table one minute later to take our orders, and as he leaves, Eva blurts out.

"He's handsome. It's a good thing I'm getting married to the most handsome man."

She peers at me from underneath her lashes. She's expecting me to say something, to make it official. It's a trap. Instead, I look out, taking in the brightness of LA street lights in the dark.

"Are you here?"

I lift my head to look at her.

"Yes."

"I asked if you plan for us to get married."

I adjust my collar and clear my throat.

"Let's just have a light-hearted evening okay? We'll talk about that some other time."

Eva's smile turns into a scowl. She holds her head up with her hands.

"I'm starting to think I don't really mean much to you, Jason. There's always one excuse or the other. You show up to dates late, hardly take my calls, and avoid conversations about our future."

My breathing is now labored, and I stare at the exit. This was a bad idea.

"We're not even together, Eva. Chill out. I think we need some time before we make any serious commitments that we might regret because —-"

"And the serious commitment we might regret is marriage?”

I pinch my forehead, exhaling through my lips. Is this deal with Eva’s dad even worth this? Although Eva and I grew up together, there’s never been anything romantic between us — at least not on my part. But with a marriage of convenience looming over us, she’s been pressuring me far too much.

“Our parents have always wanted this. Well, our dads. It’s inevitable; we will get married. But you sure don’t seem too eager.”

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