Page 25 of Sinful Abandon

Jarrod is seated at his usual table at La Riviere. I walk over to him for our lunch date, place a kiss on his cheek, and take a seat. I’m laying a white linen napkin on my lap when a waiter appears.

“Tito’s, on the rocks,” I say to the waiter, earning me a grimace from my fiancé.

“Imbibing so early in the day?”

“It’s after noon. Besides, I’m having an off day.”

“Busy morning?”

“Just a meeting with the intern.”

“Ah, Ryan Pierson. Good-looking young man. I’m sure he has his pick of women, don’t you think?”

I turn back to the waiter. “Make it a double.”

The waiter leaves, and I fix my napkin again. It just won’t stay flat on my lap.

“He has a face for television. We should groom him before he gets a job somewhere else. Maybe put him on the program, perhaps as a model or something. See how he does.”

I play with the napkin again, finally getting it to settle on my thighs.

“Is everything all right?” Jarrod asks.

My head shoots up. “Yes, sorry. Distracted.” I lay my hand across the table and take Jarrod’s in mine.

He thumbs the ring on my finger. “Looks stunning on you. Nothing but the best for the future Mrs. Bellomy.”

I smile at the sight of my ring. It is exquisite. “Everything I have ever wanted.” Isn’t it?

The waiter reappears with my vodka and offers me a menu.

Jarrod holds up a hand. “No need. We know what we want. I’ll have the poached wild salmon steaks with citrus beurre blanc, and she’ll have the shaved asparagus salad, hold the Gouda and the hazelnuts.”

As the waiter walks away from the table, I eye Jarrod, wondering why he would order my favorite salad but tell the waiter to remove the best parts.

He answers without me asking, “We don’t want you fattening up like a little piggy, do we?”

My jaw falls open. “I didn’t realize my weight was a concern.”

“It’s not,” he says with a cavalier smile. “And we want to keep it that way.”

I lift my glass to my mouth and take a sip—a long, indulging sip. When I’m done, I offer him a closed mouth smile and then say, “No, we wouldn’t want that.”

“Isn’t that just a wretched thought?” he says, causing me to flash my doe eyes at him.

“Excuse me?”

“You. Fat. Can you imagine?” His voice is in disbelief of the notion.

Good thing he didn’t see me in high school. Acne, glasses, braces…I was quite the sight.

I’d like to say I was marrying a man who would love me no matter what I looked like, but that’s not the case. I didn’t choose that sort of man to marry. I handpicked this one because he is more superficial than I am.

If I wanted to marry someone who’d love me no matter what, I’d be with someone like…never mind.

I can’t afford to think that way.

Well, after I marry Jarrod, I’ll be able to afford anything I want.