Chapter 15

**Skyler Johnson**

I stare at the dark haired man in front of me and contemplate if I should buy into whatever this is. I know it would be easier for us to get along but I am honestly not at that point yet and I can proudly say I want to hold on to my anger a little bit longer. Just a little but. I'm still confused as to why he would want to bring children into this world, even if he wants to give them a beautiful childhood. I mean, I had one and now look where I am, having dinner with a guy that I very much dislike and getting married in a few months.

"We should set a date." I tell him, now that I'm thinking of it. I can't believe we haven't set a date yet and everyone is so into planning this thing.

"A date, for what?' He asks, looking genuinely confused about what I just told him.

"For the wedding. If we don't set a date everything is just hanging in the air." I tell him and honestly I just wished I had kept my mouth shut. Setting a date for this thing would make it all real and although I know I can't exactly backtrack now and say I don't want to marry him but it doesn't mean that I can't convince myself this is a nightmare a few days longer.

"Well, I don't really care about it, as long as it happens." He says and I find myself frowning at him. "Is there something wrong?" I shrug at his question because I'm not really sure why his words upset me much. No, I am sure, I just don't want to admit it out loud because then it would look like I care and I don't want it to look that way. Even if a small part of me does.

"Nothing, I'll set the date then." I tell him and his eyes widen.

"Are you upset because I told you I don't care?" He asks and I shrug my shoulders. "You are, why?" He asks and I groan. This is exactly why I don't want to be alone with him. One of us is always a little to honest and it makes being around each other very awkward.

"I'm not upset, I just think someone should care when they're getting married, or is that not a thing anymore?" I ask him and he shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't know, believe it or not I've never done this before. I don't know the first thing about planning a wedding. I just know people shows up and everything looks good." He says and I want to punch him in the throat.

"Well, you can't just pick a random date to get married, you should have a reason for wanting to get married on that day." I tell him and he rolls his eyes.

"It's getting married reason enough?" He asks and I shake my head. This man is impossible to deal with.

"I guess." I say and look down at my mostly empty plate. "Are we done here? Can we leave now?" I ask because I'm honestly so done spending the night in awkward silence and meaningless conversations.

"We haven't even had desert yet." He says and as if he's waited for those words all night the waiter comes back and removes our plates. I just stare at Xavier from across the table and wish time would go faster. I don't think I've ever been so out of sorts with myself, not ever and this is getting a little uncomfortable and not to mention boring. I can't help but think if this was Tristan that conversation would never run dry and I wouldn't be so uncomfortable sitting here and pretending that I like this guy.

The waiter brings out desert and I can't help but laugh when he places a bowl of blueberry ice cream down in front of me, complete with two cherries and chocolate sauce. Xavier winks at me and I swear this is the most normal thing he's ever done since we've met each other. Just as I think he's done the waiter comes back carrying a small round vase filled with red roses. When he puts the roses down I look at Xavier with wide eyes because sitting in the middle of the centre rose is a beautiful ring.

"I thought since we got off on the wrong foot I would try and do this right." He starts but I still can't tear my eyes away from the ring in front of me. "Skyler, I'll never be the guy that gives you flowers and roses and pretends to be romantic, because that's just not who I am. This is a one time deal. I'll never lie to you and tell you you're beautiful when you're not and saying that I should tell you I hate the way your hair looks now." He says and I let out a laugh at that and even to my ears it's sounds a bit hysterical. "I know you hate my guts and I understand why but I think we are both adults here so we should try and get over all this shit and try and like each other. Honestly I've never been so patient with anyone except Candice and even with her I've not looked over half the things she does that annoys me. You talk back to me and I hate it. You roll your eyes at me and it feels like my skin is itching to discipline you. You go against everything I say and you basically tell me the only way I'm going to have kids is to dream about them." He says and I roll my eyes. "Despite everything I'm still making myself look like an idiot by asking you to marry me." He ends and I finally look up at him.

"You are an idiot." I tell him and he gives me an annoyed look.

"Way to ruin the moment." He grumbles and I raise my eyebrow at him.

"You didn't have to go through all this trouble. All I wanted was for you to actually ask me instead of just handing me a ring and telling me to wear it." I say, thinking back to a few weeks back and how angry I was at him.

"Noted, now I believe I asked you a question." He says and I give him a coy smile.

"I don't think you actually asked me anything." I tell him and he glares at me.

"Skyler Maya Johnson, will you marry me?" He asks and I frown at him.

"How do you know my middle name?" I ask him and I can tell he's going to loose it if I keep teasing him. "Yes, I will marry you." I say and it takes him a second to realize what I just said. He nods before taking the ring from the flowers and motioning for my hand witch I give to him and watch as he slides the ring on my finger and I can only be thankful that's it's not a diamond but a very beautiful pale pink stone with a round cut and smaller diamonds to frame the band of the ring.

"Are you going to wear it now?" He asks and I shrug.

"Why would you care? As long as we get married, right?" I ask and it takes him a second to realize that I'm using his words against him.

"Fine, I'll come up with some dates and get back to you but it has to be soon because I'm not getting married in the winter and I'm not waiting until next year to get married." He says and my eyes widen.

"That only gives us two months, Xavier. Are you insane?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"Nope, so we better get planning. Don't you think?" I look at him and then back at the roses and consider throwing the vase against his head but that would only be an insult to the roses so I settle for glaring at the dark haired man across from me.