Free Billionaire on Board by Dasha G. Logan Page B

blue suit I had met him with, now in combination with a silky yellow tie and a matching pochette. The Ray Bans rested haughtily on his high-class nose and his hair was combed back as sleekly as a seal's. He looked what the Americans call 'a million dollars'. In his case rather 'several billion dollars'.
     
    I had until this moment quite successfully masked out the sheer amount of wealth behind this man who had shared my bed, my couch and my body, but it struck me now and I did not like it. 
     
    "I have a date with your neighbour, but I'd prefer to take you instead." 
    He kissed me softly on the cheek.
    "Has Gianni Versace been revived in order to deck you out?"
    "No, but he was my mother's—"
    "Pedicurist? Dog sitter?" I realised I had run out of patience with references to his jet set life. 
    "Favourite designer."
    "I see."
     
    In the car he asked me to give him a general 'who is who' of the people we would meet at the wedding.
    "Lilly's my best friend. She knows who you are. Or rather who you're not."
    "I thought Tina was your best friend."
    "Well, Tina and I are close, we're 'bro's', if you will, but Lilly and I have known each other since we were babies."
    "What does she do?"
    "She's a physician."
    "Does she have a boyfriend?"
    "Husband. Nicky. They got married last year around this time."
    "Who else?"
    "There's my dad, his name is Ole. Prof. Dr. Dr. Ole Jansen."
    "Sounds as if your dad was Swedish."
    "It's typical for Northern Germany. It's closer to Danish, if anything. — There's Christian's parents, Sybille and Klaus-Walter. She's a drunk, he's a groper."
    "And the happy couple?"
    "Corinna's a therapist and treats mainly women with personal disorders, of all things. Christian's in sales for Rachholder Machines."
    "Rachholder! Sure. They're really big in the Asian forklift market."
    I pulled a face. "I wouldn't know about their forklifts."
    He turned towards me. "Why are you so thorny all of a sudden? I left a purring kitten and I come back to a scratchy stray?"
    "Am I."
    "Yes, if I didn't know better, I'd say you needed to get laid."
    "How poetic."
    "No it's not, but do you know what is? Wait, I got the perfect accessory for you." He reached into his pocket and fished out a little red box.
    He held it out to me and opened it.
    It was a ring. A diamond ring.
    I looked at it disdainfully.
    "Did you find that in you Kinder egg?" 
    "No. Cartier." 
    "It's very beautiful, but you don't seriously think I'm going to put it on."
    "Why ever not?"
    "First, I don't even know if it fits me, secondly—"
    "No, it fits you, look!" He fished something else from his pocket. Another ring. A plastic one. My plastic one.
    "Where did you get this ring, did you take it from my jewellery box? Have you rummaged in my bathroom cupboard?"
    "Yes, I—"
    "That's bloody impertinent!"
    He put his hand on my thigh. "Sorry, Buttercup, I thought it was a good idea…"
    "No, it's bloody well not, I won't pretend we're engaged, not with my parents around, that's way too serious. They'd be over the moon for nothing, for a fake. You must be out of your mind!"
    "Ah. So, the rest of the travesty's fair enough for you."
    "No, it's not! You bloody well invited yourself to this wedding, I didn't ask you to come!"
    "I can always drop you off at the church and drive back to the hotel."
    "Go ahead."
    But the car had already stopped and the driver had already opened the rear doors.
     
    I heard a familiar voice. " Na? Erste Wolken am Himmel des jungen Glücks? " 
    My dad. 
    It was a German saying which literally meant: "What's this? First clouds in the blue skies of happiness?"
     
    I got out of the car. So did Ryan.
    My dad was standing not four yards away from us, Mary Lou in tow. 
    "You didn't tell me your father was scary and your dog was a monster." 
    "Shush." I was seething with anger.
     
    Well, to be fair, my father is 6''5' and he has a thick grey beard and Mary Lou is a Great Dane, all black and with a shoulder height of thirty-two