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“I corrected your name. That was wrong of me.” A grin burst out of nowhere. “Richard Bartholomew Merrick III. I had no idea.”
He could feel his cheeks flaming with heat. “Trust me, I like the nickname Brick. My father had high hopes for me. Like his father had high hopes for him. He disappointed his father and I disappointed mine. We will not be naming our child Richard Bartholomew Merrick IV.”
Rolling laughter slipped from her beautiful lips. “We’ve barely been engaged and we’re talking about kids now.”
“Do you want any?”
His heart started to pound as heavy as the chair first started to hit him. Because, while the relationship wasn’t real, his question was. He wanted Jezebelle in his life. He wanted her for his real wife. Eventually, one day, he wanted kids—with her.
“Kids would be nice someday.”
Well, it answered his question. Just not whether she’d want them with him.
“I don’t want you apologizing for anything, Jezebelle. I can see why we’re doing this. Your mother is…” Oh, what were the right words in this situation? How lightly did he tread?
“An overbearing, selfish tyrant.”
Or she could supply the words for him. They fit perfectly.
He couldn’t have stopped the chuckle if he tried. He heard a few chuckles near his feet as well.
Jezebelle looked away. “You don’t mind going forward with all of this? It’s…a lot to ask.”
He reached out his hand toward her. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She turned his way, grasping his hand. “You are an amazing man.”
“And you’re an amazing woman. We fit together.”
Let her read that any which way she wanted.
“I can only imagine how much you hate shopping. Am I right?”
His lips curled up as more low chuckles slid out. “Not something I do often.”
“Well, you will need a nice tux for the charity dinner tomorrow. That is non-negotiable. So, I guess we’re shopping when we’re done.”
He wasn’t too happy when her mother sprung the charity dinner news on them, but he also knew they couldn’t finagle their way out of it. This was why he was pretending to be her fake fiancé. To show her mother they meant business, which meant he had to be around her mother to prove it.
“As long as I’m with you.” He squeezed her hand.
“Did someone say shopping?”
Jezebelle turned toward the new male voice and squealed in delight. “Dominic, what a pleasant surprise. How are you?”
“Giddy with happiness and a touch of jealousy you’re going shopping without me.” He bent near her and kissed her cheek. “Rich said you were in and I had to say hi before I left. Freddie’s with a client so he’ll be by later to say hi.”
Jezebelle introduced him to Dominic, who happened to be Freddie’s boyfriend.
“You know, you could help us.”
Dominic’s eyes lit up. “Keep talking.”
“Brick needs a tux for a charity dinner tomorrow night.”
“Oh, is that for the children’s hospital? We’ll be there tomorrow. Sarafina and her husband Dax will be there as well. And before you ask,” Dominic said, waving a frivolous hand in the air, “I did not pay for the plates. Travis did for all of us. The man likes to pretend he’s a good guy.”
Jezebelle laughed as if she knew the joke. Brick could only pinch his brows together and frown. He didn’t like being left out of the loop. But he was feeling better about this dinner tomorrow. He didn’t know this Dominic guy, but if he helped them shop for a tux, he’d get to know him better. Which meant he’d have some friends in his arsenal tomorrow against the enemies. That he needed.
