River-rose thinks what her and her high school sweetheart has is love, but when she's told she needs to marry a complete stranger all of that changes.
Hayze is only 24 and owns his own thriving architectural business. After a business problem, his...
"Hayze said that you must eat all your dinner," Vito told River as she sat down at the dining room table, alone.
She looked down at the huge pate of steak and vegetables. She didn't want to seem ungrateful but she didn't think she could stomach it all. "I-I don't think I can eat all of this. Can I just eat half of the stake?"
After a small pause, Vito looked at her with a softened gaze. "I'm sure you can. I'll tell Hayze you'll be saving the other half for lunch tomorrow." He turned to leave but River's voice stopped.
"Wait!" She blushed and lowered her voice which wasn't even loud in the first place. "I'm sure Hayze is too busy to see me but will he be joining me for dinner," she asked nervously.
"I'm not sure. I can go and ask him for you," Vito said, his eyes full of sympathy.
"That would be nice. Thank you Vito."
"My pleasure River. Would you like some dessert of some sort later? Hayze had me buy some sweets for you while I was out."
River's whole face lit up. "Really? Does this mean he doesn't really detest me?"
Vito looked at her with furrowed brows. "You think he... detests you?" If only she knew how far off she was
River blushed and picked up a piece of buttered broccoli with her fingers. "Well, it hasn't seemed like he wants to see me. I was just wondering if I was burdening him or something."
"Not at all, my dear. Not at all."
°•○○•°
Hayze never came to dinner, so River sat alone at the huge dining room table. In silence.
The house was dead quiet and the only thing letting her know that she hadn't gone deaf was the sound of her chewing and her fork hitting the plate.
River was getting up from the table when she suddenly hit her bandanged knee on the table. She cried out in pain and literally hit herself for being so clumsy. She knew that if her mother saw her now, she'd be so very dissapointed.
Why? Well for one; her mother was the definiton of grace and ladiness. River ate her vegetables with her fingers. She sat in her seat with her legs crossed. She wore clothes that would cause her mother to have an actual stroke. Her mother had made it clear that she didn't like her style very much. She'd rather River put on a simple dress.
No matter how much her mother criticized her and kept her under strict rules, she still wished she could see her; so much.
River even wanted to see ger father, even if he did marry her off to someone she didn't love. Any other time she'd love being with her father. He was the more easy going one and with the little free time he had from work, he made sure to spend it with his daughter.
River was startled out of her thoughts when Vito came into the dining room with a bowl of icecream. "River, are you okay?"
"Y-yes. Im fine, thank you."
He looked at her skeptically before placing down her dessert. "I hope you like chocolate chip."
Her eyes lit up and she plopped back down into her seat. "Yes, of course. Thank you."
When she looked at the icecream and didn't immediately begin eating it, Vito became concerned. "Is there something wrong?"
River looked up at him and then back at the icecream. "Did Hayze s-say something?"
