The Billionaire's Arranged Bride

Chapter 5

The Billionaire's Arranged Bride

Chapter 5

The First Date

Astrid woke up with one thought in mind.

She wanted pancakes.

Not toast.

Not eggs.

Not the healthy breakfast the household staff seemed determined to serve every morning.

Pancakes.

She was halfway down the stairs when she heard voices coming from the dining room.

She stopped.

Trey was already there.

Of course.

The man apparently had a personal feud with sleep.

He was dressed in a dark suit, his phone in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

Astrid walked into the dining room.

"Good morning."

Trey looked up.

"Good morning."

She glanced at the table.

Then at him.

"Where are the pancakes?"

He blinked.

"Good morning to you too."

"I said good morning."

"You did."

"So?"

"So what?"

"Pancakes."

Trey stared at her for a second before laughing.

"You're serious."

"Very."

He put his phone down.

"I'll ask the kitchen."

Astrid smiled.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

She sat down.

"You know, you're getting good at this."

"At what?"

"Living with me."

Trey leaned back.

"I'm starting to notice."

Astrid grinned.

"That wasn't a compliment."

"I'll take it anyway."

A few minutes later, pancakes arrived.

Astrid looked genuinely pleased.

Trey watched her cut a piece.

"You're really happy about pancakes."

"Yes."

"That easy?"

"Food makes people happy."

"Not everyone."

"That's because some people are emotionally unavailable."

Trey slowly looked at her.

Astrid froze.

"I'm talking about pancakes."

"Of course."

She tried not to laugh.

---

After breakfast, Astrid went upstairs to get ready.

She had barely finished brushing her hair when she received a message.

Trey: Are you busy today?

She stared at the screen.

Astrid: Why?

Trey: I want to take you somewhere.

Her eyebrows lifted.

Astrid: Where?

Trey: It's a surprise.

Astrid immediately became suspicious.

Astrid: Is this a kidnapping?

His reply came almost instantly.

Trey: No.

Astrid: Are you sure?

Trey: Very.

She smiled.

Astrid: Fine.

A few seconds later:

Trey: Be ready by two.

She looked at the time.

Eleven thirty.

That gave her two and a half hours.

She had absolutely no idea where they were going.

And somehow, that made her excited.

---

At exactly two, Trey was waiting downstairs.

Astrid came down wearing a simple white blouse, jeans, and flats.

Trey looked at her.

Then smiled.

"You're ready."

"Yes."

He glanced at her shoes.

"Comfortable?"

"Very."

"Good."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Why?"

"You'll find out."

"That sounds suspicious."

He held the door open for her.

"Trust me."

Astrid stepped outside.

"That's exactly what suspicious people say."

Trey laughed.

---

They drove for almost an hour.

Astrid tried several times to guess where they were going.

"Restaurant?"

"No."

"Mall?"

"No."

"Office?"

"No."

"Airport?"

"No."

"Another country?"

Trey glanced at her.

"Not today."

She crossed her arms.

"You're no fun."

"I thought you liked surprises."

"I like knowing what I'm getting into."

"You agreed to marry a stranger."

Astrid turned toward him.

"That was different."

"How?"

"I had grandparents threatening me emotionally."

Trey laughed.

"That's fair."

Eventually, the car stopped.

Astrid looked outside.

They were at a quiet private garden overlooking the city.

There were no crowds.

No photographers.

No obvious security.

Just trees, flowers, and a small table prepared under a shaded terrace.

She looked at Trey.

"What is this?"

"Lunch."

Astrid smiled.

"You brought me to a garden for lunch?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I thought you'd like it."

She looked around.

He was right.

She did.

"This is beautiful."

"I know."

She turned to him.

"Did you choose this?"

"Yes."

Astrid smiled.

"Thank you."

They sat down.

For once, there were no business calls.

No laptops.

No meetings.

Just the two of them.

---

"So," Astrid said while looking at the food, "is this technically our first date?"

Trey looked up.

"Do you consider it a date?"

"I asked you first."

He smiled.

"Then yes."

Astrid nodded thoughtfully.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yes."

"That's all?"

"What else do you want me to say?"

"I don't know."

She smiled.

"Maybe you're nervous."

"I'm not."

"You look nervous."

"I don't."

"You do."

Trey leaned closer.

"You're enjoying this."

"Very much."

He shook his head.

"You're trouble."

"You agreed to marry me."

"I know."

"Your fault."

"I'll remember that."

They continued eating.

After a while, Trey asked, "What do you actually want?"

Astrid looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"If you weren't following your grandparents' wishes, what would you choose for yourself?"

She became quiet.

It was a simple question.

Yet no one had ever really asked her that.

"What do I want?"

"Yes."

She looked toward the city.

"I don't know."

Trey didn't interrupt.

Astrid slowly smiled.

"I think that's the problem."

"What?"

"I've spent so much time doing what other people wanted that I never really stopped to ask myself what I wanted."

Trey studied her.

"Then maybe you should start."

She looked at him.

"It's not that easy."

"I know."

"You don't?"

"I do."

His voice was quieter now.

"My entire life has been decided by expectations too."

Astrid raised an eyebrow.

"You're a billionaire. I thought you could do whatever you wanted."

Trey smiled faintly.

"Money doesn't mean you're free."

She didn't expect that answer.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Astrid said, "Maybe we're more alike than I thought."

"Maybe."

---

After lunch, they walked around the garden.

Astrid stopped whenever she saw flowers she liked.

Trey noticed.

"You like flowers?"

"Yes."

"Which ones?"

"Sunflowers."

"Why?"

"They look happy."

He looked at her.

"That sounds like something you'd say."

She laughed.

"What does that mean?"

"You like things that make people feel good."

"Maybe."

They continued walking.

Then Astrid noticed something.

"Trey."

"Yes?"

"You've been smiling a lot today."

He looked amused.

"Have I?"

"Yes."

"Is that a problem?"

"No."

She smiled.

"I just didn't know you could."

He shook his head.

"I smile."

"Rarely."

"You've only known me for a few days."

"And I've already noticed."

Trey looked at her.

"You notice a lot."

"I do."

"That's dangerous."

"Why?"

"Because you might start noticing things about me that I don't want you to know."

Astrid smiled.

"Too late."

---

On the way home, Astrid leaned against the window.

She was unusually quiet.

Trey glanced at her.

"Are you tired?"

"A little."

"Did you enjoy today?"

She smiled.

"Yes."

"Good."

She looked at him.

"Trey?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for today."

"You don't have to thank me."

"I know."

He smiled.

"There it is again."

"What?"

"You keep saying that."

"Because it's true."

Trey shook his head.

Astrid looked back out the window.

A few minutes passed before she spoke again.

"I didn't think I'd enjoy spending time with you this much."

Trey's hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel.

He kept his eyes on the road.

"Neither did I."

Astrid smiled.

"That's a little scary."

"Why?"

"Because we're supposed to be getting married because we have to."

Trey glanced at her.

"And?"

"And I'm starting to think I might actually enjoy being your wife."

He was quiet.

Very quiet.

Astrid suddenly became aware of what she'd just said.

"Forget I said that."

"No."

"Trey."

"I heard you."

"Pretend you didn't."

"I don't think I can."

She covered her face with both hands.

"Grabe."

Trey laughed.

"You're embarrassed."

"No."

"You are."

"I'm not."

"You're hiding your face."

"Because you're annoying."

He smiled.

"I'll take that as a yes."

---

That evening, after dinner, Astrid went upstairs.

She changed into her pajamas and sat on her bed.

Her phone buzzed.

A message from Trey.

Trey: Good night, Astrid.

She smiled.

Astrid: Good night.

She stared at the screen.

Then typed again.

Astrid: I had fun today.

His response came quickly.

Trey: Me too.

Astrid placed the phone beside her.

She stared at the ceiling.

This was supposed to be an arrangement.

A marriage neither of them had chosen.

A practical decision.

Nothing more.

So why did she feel like today's little outing had been their first real date?

And why was she already wondering when Trey would ask her out again?

Across the hallway, Trey was standing by his bedroom window, looking at the city.

His phone was still in his hand.

He read her message one more time.

I had fun today.

He smiled.

Maybe this marriage wasn't going to be as difficult as he had expected.

Or maybe that was exactly what made it dangerous.

Because somewhere between the grocery store, shared dinners, morning coffee, and now a quiet afternoon together, Astrid was slowly becoming less like the woman he had been arranged to marry...

and more like the woman he genuinely wanted to know.