Chapter 2 You’re Not Even in Her League
“We met last June while I was on vacation in San Diego. We kept in touch and started dating recently. You’re in town on business, so you stopped by to see me. You have another appointment later, which means you can’t stay long.”
Chloe Bennett rattled off their supposed history without missing a beat.
“That’s all you need to know. Let me do most of the talking around my family. Improvise if you have to. We just need to get through today.”
Ryan nodded. “Okay. Where are we going? Your place?”
“The hospital.” Her tone was brisk. “My grandfather’s been admitted. He keeps going on about how I need to find someone and get married. Seeing me with a boyfriend should cheer him up.”
So she did care about her family. Ryan kept that observation to himself.
They reached a parking lot, where Chloe unlocked a red luxury SUV. Ryan climbed into the passenger seat and fastened his seat belt.
“Do you work around here?” she asked, starting the engine.
“Just got into town. I have something to take care of.”
“What?”
“My guardian arranged a marriage for me. I’m here to meet the woman.”
Chloe glanced at him. “You’ve never even seen her?”
He shook his head. “I hear she’s pretty.”
She snorted.
“What century is this? How hard is it to send a picture? If they won’t even show you a photo, I bet she’s hideous. They’re probably hoping that once you’re here, you’ll feel too awkward to back out.”
Ryan blinked.
Surely the old man wouldn’t screw him over that badly. Stealing his money was one thing. Ruining the rest of his life was another.
Then again, the marriage itself wasn’t what mattered. For all he knew, the woman wouldn’t want him either.
He just needed to get the jade pendant back.
“I’ll meet her and see how it goes. If it doesn’t work out, I can leave.”
“Of course you can.” Chloe gave a humorless laugh. “Men.”
A ringtone interrupted them.
Ryan glanced at the dashboard display. One name appeared on the screen: Grace.
Chloe held a finger to her lips, then pressed the answer button on the steering wheel.
“Hey, sis.”
A woman’s voice came through the speakers, composed and pleasant.
“I heard Grandpa’s in the hospital?”
“Yeah. I’m on my way there now.”
“Send me the address when you get a chance. I’ll come by later.”
“You’re already working yourself to death at that company. You don’t even have time to date. Isn’t your shareholders’ meeting today? Don’t try to squeeze in a visit if you’re too busy. Dad and the others are with him.”
The woman’s voice softened. “It’s fine. I’ll make time after the meeting.”
“Okay. I’ll send you the address in a minute.”
“Thanks. Talk to you later.”
When the call ended, Ryan asked, “Your sister’s single too? No wonder your family keeps bringing it up.”
“My sister’s in a league of her own,” Chloe said. “She’s beautiful, talented, and already running a company. Where’s she supposed to find a man who deserves her?”
“There are some pretty impressive men out there.”
She shot him a cold look. “You certainly aren’t one of them.”
Ryan laughed. “What’s wrong with me? I happen to be pretty impressive.”
“You?” Her voice dripped with scorn. “You certainly think highly of yourself. You’re not even in my sister’s league. Stick to that fiancée of yours—the one who’s too scared to send you a picture.”
Ryan only smiled. There was no point getting worked up over it.
Still, the old man had said his fiancée was beautiful and ran a company, too.
Assuming any of that was true.
They arrived at a hospital in Asheville, parked, and made their way to a spacious private room in the inpatient wing.
Chloe’s grandfather, Walter Bennett, lay in bed, his white hair stark against the pillow. Her parents, Richard and Diane, stood near the window, both expensively dressed.
“Grandpa…”
A faint smile brightened Walter’s pale face.
“Chloe. You’re here.” His gaze shifted to Ryan. “Who have you brought with you?”
Chloe slipped her hand around Ryan’s arm and smiled.
“This is my boyfriend, Ryan Carter. He was coming to Asheville today, so I brought him to meet you.”
All three turned to study Ryan. Their expressions ranged from curiosity to outright suspicion.
Under their scrutiny, he instinctively straightened.
Walter watched him for a moment, then smiled.
“Military?”
The question caught Ryan off guard, but he recovered quickly.
“Yes, sir. Got out not long ago. You have a good eye.”
Walter chuckled, clearly pleased.
“Spent my whole life in uniform. I can usually spot a man who’s served. A good soldier, too.” He gave Ryan another appraising look. “It’s the way you carry yourself. Steady. Alert. I’d say you did all right.”
That explained it. Ryan hadn’t been out of his unit long enough to lose the habits. Most people wouldn’t notice, but a career soldier like Walter knew what to look for.
Richard was considerably less impressed.
He’d gone into business instead of following his father into the military, but he liked to think he understood how things worked. In his view, a soldier with real promise stayed in the service and made a career of it.
If Ryan was already out at his age, he couldn’t have amounted to much.
“What are you doing now?” Walter asked.
Ryan hesitated.
“I just got to Asheville. I’m planning to look for work here.”
Richard’s expression hardened. The boy didn’t even have a job.
Beside Ryan, Chloe was starting to panic.
What happened to the entire backstory she’d given him? He’d taken her money. The least he could do was stick to the script.
She couldn’t contradict him now without giving them both away, so she settled for a warning glare.
Her family noticed. Unfortunately, they drew entirely the wrong conclusion.
Until then, Richard had been suspicious of this boyfriend who’d appeared out of nowhere. It was all a little too convenient.
Now he was beginning to believe it.
Perhaps the young man’s lack of money and prospects explained why Chloe had kept the relationship a secret. She’d known better than to bring someone like him home.
If her grandfather hadn’t been so ill—and so determined to see her married—she might never have introduced him at all.
Richard’s expression turned icy.
A penniless, unemployed nobody thought he was good enough for Chloe? That he could marry into the Bennett family?
Not a chance.
Walter noticed his son’s reaction. Leaning back against his pillows, he addressed Chloe with a smile.
“Don’t look down on him just because he’s between jobs. A capable man will find his feet. I started with nothing, remember? Everything we have now came later. You can’t expect a comfortable life without being willing to work for it.”
Chloe could hardly explain what her glare had really meant.
“I was just worried you wouldn’t approve,” she said.
“As long as he treats you well and takes his responsibilities seriously, I’m happy.” Walter smiled at her. “Now get married and give me a great-grandchild to spoil. Then I can die happy.”
“Grandpa.” She softened her voice, trying to coax him out of it. “There’s no rush. I’m only twenty-four. Marriage can wait a few years.”
Walter’s eyes widened.
“You’re already twenty-four. You’re not a little girl anymore. You—”
He stopped.
His face flushed a deep, alarming red. His chest heaved, and a harsh wheeze scraped from his throat as he struggled for breath.
“Doctor!”