Chapter 8 So I’m Not Good Enough for You?
Tomorrow?
Ryan stared at him. He hadn’t been in the house an hour, and Henry was already planning the wedding.
Sure, their elders had arranged the engagement. But weren’t there a few steps between an introduction and a marriage? Getting to know each other, for instance?
He glanced at Grace. Her opinion of him couldn’t possibly be worse. Surely she would object.
Her lips tightened, but she said nothing.
Was she actually agreeing to this?
“Any objections, Ryan?”
He managed an awkward smile.
“We only met today. Isn’t this a little rushed?”
“Rushed?” Henry waved that aside. “You spent five years in the military. Grace has been waiting all that time. You’re both adults. Feelings can grow once you’re together. You’re a good young man. I trust you to treat her well.”
She’d waited five years?
Before Ryan could respond, Grace spoke.
“Grandpa, I’d like to talk to Ryan alone.”
“Of course.” Henry smiled, then hesitated. “But, Grace…”
He gave her a meaningful look.
“I gave you my word,” she said evenly. “I won’t go back on it.”
His smile returned.
“All right. Go and talk.”
Grace turned to Ryan.
“Let’s take a walk.”
“Sure.”
He wanted that conversation as much as she did.
They left the house and followed a path through the grounds. Beside an ornamental lake, Grace stopped and faced him.
“I don’t want to marry you.”
Ryan paused, then nodded.
“I know.”
His calm response seemed to take some of the edge off her hostility.
“And you’re okay with that?”
He spread his hands.
“I imagine you’d rather fall in love first. Or at least marry someone you actually like, who likes you back. Not a stranger your family picked out.”
He shrugged.
“Squeeze a lemon all you want. It’s still going to taste sour.”
Despite herself, Grace almost smiled.
“I don’t understand why Grandpa’s so determined to go through with this,” she said. “I’m not interested in getting married right now. But I don’t want to disappoint him.”
“So you want me to call it off?”
“No.”
Now Ryan was lost.
Rather than keep guessing, he decided to be direct.
“Ms. Morgan, you’re beautiful. More beautiful than I expected. Any man would be lucky to marry you. But looks aren’t everything. Both people should want the marriage. They should at least get along.”
Grace stared at him.
What was he trying to say? That she wasn’t good enough for him?
“I’m not going to force you into anything,” he continued. “The main reason I came here was to get back the jade pendant my mentor gave your grandfather.”
“The pendant?”
“He said he used it as a token of our engagement. Do you know about it?”
“Yes. Grandpa gave it to me.”
Ryan brightened.
“Then this should be simple. You don’t want to marry me, so give me the pendant and I’ll leave. Problem solved.”
For a moment, Grace could only look at him.
Then embarrassment flared into anger.
Why did he look so pleased? Was he that eager to get away from her?
All he cared about was the pendant?
Ryan noticed her expression and hurried to explain.
“I know my mentor accepted money from your family. I’m not pretending we don’t owe you. Tell me how much it was, and I’ll pay it back as soon as I’ve earned enough. Would that be fair?”
Money. He thought she was upset about money.
Grace clenched her jaw.
“No,” she said coldly. “You’re going to marry me.”