Page 92 of Beau & Autumn

Maybe this whole arranged marriage thing was just the kick up the ass I needed to ensure that I got the girl.

Her grandmother walks toward us. She’s a tiny woman, but I can tell by the look on her face and her strong stance that she’s tough.

“We never meant to lie to anybody,” I start, feeling as if I need to get an explanation out before she can say anything. “I convinced Autumn, so if you want to blame anyone, blame me.”

Her grandmother eyes me but says nothing. Coming to a stop right where Anton was first sitting. “Please, take a seat.” She’s not really asking, so we sit in the replica couch opposite her, my arm still around my wife.

“Grandma,” Autumn begins. “I knew you’d never approve of Beau, not when you had high hopes of me marrying some tycoon like Daddy.”

She shakes her head. “You’ve no idea what I would approve of because you chose to be untruthful.” Her words are level and I feel Autumn sag a little against my body.

“That’s not true. We both fell for one another but neither of us said anything,” Autumn starts, but her grandmother raises her hand to stop her.

“For some reason I’m being cast as the villain in all of this.” Her lips twitch slightly. “Our family tradition has been in place for a long time, and now you’re asking me to break that tradition. It’s not a small thing.”

“Did you love my grandpa?” Autumn asks.

“Yes, very much. But our love didn’t start out that way?—”

“Neither did Beau and I. We’ve been friends — best friends — for years. We tell each other everything. I put him in the ‘friendzone’ because I didn’t think I deserved a man like him. All my life I’ve been taught to believe that true love is bought by money and a name, not by love. Not by friendship. Not by communication and understanding and compassion. Beau has all of those things and so much more.”

“But you still agreed to marry him to claim your inheritance?”

“At first, yes.” Autumn tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “But that’s only because neither of us told the other how we really felt. We were both hoping that in time, our marriage would bring us closer.” She turns to me. “And it did. We weren’t honest with our families because we weren't being honest with each other. I don’t care about the money, I don’t even want it. I just want Beau.”

I stroke her cheek, reaching down to kiss her nose. “You have me, Autumn Leaf. You know you have my heart and you always will.”

She nods, a tear trickling down her face as I catch it with the pad of my finger.

“If you can’t stand with us, then we’re sorry, but it’ll be your loss,” I say, looking up toward the woman watching us. Autumn links her fingers through mine. “We want you to be a part of our marriage and we welcome you with open arms to celebrate our union when we make it official. I’m sorry you found out like this, and I’m sorry that we initially did the wrong thing, but it was all part of a greater plan. One we weren’t even in control of. I’m not going anywhere, and I love her, so that’s all there is to it.”

“Those are big words,” she says. “The question is, can you live up to them?”

“I can. And I’m going to spend every single day proving to my wife that I can be the husband she always wanted.”

Autumn squeezes my hand. “You already do,” she whispers.

“So that’s it? You ride off into the sunset together and live happily ever after? What sort of plan do you have for the future?” her grandmother asks.

I shrug. “We don’t have one because we don’t live by anybody’s rules. If you’ll take me as your grandson and the husband of your grandchild, who I know you love very much, then I’d be the happiest man in the world. I won’t walk away from her, no matter what happens here today.”

If I’m not mistaken, a small smile forms on her lips. “You remind me of someone.” The words hit me in the chest.

I blink. “I do?”

She smiles again. “My husband. He was a good man. We were lucky, when we married we didn’t know one another, much like Autumn’s mother and father. Our marriage, however, began much the same way; friendship. Compassion. Understanding. All the things you spoke of. You have to understand, back then, times were different. Your name was your reputation, that’s all that mattered, and I was lucky. The man I married turned out to be wonderful, and I also defied my parents by marrying him.”

I feel Autumn shift beside me. “What?”

As I look down, her face softens. “I had an arranged marriage to another man, but I knew of him and I didn’t like him. I met your grandfather shortly after in passing, and I took one look at him and I knew. He had the same soft, magnetic gaze in his eyes that I see in Beau’s. He was mesmerized by me in a way I’d never known before. I didn’t want to be a prize or a possession. I wanted to be my own person, but also be respected by the man that was chosen for me. Don’t ask me how, but I knew I’d have that with him, and if love never eventuated, then I was okay with that. I knew he was a good man. I took a chance. I told my parents no.”

Autumn is visibly shaken; clearly this is news to her, hearing it for the first time. “You weren’t meant to marry Grandpa?”

She shakes her head. “I agreed to get married, but not to the man who was my parents’ first choice. Seeing how determined I was, they agreed. Looking back, I think they were afraid I’d run away.” She laughs softly.

“You’ve never told me this.” Autumn stares at her as I run my thumb over her knuckles.

“I’ve never told anyone, not even your mother. When she met your father, it was a match made in heaven. It was arranged, but they got to know one another before they were betrothed.” She purses her lips together and I can almost see the cogs in her head turning. “I understand that times have changed, and your spirit, my darling Autumn, you get from me. So I can see why you’ve chosen to take this path. I understand more than you know.”

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