Page 2 of Country Contract

“Heath?” Ugh, another H name. Is this a joke? I would roll my eyes if I wouldn’t get scolded like a child.

"Honestly, Harlow, what are you even thinking about so hard that you can’t recall a word I just said?” he states sternly.

“The food is really good.” I shrug. Heidi covers her quiet laugh, and Hayleigh rolls her eyes.

My father sucks in a deep breath before turning more toward me as if to say, “Pay attention, young lady.”

“I was proposing a match between you and Heath House from House Industries. He is a little older than you, but you two are from similar families with similar lines of work. He didn’t seem averse to the idea when he saw a picture of you,” he states.

“A picture of me?” I gawk.

“Yes, our holiday photo from last year. It’s in my office, and he noticed you when we were making negotiations.” He takes a drink.

In that photo, we are all staged in the sitting room. My parents stood behind my sisters and me, who were sitting on the couch. My sisters chose red, and I a deep velvet green. My father matched me, and my mother matched my sisters.

“Noticed me?” I say with doubt.

“Yes, he was quite enamored. I had mentioned that you are the last of my daughters to remain without a partner, although you are my oldest. We spent the next two meetings talking both about business and you.”

I look over to my sisters, two of whom have engagement rings sitting on their left hands. Heidi is engaged to a surgeon taking over his family’s practice, so he’s often excused from these meals. Hayleigh is engaged to the owner of a large hotel chain, and now that I think about it, it’s strange he isn’t here. Helen is not engaged, but she has been with her girlfriend for nearly a decade, so the idea of it being a phase is no longer something my parents question.

“I don’t need you to find me a husband. I am completely capable of finding my own,” I say before taking a long drink of wine.

“This would make for an even better business deal for me. More like a merger. House & West. West & House.”

“It does have a nice ring to it,” my mother sighs.

I shoot Helen a look to help me with this, just like I did when she came out to our parents. No such luck in either area. Mother avoided the topic of Helen’s love life for almost five years before she would spend time with Helen and her girlfriend. My father is more stubborn and is sticking to his original decision: no same-sex relations in the house.

“I appreciate the offer, but honestly, the idea of being the wife to a CEO has no appeal. I have a career of my own, and I know firsthand how hard being said wife would be.” I give an apologetic look to my mother, who only smiles and nods in knowing.

“I doubt Heath would want you to quit your line of work. If anything, he would like your input, as he is looking to expand his media business to include publishing,” Henry continues, all business. My ears perk at this little bit of information.

“Then why not offer him my expertise and not my hand?”

“Because he is interested in both.”

“I think it could be great!” Hayleigh says cheekily. I narrow my eyes at her. She has always been Daddy’s little girl and the only one who calls him Dad or Daddy instead of Father.

“I think you should meet him,” Heidi adds with a drink, avoiding my gaze. Her marriage was a match as well, but luckily, they are madly in love. She is a hopeless romantic and likely believes a happy ending will come of this.

I look over at Helen. She pinches her lips together tightly.

“I won’t meet him unless you agree to it, as well,” I say, and I know she won’t because even after a decade of mysupport, Lydia is not invited to family affairs. Helen is usually always in my corner.

“I’ll encourage Harlow if you will allow Lydia,” Helen demands, looking at my father.

“Done,” he says without hesitation. My mother sighs in relief. She has spent so much time with Helen and Lydia at their home and now can rest easier with my father’s approval. My jaw drops as I look at Helen, but only for a moment.

“Set up a dinner.” I pour more wine into my glass.

“This is going to be a great match!” my father booms.

“It’s a dinner, Father. I’d hardly call it anything else.” I am even toned but cool.

“Right, right. Anyway, Hayleigh . . .” My father moves his attention to the little princess, and I aggressively cut into the meat on my plate. The rest of the conversation is lost on me as I wait for this night to end.

When dinner is over, I’m move to the study, holding my wine glass and looking for a book to bring home with me.

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