Married in Seattle by Debbie Macomber Read Free Book Online

that although you were constantly busy, he felt your life lacked contentment and purpose.”
    Janine could see it coming, as clearly as if she were standing on a track and a freight train was heading toward her. “Let me guess. He probably said I needed something meaningful in my life—like a husband and children.”
    “Exactly.” Zach nodded, his grin barely restrained. “In his opinion, marriage is the only thing that will fulfill you as woman.”
    Janine groaned and sagged against the back of her seat. It was worse than she thought. And to her chagrin, Zach actually seemed amused.
    “You wouldn’t look so smug if he said marriage was the only thing that would fulfill you as a man, ” she muttered. “Honestly, Zach, do I look like I’m wasting away from lack of purpose?” She gestured dramatically with her hands. “I’m happy, I’m busy…in fact I’m completely delighted with my life.” It wasn’t until she’d finished that she realized she was clenching her teeth.
    “Don’t take it so personally.”
    Janine rolled her eyes, wondering what his reaction would be if he was on the receiving end of this discussion.
    “In case you didn’t know it, Anton’s a terrible chauvinist,” he remarked, still smiling. “An old-fashioned word, perhaps, for an old-fashioned man.”
    “That’s true, but he is my grandfather,” she said. “And he’s so charming, it’s easy to forgive him.”
    Zach picked up his wineglass and gazed at it thoughtfully. “What I can’t figure out is why he’s so keen on marrying you off now. Why not last year? Or next year?”
    “Heavens, I don’t know. I suppose he thinks it’s time. My biological clock’s ticking away and the noise is probably keeping him awake at night. By age twenty-four, most of the women from the old country had four or five children.”
    “He certainly seems intent on the idea of seeing you married soon.”
    “Tell me about it!” Janine cried. “I’d bet cold cash that when he brought up the subject he said you were the only suitable man he’d found for me.”
    “Anton also said you have a generous heart, and that he feared some fast-talker would show up one day and you’d fall for him.”
    “Really?” she asked weakly. Her heart stopped, then jolted to life again. Anton’s scenario sounded exactly like her disastrous romance with Brian. She sighed deeply. “So then he told you he wants me to marry someone he respects, someone he loves like a son. A man of discretion and wisdom and honor. A man he trusts enough to merge companies with.”
    Zach arched his brows. “You know your grandfather well.”
    “I can just imagine what came next,” Janine added scathingly and her stomach tensed at her grandfather’s insidious cleverness. Zach wasn’t someone who could be bought, at least not with offers of money or prestige. Instead, Gramps had used a far more subtle form of inducement. He’d addressed Zach’s pride, complimented his achievements, flattered him. To hear Gramps tell it, Zachary Thomas was the only man alive capable of taking on the task of becoming Janine’s husband.
    “What did you tell him?” she asked, her voice low.
    “I told him no way.”
    Janine blinked back surprise mingled with a fair amount of indignation. “Just like that? Couldn’t you at least have mulled it over?” Zach was staring at her as though he thought someone should rush over and take her temperature. “Forget I said that,” she mumbled, fussing with her napkin in order to avoid meeting his eyes.
    “I didn’t want to encourage him.”
    “That was wise.” Janine picked up her water glass and downed half the contents.
    “To your grandfather’s credit, he seemed to accept my answer.”
    “Don’t count on it,” Janine warned.
    “Don’t worry, I know him, too. He isn’t going to give up easily. That’s the reason I suggested you and I meet to talk about this. If we keep in touch, we can anticipate Anton’s strategy.”
    “Good