A Fresh Start

Grace nodded and picked a pair of navy blue tailored trousers and a sky blue blouse that flattered her.

In a few minutes, everybody had sat down to the wedding brunch. Feeling like she needed it, Grace drained a glass of champagne.

“Wow, this is good,” said Grace guilelessly.

“It’s an excellent vintage,” said Alan, possibly the first remark he had addressed directly to her since that day he had ‘proposed’.

Grace turned to him.

“I know you think of this as a business transaction. But that was a lovely wedding and you make a very handsome groom.”

Alan blinked. That was unexpected.

He nodded slowly.

“You’re a spectacular woman, Grace. I enjoy your company. I’m sure we’ll be good together.”

Violet and Rachel were deep in conversation, either by design or by lucky accident. He would just have to talk to her, thought Grace.

“I have to confess, I don’t really remember the vows we made. It all kind of flew by even as I said the words.”

Alan grinned.

“It’s all right. I’ve got multiple copies of all the agreements and contracts for you!”

Grace chuckled.

“I probably should’ve read them before I signed them.”

Alan raised his eyebrows.

“You didn’t?”

Grace shrugged.

“I couldn’t afford a lawyer and I’m not well-versed in legalese that’s more complicated than what you’d find in a Perry Mason or John Grisham novel. Violet read it, though. She’s a lot more tenacious than I am, so she actually read all of it and told me I have her blessings if I choose to sign it. That’s good enough for me.”

Alan nodded slowly.

“Well, I believe the terms are fair. Now, conventionally, we’d be going on a honeymoon now. But nothing about this is conventional, so…”

Grace chuckled.

“More conventional than you think, when you consider it. Love matches are a relatively modern invention. Marriages used to be built on more sensible things. They were meant to be either partnerships or advantageous in some way. Upper class and ruling class people tried to elevate their standing through marriage. Working class people often married for common sense – a need for children, a need to divide labor into bread-winning and bread-baking. So perhaps our marriage is the most conventional of all. It’s based on practicality, not fairytales.”

To Grace’s surprise, Alan threw back his head and laughed.

“One thing I can be sure of, Grace, is that you will never bore me.”

“A marriage for entertainment and amusement – it could be worse, I suppose,” agreed Grace with dry humor that made him grin again.

He had made the right choice in Grace. He hadn’t wanted somebody malleable. Malleable people needed too much attention and were too clingy. He had wanted a partner who would be independent, capable, amusing, charming and intelligent. Grace was all that, and something more that he hadn’t quite expected – she was intriguing.

He was aware that she was in a difficult position. In the short time he had spent with her, he had realized that she was attracted to him. That could turn out to be a disadvantage, of course, since he had no intention of letting things take that particular turn.

He had chosen Grace because she was empathetic, instinctively attuned to people, and he felt that they could be friends.

Friendship was important to Alan. He hoped that Grace would soon understand that the trust friendship requires would be one of the hardest and most precious things they could build. Being married to a friend who understood him and his needs seemed like the best option he could possibly hope for, and he felt that he might have gotten it, after all.

Of course, it was early days yet. Still, he sensed no artifice in Grace. Her honesty was charming and unexpected.

Alan had stopped expecting honesty from women, other than Rachel, a while ago. Trust would take time. For now, he had the legal contract that was binding, and it would have to take the place of trust.

Alan Barden didn’t believe in love. He didn’t believe in falling in love. Love, he felt, was an illusion. His latest book would reflect some of the new cynicism in him, and he would convert at least a handful of people into his way of thinking.

He felt that he was doing them a favor.

Finally, Violet interrupted his reverie.

“I must be going. Thank you for the lovely brunch, Alan. The wedding was charming. I wish you both the best of luck and all happiness. I won’t ask you to take care of Grace. She’s more than capable of taking care of herself. But I hope you will learn to lean on each other.”

Alan smiled, and it was a genuine smile. He liked Violet. The more he saw the mother, the surer he was that the woman she had raised was the ideal wife.

“Thank you, Violet. You’re a remarkable woman. So is your daughter.”

Grace heard those words and couldn’t stop the hope that sprouted in her heart.

Alan thought she was remarkable.

Her husband, she reminded herself – her husband thought she was remarkable. Surely that meant something.

Shaking off her misgivings, Grace promised herself that now that they were married, she would do everything in her power to make the marriage real. Maybe it was a practical union. But there was no reason why it couldn’t end in them living happily ever after.

What could be more practical than hoping for the best and working towards happiness in your marriage, after all?

*****

Grace was exhausted by the time Alan was ready to check out and leave.

“First, I need to be sure that ‘location’ is turned off on your phone,” said Alan abruptly, turning to Grace.

“I do?”

Grace was startled.

“I don’t know what kind of apps you have on your phone. Now that the press release has gone out, if you can be hacked, you will be. We’ll need to take care of all security protocol for you. Rachel will take you through most of it. You will be living at my condo, of course. You’ll have your own suite of rooms. My schedule for the next week will be sent to you soon. Rachel will work with you on perfecting the introductions and interactions – all that kind of stuff. There’s a tour coming up in a few days, so that will mean traveling. Your passport is up to date, I hope?”

Grace nodded.

“Good, that’s good. That saves time. We will spend some time in Europe over the next couple of months, too. We’ll make sure there’s time in the schedule for you to take in the sights, have some fun – do whatever you like.”

As if he’d run out of words, Alan stopped as abruptly as he’d started.

Grace wondered briefly just what she’d gotten herself into. She wondered where Rachel was. Newlyweds ought to want to be alone, didn’t they? But this wasn’t a marriage like all others, she reminded herself. She had chosen this. Now she needed to deal with it.

She could and would do it.

Determinedly cheerful, she turned to Alan.

“So, why do you hate events so much that you came up with such a drastic solution to avoid as much of the limelight as possible?”

Alan glanced at her, startled. Grace realized that he hadn’t expected her to break the silence.

Well, tough. He would have to deal with that.

“I don’t like meeting people.”