Arranged Marriage, Wanted Wife

by Mary Goldberger

  The rest of the week went by in the same fashion and the only bad moment they had was when Waren took her back to his father’s place to get her car and clothes.

  Waren was picking on Jassi when they walked into the house a few days later. Bowen studied them from the top of the stairs about to walk down when they walked into the house.

  “Waren, Jassi,” Siria greeted coming from her office. “It’s nice to see you here, but what’s going on?”

  Waren slid an arm around Jassi’s waist ignoring the surprised look she gave him. “Jassi is moving in with me. Craig and Delilah are expecting us at the end of the week so I think we should try to act like a normal, happy married couple.”

  “What’s normal,” Jassi and Siria uttered at the same time causing both Waren and Brody to laugh.

  Bowen frowned although something in him lightened at the laughter of his sons especially Waren who hadn’t laughed often in the last few years.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he suddenly stated getting everyone’s attention as he strolled down the stairs. “It is only an arranged marriage, but if you two live together than you are saying that it should be more. Waren, you are asking for trouble.”

  “Dad,” Waren began his body tensing while Jassi pulled away from his arm.

  “I’m only giving my opinion,” Bowen remarked walking past them giving Jassi a hooded glance which in turn made her pale before she turned away.

  “I’ll go pack up my things,” she said quietly heading for the stairs.

  Siria shot her father-in-law a glare before she followed behind Jassi offering to help.

  “Dad,” Brody uttered seeing anger and something else flash in Waren’s eyes.

  “I have to make a few phone calls,” Bowen stated ignoring the looks of both of his sons and went into his office where he closed the door.

  Sitting behind his desk, Bowen leaned back in his chair thinking about the young woman who was forced to marry his son.

  “We did wrong by you, my dear,” Bowen uttered shaking his head. “I should’ve never let your grandmother talk me into it, but I thought it was the best way to finish the business between us.”

  Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back against the chair. “Did I mess up, or is it what Waren needed to move on?”

  He thought about the smile and laughter that crossed his son’s face, and he grinned. “She’s not a bad daughter-in-law after all.”

  It wasn’t something he would admit, though, because Bowen knew Jassi’s grandmother well. He had a feeling that things weren’t going to be so easy for them as he would like it to be.

  Bowen didn’t know that after their visit, it was a few days before Waren and Jassi were able to speak to each other civilly, and it was from an unsuspecting source that helped to heal the breach between them.

  Coming home late one evening from a board meeting, Waren unloosened his tie while he walked down the hallway to his apartment unlocking the door before opening it and calling out, ‘I’m home” something he had done before their visit to his father’s house.

  He was surprised when a voice called out, “Welcome home” especially as it wasn’t in his wife’s soft tones that he had gotten use to over the last few days.

  They couldn’t continue like this, he had realized, walking to his apartment. He missed the first few days when they were joking and getting along, and then their visit to his father’s; afterwards everything went to hell. Jassi became quiet while he raged with anger more at his father than his wife, but she was the one who got the full blunt of it.

  He missed his laughing wife, Waren admitted as he slowly headed toward the living room already knowing what he was going to see when he stepped into that room.

  What surprised him though was the look on Jassi’s face when he did step in the room because although her face was calm, her eyes were sparkling with anger and jealousy lifting Waren’s low spirits at the possessiveness it showed.

  “Dinner is almost ready,” Jassi told him now, and Waren’s face lit up at her words. He never knew that his wife could cook until the second day of their living together and he arrived home late to find dinner waiting for him with a defensive Jassi telling him that she had called his office to be told he had a late meeting that ran longer than expected.

  He slowly took a deep breath smelling the aroma coming from the kitchen and he frowned recognizing the scent of sauce, but he didn’t think it was spaghetti gazing at Jassi in bewilderment.

  “I invited your friend to stay for dinner, but…” Jassi explained only to be interrupted by Pricilla.

  “As I was telling your roommate,” Pricilla stressed the word getting a narrowed look from both Waren and Jassi, “we have a dinner reservation tonight and I doubt you will want to miss…”

  “What did you make tonight,” Waren cut her off putting down his briefcase on the coffee table.

  “Baked ziti,” Jassi explained. “I also made garlic bread and a salad although I didn’t think you will eat it, but if you plan on going out to eat…”

  “I’ll eat dinner here tonight,” Waren replied starting for the kitchen.

  “Waren,” Pricilla uttered in a sharp voice straightening up from the couch. “What about our dinner reservation…”

  Waren turned to look at her with a confused look. “I don’t remember making reservations with you tonight, Pricilla.”

  “But,” Pricilla’s voice was filled with hurt. “We’ve had a long standing dinner reservation since…”

  Waren’s eyes went hard at her subtle remainder. “That was five years ago, Pricilla, and some things have changed since you left. Tonight, I’m eating dinner my wife made for us this evening. You’ve been invited to stay but if you don’t want to,” he shrugged his shoulders silently glad that Pricilla rejected Jassi’s offer, “then I will walk you to the door.”

  He turned to Jassi brushing his lips across her cheek. “Give me a few minutes to escort her out and I will join you at the dinner table.”

  Jassi nodded her head confusion flashing in her eyes but the look she turned to Pricilla was serene and confusion free.

  “I’m sorry that you can’t stay for dinner, but please enjoy your evening,” Jassi told her honestly nodding her head before she turned and walked into the kitchen stilling when Waren caught her hand briefly.

  She glanced over her shoulder giving him a small smile before she squeezed his hand and continued out of the room.

  Waren watched her enter the kitchen before turning to Pricilla who was watching them with hard eyes.

  “I’ll walk you to the door,” Waren repeated indifferently grabbing her lightly by the arm.

  Pricilla was escorted to the door before she could formulate a plan and Waren had her outside with a parting remark. “I would escort you to your car, but I have dinner waiting and I don’t like to eat cold food, as you know.”

  With those words and a ‘goodbye’, Waren shut the door in her face and went back to the kitchen where Jassi had just finished setting the table for them although only one place setting had a plate.

  When he returned to the kitchen, Waren could see the questions burning in her eyes although she never uttered one of them and gave him a soft smile. Behind that smile, Waren could read her confusion and he suddenly realized Jassi had thought he would’ve left with Pricilla.

  “Have a little faith in me, sweetheart,” he stated with a slight smirk taking his seat and glancing at Jassi with a raised brow.

  Jassi laughed outright before she went over to the stove and fixed him a plate bringing it over to him.

  “I hope you like it,” she told him in a soft voice.

  Waren winked at her before digging in and he moaned in delight at the deliciousness of the meal grabbing a piece of garlic bread that Jassi had sat on the table.

  Jassi made him a bowl of salad, which he scowled at, but otherwise he didn’t comment and he even ate it without complaint amazed when he ate it all along with the rest of the meal.

&nbs
p; “That was good,” he praised in delight almost an hour later sitting back in his seat with a satisfied sigh.

  “Thank you,” Jassi accepted with a smile getting up to clear the table while Waren watched her.

  A few seconds later, he got up to help clear the table and even ran the water to clean dishes.

  “Waren,” Jassi began reaching for the dishcloth and Waren merely leaned down to kiss her watching in satisfaction when Jassi pulled back flustered, a blush on her cheeks.

  “You cooked so I can help clean,” Waren remarked with another wink at her.

  Jassi muttered under her breath and went back to the table while Waren started cleaning the dishes.

  They cleaned the kitchen together joking and laughing, and when Waren suggested a movie Jassi relented admitting that she had to work early so she couldn’t stay up too late.

  Waren didn’t mind since he needed an early start also and he chose a movie that he thought they would both enjoy.

  Before the credits even began to roll, Waren and Jassi passed out on the couch with Waren’s head in Jassi’s lap, and Jassi nestled in the corner of the couch one hand lying on Waren’s chest.

  Chapter 6

  Waren glanced over at Jassi sitting next to him in the car and sighed silently seeing the dull flush that never seemed to leave Jassi’s face since that morning when they woke up together on the couch.

  There was a smug look in his eyes at what that hinted at, but he didn’t like the barrier that Jassi erected because of it.

  They healed the breach between them after what happened at his father’s and now this; he didn’t know what else to do for Jassi to trust him. He knew that was the biggest issue they had and he knew more than anything it was his own fault.

  Patience, unfortunately, wasn’t one of his talents, he admitted grimly watching for the turn off that took him to his friend’s place and he hoped this weekend would help to iron out all their problems.

  He glanced at his watch noting the time, but more than that, he was checking the date knowing that in two weeks their marriage could be over.

  “Waren,” Jassi’s hesitant voice cut into his thoughts and he glanced over at her seeing the frown on her face. “Isn’t that the turn off you were telling me about?”

  Waren glanced sharply at the sign before he uttered “Damn” in a loud voice suddenly making the turn throwing Jassi against the door of the car.

  “Are you okay,” Waren asked worriedly righting the car and shot her a brief look seeing the grimace of pain on her face.

  “I think so,” Jassi said thoughtfully touching her side where the door had jammed into her. “Although I think I’m going to be bruised later this evening.”

  Waren sighed running a hand through his hair before he apologized. “I’m sorry, Jassi, my mind was preoccupied.”

  Jassi glanced over at him seeing the frown that had formed between his brows and she let out a small breath before reaching out a hand to his arm.

  “Isn’t this supposed to be a vacation for you according to Mrs. Chester,” Jassi reminded him getting a sharp look from Waren. “When I called the other day, she filled me on the details something about the day off you scheduled some time ago was the first for you in almost five years and that this vacation was long overdue.”

  Waren chuckled shaking his head once keeping his eyes on the road while loving the warmth of Jassi’s hand on his arm.

  “She talks too much,” he muttered in a teasing voice getting a giggle from Jassi.

  “I would say so, but she did it out of good intentions,” Jassi added squeezing his arm before she began to lift it away.

  “Don’t,” Waren uttered softly not looking at her as he made this small request, and he felt Jassi’s hand shake but she left it on his arm causing him to sigh in contentment.

  Jassi chuckled before she continued. “She tasked me with making sure that you have a good time and when you return to work, you will be ready to work with full focus as once before. For some reason, she believes that your focus has been off lately but she didn’t explain to me why so I can only assume…”

  “We are here,” Waren interjected not wanting her to say what he believed she thought because he knew that she would be way off base and she would be shocked to know the real reason he hadn’t been focused on work lately.

  They pulled up to a two-story house with a wide yard and as Waren turned off the car, Jassi could hear music coming from the backyard.

  “It seems your friends are already in the party spirit,” she stated with a smile on her face reaching for the door handle.

  “They have something to celebrate,” Waren revealed winking at her when she glanced over at him in bewilderment. “They just learned that the business they worked hard to build received a prestigious award and that they are two months pregnant with their first child after trying for so many years.”

  Jassi’s face lit up with excitement and Waren stilled at seeing the look of happiness for his friends’ that showed on her face.

  “We should’ve brought something to celebrate the new addition to their family,” Jassi remarked when they went to the trunk of the car to get their overnight cases.

  Waren laughed before remarking with a thoughtful look. “It seems that you forgot about their business success, Jassi.”

  “I didn’t,” Jassi contradicted with a shake of her head, “but I think the arrival of a baby is more important than any business success.”

  She shrugged her shoulders at her words surprised when Waren caught her by those shoulders and pulled her toward him for a tight hug.

  “So do I,” he whispered in her ear arms wrapped around her waist. “And just so you know, my friends are of the same frame of mind.”

  “That’s good,” Jassi remarked putting her head on his shoulder wrapping her arms around his neck. “A baby is a blessing for any family who truly wants them.”

  There was a note of sadness in her voice and Waren pulled back scanning her face seeing that same sadness reflected in her eyes before she hid it sweeping her lashes down to cover those alluring eyes.

  “Let’s go congratulate your friends,” Jassi suggested pulling away from him to grab her case.

  Waren could only follow behind her shutting the lid of the trunk while Jassi started up the walkway.

  Waren caught up with her placing a hand on her back before letting it slide around to the niche at her waist.

  Jassi gave him a speaking glance but otherwise didn’t say a word, neither did she remove his hand to his satisfaction.

  They had barely reached the front door when a lively woman with sparkling eyes opened it and she immediately folded Jassi in a hug taking her away from Waren.

  “It’s about time that we met your wife, Waren, hiding her away like that,” Delilah berated him once she let Jassi go.

  Jassi giggled when Waren scowled and he turned that same scowl to her only for Delilah to scold him. “Don’t scowl at your wife, you mean man.”

  “Mean man,” Jassi mouthed over Delilah’s shoulder shaking a finger at him and Waren couldn’t help but laugh eyes sparkling at her teasing.

  His laughter stilled Delilah’s tirade as she stared at the man who hadn’t laughed in five years when Pricilla ran off and married another.

  “Well,” Delilah began only for Craig who joined them to intervene.

  “Sweetheart, let them come inside and get settled before you start asking questions,” Craig cautioned giving her speaking glance that Jassi missed which was fortunate for Waren.

  “It has been a long drive,” Waren stressed putting on a pleading pitiful look that caused Delilah and Jassi to laugh without restraint.

  Craig grinned while Waren winked at Jassi causing her to blush although her eyes still sparkled with laughter at the easy camaraderie between the three of them.

  “Since Waren has lost some of his manners,” Craig mocked sending Waren a teasing glare, “then I will introduce myself, and my wife. I’m Craig Stevenson and this is m
y wife Delilah.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Jassi stated nodding her head with a smile at them. “As you’ve already guessed with no help from my husband, I’m Jassi.”

  Craig and Delilah both laughed at the parting shot at Waren who shook his head muttering, “I’m getting triple teamed here and by my own wife” although he was secretly thrilled Jassi actually called him her ‘husband’.

  “Come in,” Delilah ushered them inside the house with a cheery wave eyes alert when Waren put his arm around Jassi’s waist, and how Jassi gave him a look but her eyes sparkled at the contact.

  Delilah nodded her head eyes glinting with mischief, which Craig saw, and leaning down muttered in her ear. “We promised to help…”

  “Oh, I will,” she promised turning her head and lifting up to kiss him lightly. “I think they are perfect for each other especially now that I’ve seen them interact.”

  Craig shook his head watching his wife bounce away to direct Waren and Jassi to their room, and he chuckled knowing his wife had been leery since Waren talked to them, but now after meeting Jassi, she was gung-ho on helping Waren with his plan.

  “Oh, my friend, I do hope this works out for you,” Craig mumbled when the phone in his office rung and he went to answer it a frown coming to his face followed by a scowl although his words were direct and to the point even if he wasn’t thrilled about what he was being asked.

  “I hope that you two enjoy the room I picked,” Delilah gushed leading them upstairs unaware of the slight tensing of Jassi’s body at her words.

  Waren felt it and he only tightened his arm around her as they followed their host to the guest bedroom.

  “Here you go,” Delilah announced with a flourish opening a door leading into a good size bedroom that even Waren was shocked knowing that the room would’ve originally been used by Delilah’s brother and sister-in-law.

  “Delilah,” he began.

  She waved away his words turning to Jassi to start a conversation and Jassi answered her honestly, as she glanced around the room eyes smiling at the beautiful décor.