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“No,” was all I could manage.
“It’s not something we offer up freely, for reasons you can probably imagine. Arranged marriages are not common in the US, particularly involving two Americans. People here can be incredibly judgy, especially when it pertains to cultures and traditions they know nothing about, nor do they wish to learn. I love being Moroccan-American, and the rich heritage it brings. I wouldn’t change it for the world.” She folded her hands across her knee. Her movements were elegant, and she seemed completely at ease. “And, in case you’re curious, the arrangement was made with our blessing. It’s a modern agreement, and we have the power to veto it if we choose. We did it because we love and respect our parents and would essentially move heaven and earth for them. Not to mention, many of our extended family members have had successful unions set up this way, including both my grandparents and Marco’s. So we said yes. We were, of course, hoping it would lead to a love match.”
I had little knowledge on the subject. No one I knew had an arranged marriage. I’d, of course, heard about them and knew they were very common throughout the world.
With one eyebrow subtly arched, she flashed a smile. She knew this was not what I’d expected to hear this morning. “Moving on,” she continued. “I’m going to give you the entire story because I think it’ll be easier that way.” That sounded ideal. “Once we both agreed to an introduction, Marco and I got to know each other slowly. We communicated over the phone, email, and video chat. This went on for about three or four months. During that time, we grew fond of one another. It’s hard not to fall for Marco because he’s such a nice guy.” I knew exactly what she was talking about. “After the initial get-to-know-you phase, we agreed to move forward with the arrangement, so I uprooted my life in Boston and moved across the country to be with him. We were both full of hope for the future.” She recrossed her legs and readjusted herself on the couch, inclining her head politely as if to inquire if I had any questions thus far.
I had quite a few, but I was going to ask only one. I tried not to sound pitiful. “Did you fall in love?”
If they were in love, not only was I embarrassed that I’d followed Marco into the closet like an eager puppy, but I was about to be very angry at him for all the flirting and closeness that had been happening between us since we’d become business partners. He had not acted like a man in love.
“No, which is one of the reasons I’m here,” Yasmine clarified.
Relief swept through me. I was still mortified that we’d kissed in the first place, but it felt better to know that his vibe toward me had been real.
“As I prefaced, we were both hopeful it would work out, and we would fall madly, blindingly in love.” Her smile held a hint of wistfulness. “That would’ve solved a lot of issues. For one, I wouldn’t be here, as I’d already be happily married.” She idly brushed her fingertips along the couch cushion next to her, lost in thought for a moment. “We started off slowly, in separate bedrooms. We went on dates and all that. I don’t want to give you the impression that I jumped into his bed without knowing him. He was nothing but a gentleman, willing to go at my pace.” She met my gaze. “But at the end of the day, we’re two very different people. I’m social and outgoing and love to take risks, which is probably why I agreed to this in the first place, and he’s more introverted and cautious, which is why it’s taken us so long to figure this out. And the fact is”—she uncrossed her legs—“we couldn’t make a love connection no matter how hard we tried. And, believe me, we gave it a very good go.” She flashed a wry grin. “Then he met you, and everything began to change.” My heart threatened to stop beating right then and there. “Or, I should say, he remet you, because you two went to college together, right?”
“We did.” Embarrassingly, the words came out in a croak. A frog the size of a zebra had lodged in my throat because my adrenaline hose would not stop chugging through my body. I was completely hopped up. I coughed into my fist. “I’m sorry. I’m having trouble getting words out. I met him at the bookstore we both worked at the first few months of freshman year. Then he switched bookstores, and I didn’t see him again.” But I thought about him every waking moment. Does that count? “Until last year, when we ran into each other at the bank.”
“You guys had dinner together.”
My eyes widened. I resisted pawing at my throat. Was it closing now? It felt like it was closing. “Yes. But I promise nothing happened.”
“Oh, I know. Marco and I didn’t make a love match, but we basically became best friends. When you sent him the email detailing your business venture last month, we discussed it. He was pretty excited because all your numbers looked really good. He’s made a lot of money at his hedge fund and loves seeding new startups. It’s a real passion for him. I had an inkling at that time that he might end up falling for you, as he’d gushed about the profound impact you had on his life. So I encouraged him to invest.” She shrugged like that information was no big deal. “We needed to see where it would lead.”
“I had an impact…on his life?” And it was profound?
That was news to me.
I’d aggressively flirted with him, and he’d changed bookstores. I would’ve categorized my impact as less than optimal.
“I’ll leave that for him to explain later.” She stood, making her way to my very serviceable windows with a view of a crowded Seattle street. “I encouraged Marco to go into business with you, hoping he might fall in love or at least figure out what he wants.” She glanced over her shoulder, grinning. “I know that sounds weird. I’m sure you weren’t expecting to hear any of this.”
I hadn’t. Not in the least. Like, furthest from my mind type of thing.
She turned and walked back toward the couch. “But my plan worked, and now that you two clearly have feelings for each other, Marco and I can formally break our engagement.” She sat, this time leaning forward. “And, just so you know, we’d already broken up before the party last night, so he wasn’t cheating on me. But telling our family is another story. We’ll need to do it thoughtfully so no offense is given. If my plan works, everyone should be happy. And if they’re not happy, then they’re at least content.”
