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“Would this be ideal to incorporate the breeding program with?” I made my notes in the first column.
“No. The Glendecht would be far better for that.” She shook her head, the corner of her lips turning down. “It’s impossible to find a program that has everything we need.”
“Nothing is impossible,” I said, knowing full well that was a load of crap. I asked Alex a few more questions that would help narrow down the field.
“Did you ever research into the Crestview program?” That was an option still on the table since we hadn’t had our official meeting with them yet. We had a demonstration of their software scheduled the next day, but I wanted to get one of the other contenders eliminated before we heard their pitch.
“I did, and I’m very hopeful for our meeting tomorrow. From what I can tell, it combines the best of the two companies we’ve narrowed it down to. I just don’t know if it has the depth we require, or if they can expand more on the program.”
I nodded. “Those are all excellent points. I’ll add it to our list.”
Alex paced the room. “With Caleb handling the horses and Andrew working with the cattle, that still leaves us the additional farm animals to consider. Plus, if you take into account the clinic, we might end up needing to use two different companies,” Alex said glancing over her notes.“And I really wanted to avoid that.”
“You know that won’t be acceptable to Thomas.” I pursed my lips.
“I know. But he can’t always get his way. We have to think about what’s best for each side. If that means I have to use two different programs to keep us all sane, then so be it.” Alex let out a huff of frustration.
I caught Alex’s eyes, and we burst out laughing. There was no way we were getting two separate programs. Thomas was going to have a cow if we couldn’t decide on just one.
I rubbed at my tense neck. We’d been debating the software for a while now. “Let’s table this until after our meeting tomorrow. Honestly, I don’t want to force one of these two out just yet. We still might be able to pull some strings or figure out an alternative.” I picked up my pen and jotted down additional notes.
I had a solid idea of what we needed from the meeting after another hour, but before Alex left, I still wanted to ask her for advice on my situation.
“Hey, Alex?” I cringed as I heard the soft, hesitant tone of my voice. I wanted her opinion, but I didn’t want her to judge me.
“Yes, Tori?” With her eyebrows slightly raised, I wondered if she already knew this conversation was coming.
“Can I ask you for advice?”
“Sure.” She leaned forward. “Is this about the twins?”
“Yeah.” I sighed, letting my shoulders fall forward. “Mom keeps calling me—hounding me really—about when I’m coming home. I keep putting her off, but I’m not sure how much longer I have before she sends someone here to kidnap me.”
“I was wondering how much longer you had left here. We may have had a rocky start, but now you’ve become one of my best friends. I don’t want you to go, and I know the boys don’t want you to either.”
“I know. I don’t want to leave, but I don’t know what else to do. It’s not likeIsigned up for this arrangement, but you know Cosland laws. Unfortunately, I don’t get a say.”
“You always get a say,” she insisted forcefully.
“It’s either my parents’ company goes under, or I marry the Donaldson brothers. Either choice is horrible.” I hung my head, staring at my hands. My nails were chipped from my nervous picking at them all week. Since my date with the guys, I knew how badly I wanted to stay and be with the twins, but before I could give them hope, I needed to figure out what to do to make that happen.
“Is there a clause to the contract? Do you have a deadline?” Alex tapped her fingers against the top of my desk.
“Nothing that I can think of,” I responded, misery etched in each word I uttered. “Cosland law gives the rights to the parents to create an arranged marriage for their daughters if they are not married by the age of twenty-five. It’s the feminine version of the Law of Heirs Thomas and Declan were subject to, except my parents made the arrangement all about themselves. Not about what would be best for me. Even though I’m twenty-eight, I’ve technically been in arranged marriage since I was twenty.” My shoulders sank with the weight of my fate.
“What if you married someone else instead?” Alex asked, like it was the most obvious thing.
“If only. They don’t recognize any other marriage unless it’s been done in Cosland. If it’s done outside of the country, then the Donaldsons will file a lawsuit against my new husband and give him the option to either divorce me or pay millions.”
“Well, shit. Okay, maybe there is something else.” She chewed her bottom lip.
“Alex, I swear I’ve thought of everything. If I terminate the contract, they own my parents’ company.” I stood and paced the room. “There isn’t exactly a deadline, but they won’t do the full investing until we officially marry. Which is why my mother keeps trying to get me to come home, so I can get married, and they can move forward with all their big plans.” I threw my hands in the air. This seemed so hopeless. My brain thrived on a challenge. I was the best at working out a strategy in order to market and sell any product that came across my desk, but I couldn’t figure a way out of my family issue.
“Could you get married to someone else in Cosland?” Alex’s voice sounded hopeful, but it wasn’t plausible.
“No. I’ve been flagged as spoken for. So that means unless the new husbands are presented as my betrothed, then no one can legally marry me to someone else in the country. The ancient law was put in place to save a woman from being stolen from their intended group and forced to marry another.”
“And you can’t appeal to the court like Thomas and Declan did?”
