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I shrugged. “I’m certainly not giving you any rules.”
“Can I have a wine spritzer, please?”
“Of course.”
I made my way to the bar. No one was carding anyone. This was the Golden Society. They operated by their own rules. Besides, we weren’t in the States. I ordered a glass of scotch and a wine spritzer and leaned against the bar to survey the room. I hoped other couples were getting along better than I was with Emilie.
As I reached for my glass, another gentleman approached, also intent on securing a drink for his companion. He looked vaguely familiar, and a moment later, I recognized him as Charles, someone I had crossed paths with during our years at boarding school. While we had never been close friends, there was a sense of camaraderie in our shared history.
“Hello, Charles,” I greeted with a friendly nod, extending my hand for a handshake.
Charles smiled warmly, shaking my hand in return. “Theodore, it’s been ages. How have you been?”
I took a moment to consider his question. “Good, you?”
He nodded and sipped his drink. “I’ve been enjoying bachelorhood a bit too much apparently,” he said with a laugh. “And now I’m here.”
“Did your parents push you into it?”
“Yes. You?”
“They didn’t have to push hard,” I said. “I knew it was coming. I accepted my fate a long time ago.”
Charles chuckled. “I think I thought I was going to dodge the bullet a while longer. How’s your match going so far?”
I glanced over my shoulder at Emilie, who was engaged in conversation with another lady. “It’s different than I expected,” I replied, choosing my words carefully. “But I’m determined to make it work.”
Charles nodded in understanding, his expression mirroring my own thoughts. “I know what you mean. This whole experience has been quite the eye-opener.”
I couldn’t help but be curious about Charles’s own experiences. “And how about you, Charles? How’s your match going?”
He let out a rueful laugh. “Tougher than I thought, to be honest. It’s challenging to find common ground, but I’m determined to see it through.”
I admired Charles’s commitment to the process, and I could empathize with the challenges he faced. “It’s a journey for all of us,” I remarked. “Who thought arranged marriages were a good idea?”
He snorted. “Some asshole from two thousand years ago, I imagine. He probably had an ugly daughter and a lot of money. He came up with the idea. Other kings and powerful men realized how easy it would be to gain power and wealth by auctioning their spawn to the highest bidder.”
I laughed. “That’s very romantic.”
Charles grinned. “Isn’t it? But who knows? Maybe we’ll find love in the process. Stranger things have happened.”
“I used to think that, but now I highly doubt it.”
“You never know,” he said, his voice low and suggestive. “My parents get along. They’re not exactly madly in love with each other, but they have an understanding. They share a few of the same interests. Mom does her thing and Dad does his. It works.”
I gave Charles a skeptical look. “But is that really what we should strive for? A relationship based on mere understanding and shared interests?” I shook my head. “That’s not love. That’s settling.”
Charles raised an eyebrow. “And what do you think love is, then?”
I took a deep breath, suddenly feeling a rush of emotion. “Love is indescribable. It’s a feeling that consumes you, that makes you feel alive and whole. It’s not just about sharing interests or having an understanding, it’s about a connection that goes beyond words. It’s about wanting to be with that person, not because of what they can offer you, but because of who they are. Love is about being vulnerable, opening up to someone and trusting them completely. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.”
Charles was quiet for a moment, and I wondered if I had said too much. I knew I sounded cheesy and very unmanly.
But then he spoke, his voice soft. “I understand what you mean. I’ve felt that way before, with someone who I thought was the love of my life. But things didn’t work out. And now, with this arrangement, I’m trying to be practical and make the best of it.”
I felt a pang of sympathy for Charles. “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks,” he said, shrugging. “I’m just here for the free booze and hopefully a hot wife I can be happy with.”
