My fake fiance

It's a deal!

'Why did you tell your family that we were...that you were....my beau?'

'I don't understand why you are so upset. I did you a favour.'

'You did me a favour?' Ida shouted in disbelief. Suddenly, she felt like she couldn't breathe. Maybe the blue blouse would have been the better choice, less constricting around the neck.  'Fiddlesticks! You did yourself a favour. Nothing else!'  She flung herself onto the nearest chair and took a couple of deep breaths.

'I could have easily left you hanging...'

Adam was right. He could have. 'So why didn't you?'

'You really have a strange way of saying thank you. You're welcome, by the way.'

Automatically, as good breeding demanded it, Ida said, 'thank you.' Hold on, why was she thanking him? 'I appreciate you saving me at the dance, but...'

'You're welcome.' He said again.

Unbelievable! This man was so insufferable, she thought. Just for that, she was going to have a little dig at him. 'That was...really generous and gentlemanly of you. To help me save face. But I've already explained to your aunt Helena and your mother that there's nothing between us because I don't need a man at my side to feel validated and accepted here in society. I am not just a silly little rich girl, you know. I am perfectly alright on my own, I assure you. You can stop pretending now.' 

Adam glared at her. 'I don't think you're just a silly little rich girl.'

'Don't you? I mean, you only associate with the richest families in the area...the Whiteheads, the Swifts, the Petersons, mayor Robinson...'

'You don't know what you're talking about.' Adam scoffs.

'There was a rumour last year that you and Leanne Swift were about to get engaged.' Ida paused. 'So, did you? You spent an awful lot of time at the saw mill that summer... Rachel told me.'

'What's it to you, anyway?'

'I couldn't care less but Rachel was heartbroken...'

'Rachel was overreacting. Besides, we're just friends. We were building a new extension at the back of the nursery. My parents and Leanne's parents are friends, we send a lot of business their way...'

'Which is a perfectly good reason to cement this friendship with a "merger" to ensure future successes!'

'I am not engaged to Leanne Swift. Our parents thought it might be a good idea. This much is true but I never was interested in her and I never will be, so can you just stop...'

'So there was some truth in the rumour?' Ida asked.

Adam shoots her a dirty look. 'I said it was never going to happen. I told my parents and I told her. She understood.'

Hastily, Ida adds, "Well, I am sure you will get together in the future. The majority of marriages are arranged marriages of sorts these days. Each party derives some form of benefit or another from the arrangement. It was the case with my parents and grand-parents and it seems like your parents have a similar mindset. It worked in the past. The Swifts have money and plenty of connections in society. I've heard it's rare that a couple marries for love these days.

'How do you know -'

'Oh, everybody knows. There was an article about it in the Melbourne Gazette and the Redcliffe Chronicle last year, didn't you read it?' 

He gives a grudging nod. 'My parents married because my father had the nursery, the land and know-how and mother had the money to finance the expansion and market the business. But that doesn't mean that they don't love each other.'