“That’s true enough,” Zach said, looking frustrated.

“I told him men and women fall in love and then decide to get married, but Gramps insists it’s better if marriage comes first.”

Zach rubbed a hand over his face. “Now that I think about it, your grandfather’s been introducing you into every conversation, telling me how wonderful you are.”

Janine gasped softly. “He’s done the same to me about you. He started weeks before we even met.”

Pressing his lips together, Zach nodded. “A lot of things are beginning to make sense.”

“What should we do?” Janine wondered aloud. “It’s perfectly obvious that we’ll have to agree on a plan of action. I hate to disappoint Gramps, but I’m not willing to be married off like…like…” Words failed her.

“Especially to me.”

Although his low words were devoid of emotion, Janine recognized the pain behind his statement. Knowing what she did about his past, the fact that he’d experienced only brief patches of love in his life and little or no approval tugged at her heart.

“I didn’t mean it to sound like that,” she insisted. “My grandfather wouldn’t have chosen you if he didn’t think you were pretty special. He prides himself on his ability to judge character, and he’s always been impressed with you.”

“Let’s not kid ourselves, Janine,” Zach returned, his voice hardening. “You’re an uptown girl. We’re totally unsuited.”

“I agree with you there, but not for the reasons you assume. From the minute I stepped into your office, you made it clear that you thought of me as some kind of snob. I’m not, but I refuse to waste my breath arguing with you.”

“Fine.”

“Instead of hurling insults at each other,” she suggested, crossing her arms in a show of indignation, “why don’t we come up with a plan to deal with Gramps’s preposterous idea?”

“That isn’t necessary,” he countered. “I want no part of it.”

“And you think I do?”

Zach said nothing.

Janine expelled her breath loudly. “It seems to me the solution is for one of us to marry someone else. That would quickly put an end to this whole thing.”

“I already told you I have no intention of marrying,” he said emphatically. “You’re the one who insinuated you had plenty of men hanging around just waiting for you to say ‘I do.’”

“None that I’d consider marrying, for heaven’s sake,” she grumbled. “Besides, I’m not currently in love with anyone.”

Zach laughed, if the sound that came from his throat could be called a laugh. “Then find a man who’s current. If you fall in and out of love that easily, surely there’s got to be at least one prospect on the horizon.”

“There isn’t. You’re going to have to come up with someone! Why don’t you go out there and sweep some sweet young thing off her feet,” she muttered sarcastically.

“I’m not willing to sacrifice my life so you can get off scot-free.” His words were low and furious.