章 3: Party and a Question

Champagne flowed and the mood was festive as the appetizer course was being served to the more than three hundred guests in the Steele family ballroom. A violinist played alongside a pianist on the grand piano in the corner near the open veranda doors letting in a pleasant breeze.

Megan sat next to her brother on one side and Caden on the other, across from Mr. Ross that seemed to stare at her much too intently. He genuinely made Megan feel uncomfortable. Her mother gave Megan several worried looks noticing Ross's gaze. Her father was stoically trying to ignore the attention but even he had shot the man a vexed expression once.

Megan tried to ignore Mr. Ross for the most part. Caden was telling her how much he enjoyed the appetizer which had been garlic prawns with early summer vegetables. Tyler joined in the conversation which shifted topics randomly. The three of them chatted through three more courses in the same manner.

Caden nudged Megan. "I was offered the summer internship if I want it. It starts in two weeks in London."

"Really? The one for art restoration and appraising? That's amazing, you should take it. It's what you want to do." Megan told her friend excitedly.

Caden opened his mouth to speak but Mr. Ross cut in. "Caden needs to worry about matters at home first, but it is heartening to hear that you are so supportive of my son's ambitions."

"Of course, I am. He is my good friend and a talented artist that deserves the support." Megan replied not quite understanding the silent conversations that were going on around her.

"What about you, Meg?" What are your plans for the summer?" Caden asked.

Megan sighed, "I am not sure yet. I think the family is traveling this summer, but I don't know where. Hopefully someplace tropical."

"Father where is the family traveling to this summer?" Megan asked, looking at Ryan Steele who sat at the head of the table on the other side of Tyler.

Ryan glanced at his daughter, not sure how to answer her. Ryan realized she had asked where the family was traveling to. "The island chain in the Caribbean Ocean most likely. We plan to spend about six weeks island hopping this summer."

"That sounds amazing." Caden replied with a real smile.

Suddenly Caden jolted harshly. "Ouch," he reached under the table and began rubbing his knee.

After staring at his father for a moment who looked at Megan's father, Caden turned to Megan. "Will you take a stroll with me in the gardens? I could use some fresh air."

Megan suddenly had a terrible feeling about this but went along anyway because Caden was her friend and her father asked her to be attentive to the Ross's.

"Sure," Megan replied earning a brilliant smile from her father. Caden rose extending a hand for Megan to take. She took the offered hand and stood. Together the pair walked across the ballroom floor weaving between tables until they ducked out a set of doors onto the veranda.

Arm in arm Megan and Caden strolled across the veranda, down the steps, and into the garden. They walked for a bit until they came to the fountain in the middle of the garden path. Megan sat down on the stone ledge looking beautiful in the pale moonlight. Megan glanced up at the house and for a moment she swore she saw a dark shape in the dim light coming off her father's study. She felt that figure's gaze and then it was gone like it had never been there at all.

Caden stared at Megan. She was a stunning woman, and he would be lucky to have her, but he knew it wasn't fair for her. He couldn't give her a real life like she deserved. Megan was his best friend and if things were different, he would beg her to be with him, but he knew this would never work. Still his father had demanded that Caden ask for his business partner's daughter's hand six months ago. It should have been easy to pretend but he hadn't expected Megan.

Megan was fun, kind, adventurous, humorous, selfless and many more things that made her a person that he couldn't help but to like. She was altogether a good person with a good heart that had been too easy to love. He just didn't love her in the right way, he couldn't, and he hated that he couldn't. So now what would they do?

Caden sat down on the ledge next to Megan and reached into his pocket pulling out a ring.

"Megan, I know that you and I aren't right for each other. I am well... different and see the world differently. You are brilliant, full of fire and passion that will need an outlet. I can't be that, but our parents want us to be married." Caden held up the ring for her to see. Megan stared at him dumbfounded. She hadn't expected this. Why hadn't she expected this?

"You are my best friend, and I don't want to trap you, but I am required to ask. Will you marry me?" Caden told Megan softly before tacking on the question as an afterthought.

"I can't marry you Caden. We both know that. I would be miserable." Megan told him sadly.

"I know. You need someone that can really be with you completely and that isn't me. You know that I..." Caden paused, not sure what to say.

"I know and it's okay. You're a great guy but not for me." Megan told her friend squeezing his arm.

"What are we going to do about our families?" Caden asked quietly.

"I will tell my father that we are not a suitable match, and he will understand. He always has before." Megan assured Caden with a smile.

"I don't know they have been planning this together for months." Caden confessed uncomfortably.

"Really, my father never said a word about this being the direction he wanted us to go in. I wonder why that is?" Megan wondered aloud. "Are we still good?" She questioned nervously.

"Of course we are. You are not going to get rid of me that easily." Caden stood and pulled Megan to her feet. They were strolling back toward the veranda when suddenly Mr. Ross was standing there in front of them.

"Did she agree or not?" Ross demanded.

"We are not compatible with each other, father." Caden spoke, attempting to soothe his father's budding hostility.

Ross turned on his heel and marched straight back to the house.

Caden sighed heavily. "Uh Oh, this isn't good."

When they reached the veranda Caden told Megan to stay outside and then followed his father into the ballroom. Megan could hear raised voices for a couple of moments and then there was nothing. She simply waited seated on the veranda afraid to go inside.