An Engagement in Seattle: Groom Wanted

Mr. O’Dell removed a file from his briefcase. He scanned the contents, then frowned with clear disapproval. “How did you two meet?”

“Through my brother,” Julia said quickly. “He’d met Alek several years earlier while he was in Europe. They corresponded for a number of years and then after the fire…” She hesitated and turned to Alek.

“Jerry offered me a job in this country almost three years ago. I’ve lived here for the past two.”

“Tell me about your work.”

Alek answered the questions thoroughly, while minimizing his importance to Conrad Industries. No need to raise suspicions.

“Alek is a gifted biochemist,” Julia added with unnecessary enthusiasm. “The company was nearly ruined a few years back following the fire I mentioned. I don’t know what would’ve become of us if it hadn’t been for Alek.”

Although he smiled, Alek was groaning inwardly. Julia was offering far more information than necessary. He wished now that they’d gone over what they planned to say. Jerry had advised them to do so, but Alek had felt spontaneity would serve them better than a series of practiced responses.

“In other words, you needed Mr. Berinski.”

“Yes, very much so.” Julia was nothing if not honest.

“Do you continue to need him?” the interviewer pressed.

“No,” Alek answered before Julia could.

“I disagree,” she returned, looking briefly at Alek. “I find we need him more than ever now. The new line of paints Alek’s been working on for the past two years is ready to be marketed. That’s only the beginning of the ideas he’s developing.”

Alek’s concern mounted as O’Dell made a notation. Julia really was as bad at pretense as she’d claimed.

“My husband has worked hard on this project. He deserves to reap the fruits of his labors.” Fortunately, Julia didn’t stumble over the word husband. She’d said it a number of times since their marriage and it always seemed to cause her difficulty.

“You give me more credit than I deserve, my dear,” he murmured, feeling they’d dug themselves into a pit.

“Nonsense,” Julia said, obviously warming to her subject. “Alek is a genius.”

Another notation.

Alek squeezed Julia’s fingers, willing her to stop speaking, but the more he tried to discourage her, the more she went on.

“If you two held each other in such high esteem, why did you wait until Alek’s visa had almost expired before you agreed to marry?”

“Love isn’t always planned,” Julia answered quickly. “No one completely understands matters of the heart, do they? I know I didn’t.” She glanced shyly toward Alek.

“I understand why the Immigration department is suspicious of our marriage,” Alek added. “We realized you would be when we decided to go ahead and marry. It didn’t make any difference.”

Another notation, this one made with sharp jagged movements of his pen.

There were several more questions, which they answered as forthrightly as possible. Alek was uncertain of how well they were coming across. He’d rarely heard Julia sound more animated and, to his surprise, sincere. When he’d first learned of the interview, his biggest concern had been Julia, but now he suspected she’d be his strongest asset.

If he was forced to return to Russia, Alek would go, because he had no other choice. He hadn’t dwelled on the consequences, refusing to allow any negative suggestions to enter his mind. He realized as they were speaking how much he’d hate to leave Julia.

“I think that answers everything,” O’Dell said, closing his file and placing it back in his briefcase.

The unexpectedness of his announcement caught Alek off guard.

“That’s all?” Apparently Julia was as astonished as he was. “You don’t want to know what brand of toothpaste Alek uses or about his personal habits?”

The official smiled for the first time. “We leave that sort of interrogation for the movies. It’s obvious to me that you two care deeply for each other. I wish all my assignments were as easy.”

“Will I need to sign anything?” Julia asked.

“No,” O’Dell said as he stood. “I’ll file my report by the end of the week. I don’t believe there’s any reason for us to be in further contact with you. I appreciate your agreeing to see me on such short notice.”

Alek stood in order to escort Mr. O’Dell to the door. Julia seemed to be in a state of shock. She sat on the sofa, her mouth hanging open, staring up at the official with a baffled, uncertain look.

“Thank you again for your trouble,” Patrick O’Dell said when Alek opened the front door.

“Julia and I should be the ones thanking you.”

The two men exchanged handshakes. Alek closed the door with relief and leaned against the frame. He slowly expelled his breath.

“Julia.” He whispered her name as he returned to the living room. She hadn’t moved. “We did it.”

She nodded as though she was in a trance.

“You were fantastic.”

Her eyes went to him and she blinked. “Me?”

“You were straightforward and honest. At first I was worried. I thought you were giving him far more information than necessary. Then I realized that was what convinced him. You acted as though you had nothing to hide. As if our staying married meant all the world to you. It wasn’t anything I said or did, it was you.”

“Me?” she repeated again, sounding close to tears.

Alek knelt down in front of her and took her hands. “Are you all right?”

Sniffling, she shook her head. The ordeal had been a strain, but he was surprised by her response. Julia wasn’t the type of woman to buckle easily. Nor did she weep without provocation. Something was definitely going on.

“What’s wrong?” he asked tenderly, resisting the urge to take her in his arms.

Tears filled her eyes and she made an effort to blink them away. “I think I’ll go lie down for a while. I’m sure I’ll be fine in a few minutes.”

Alek didn’t want her to leave. He was hoping they could pick up where they’d left off before they were interrupted by O’Dell’s arrival. The craving she’d created in him had yet to be satisfied. He wanted her to share his bed. She was his wife. They belonged together.

Alek had learned enough about Julia to know that she’d come to him in her own time, when she was ready and not before. He prayed he had the patience to wait her out.

As she lay in her bed, pretending to nap, Julia realized it wasn’t until the Immigration official had stood to leave that she’d recognized how sincere she was in what she’d told him. She’d answered the questions as candidly as possible, becoming more fervent the longer she spoke. It had suddenly struck her that Alek was as important to her personally as he was to the company. Perhaps more so. That came as an unexpected shock.

He’d been patient and loving and kind. His kisses stirred her soul. That sounded fanciful, overdramatic, but she was at a loss to explain it otherwise.

Heaven help her, she was falling in love with him. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. She didn’t want to love him, didn’t want to care about him. After Phoenix Paints was launched and he’d established his mother and sister in the country, she wanted Alek out of her life. That was what she’d planned. Involving her heart would be both foolish and dangerous. She’d already learned her lesson when it came to trusting a man. Roger had taught her well.

“Julia?” His voice was a whisper. She kept her eyes closed, not wanting Alek to know she was awake. Afraid he might want to resume what they’d started…