A Second Chance (West Meets East Book 3) by Merry Farmer

Author:Merry Farmer [Farmer, Merry]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2017-08-10T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Noelle stayed where she was under the bed, closing her eyes, her heart thudding against the dusty floorboards. She was a fool to assume that Ram could help her without suffering repercussions. Marrying him would be a beautiful, dazzling dream. But it could only be that—a dream. In reality, there was too much at risk for her to indulge in fantasies.

“He’s gone,” Ram whispered. He moved to the edge of the bed, kneeling down to peer at her. “Ajay is gone.”

Noelle opened her eyes. Ram’s brother might have been gone, but their problems loomed as large as ever. She sighed, sliding herself gingerly out from under the bed, covered in a fine layer of dust.

“This isn’t going to work, Ram.” She stood, brushing the dust from her bare skin.

“Ignore him.” Ram shook his head, helping Noelle brush away the dirt. “Ajay can only see things from his own point of view. If he thinks I’m not serious about you, he’ll soon see how wrong he is. You will be an asset to my store.”

Noelle listened, trying to smile, trying to believe him, but her heart felt as though it were weighted with lead. “Your brother raises some good points, whether you want to admit it or not.” She threw back the bedcovers, retrieving her clothes and dressing.

Ram frowned, handing her each item of clothing as she needed it, his expression stubborn. “Don’t tell me that you agree with him.”

Noelle sent him a stern look as she tied her petticoats. “Opening a shop is a major endeavor. Do you really want to be saddled with someone who will depend on you for everything? I can’t even keep a job in a café.”

Ram shook his head. “I already said you can have a job working for me.”

“When?” Noelle asked, shimmying into her skirt. “Will your shop be opened tomorrow?”

“It will be opened soon enough,” he argued.

“And in the meantime, I have no income to bring in, nothing to offer.”

“You have plenty to offer,” he insisted, louder than he should have. Noelle waved her hands to get him to be quiet, then shrugged into her blouse. A splash of color darkened Ram’s cheeks, and his eyes grew wary. “You haven’t changed your mind, have you? You do want to marry me, right?”

Noelle winced. “I want that more than anything, but it would be selfish of me to continue to want something that will hurt you.”

“Enough of this,” he said, too loud once again.

Noelle’s eyes flared wide, and she held a finger to her lips, but Ram ignored her.

“I love you,” he whispered, stepping closer to her and holding her arms. “All the shops and riches in the world would mean nothing to me if I didn’t have you by my side.”

Nicolle’s heart felt as though it were melting and burning simultaneously. “Are you certain, Ram?” She placed her hands flat on his chest. “Ajay is right when he says we barely know each other. What if this is just a passing fancy? What if we wake up a year from now hating each other.

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