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I don’t look back at Chen, but I hear him let out a breath. Like he was holding it. Like he’s relieved.

“So what’s next?” I ask. “We have a plane to catch? Or what?”

Chen sets his drink down on a table and straightens his tie. It’s a habit of his. Something I noticed way back when I was a kid. A signal that we are transitioning from one topic to another. “Yes, let’s go.”

I follow him out, through many corridors, until we’re back out front where the car is waiting to begin our long trek back around the world. What a monumental waste of time this was. It’s almost like… like someone wants me busy while other things are happening.

Chapter Twenty-Two - Rory

“We’re going to do great things together, Rory.”

“Mmmhmmm,” I say, smiling up at Frank. He gives me a questioning look, but then the music stops and everyone claps for the quartet on the far side of the room.

“Should we take advantage of the break to start discussions?” Frank asks.

“Discussions?” I do my best to act nonchalant.

“Sorry.” Frank smiles and I realize something I never noticed before. It’s not a charming smile. At all. “I forgot, they don’t tell the women anything beforehand. Everyone loves a mystery, right?” He chuckles, like this is all big fun. “Come on, there’s tables set up for this. And even though we have all night, it’s better to get it out of the way so we can concentrate on enjoying ourselves.”

Before I can answer—and I think he does this on purpose—he has my hand and he’s leading me over towards a doorway where two men with earpieces stand guard in front of the double doors leading to the senior study rooms.

Frank stops to speak to them. “Fulbright party,” he whispers.

I inhale a steadying breath and talk myself up with encouraging thoughts. This is it, Rory. This is why you’re here.

One of them turns his head, whispers into a nearly invisible microphone that wraps around his cheek, and then waits for an answer.

“You’re in room one, Mr. Fulbright. Enjoy your evening.”

A private room does not a table make. Which ramps up my nerves. I glance around, quickly, trying to find Tera in the crowd, but she’s not there. Has she been whisked away to a private room as well?

I’ve never been down this hallway. Everything in the eating houses at Princeton is segregated by class. Only upperclassmen can join an eating club, and only seniors are given full privileges of each house. So the private study rooms were never an option for me last year.

It’s nothing but a long row of closed doors, and you’d think that since we were assigned room number one we’d be first, but it’s the exact opposite. We are last. All the way down at the end where the light from the sconces on the walls is dim and the music from the dining hall just a fading memory.

“Come in, Rory.”

It’s not what I was expecting. I was expecting a… study room. A table, some chairs. You know, study room stuff.

But this is…

“This is my private meeting room. Do you like it?”

Do I like it? Well, maybe. If I wasn’t here under the pretense of arranged marriage and absolutely no idea what will happen next, I might like it.

“We’re not given much latitude in decor.” Frank laughs. “Most of this is standard. But the refreshments were my idea.”

It’s one couch, a love seat really. Upholstered in silver velvet. And a round brushed metal table set in front of it. There’s a tea service on the table. Silver, of course. With two white china tea cups and steam coming from the teapot spout. The three-tier serving tray is also silver. I’m beginning to hate this color. But the pastries meticulously placed on each tray are quite exquisite and look like they were made for a wedding reception, which totally seals the deal. I will not be eating or drinking anything in this room.

“Sure,” I say, forcing a smile as I look up at him.

“I get it,” he says, taking my hand and rubbing it. “You’re nervous.”

“Not everyone likes a mystery,” I say, trying to pull my hand from his as gingerly as I can. I officially have the creeps.

“Have a seat, Rory. Nothing bad is going to happen tonight.”

No, that’s for next week, I guess.