Her Unexpected Affair (The Robinsons) (20 page)

Drew ran frustrated hands through his short hair. “Would that be so bad? I want to spend time with you. Here. Now. I don’t want to worry about your fiancé. I wish he didn’t exist so you and I would have time to spend getting to know one another. Find out if what we feel now can grow into something more. Is it just a surface thing? I don’t think so, but with your engagement, we don’t even have a chance to explore and find out.” Maybe if he squeezed his head hard enough he’d find a solution. A way to put her engagement into neutral. Delay the wedding. Permanently.

“Look.” He hated her deflated posture, the sad finality in her voice. “It’s an impossible situation. I like you, Drew. I do. But I’m committed and I don’t see any way out of it.” With slumped shoulders she stood before him, sadness weighing her down.

Instinct to comfort pushed him to his feet. Before she could step back from him, he gently wrapped his hands around her slender arms. “Okay. That escalated fast. Far faster than I ever intended. More than anything, I want to be your friend. Can we be friends?” He bent his knees to stoop low enough to meet her gaze. “Please?”

Meilin hesitated a beat, then nodded. “Friends.”

Drew wanted to be the kind of friends who hugged and kissed. While endearing enough to make her smile even as she shook her head, Meilin knew it was destined to cause her grief.

Knowing it and living with it were two different beasts. After a sweet kiss good night, they’d parted outside the building, Drew insisting she go inside first so he’d know she was safe. Five minutes later she’d heard his footsteps in the hall outside her room in the dormitory. Sleep came slowly and filled with dreams of taking Drew around China, seeing Beijing, the countryside, walking the Great Wall. All while laughing, hugging, and kissing.

Upon waking, she felt as if she’d hardly slept a wink, so when she went to breakfast and found him bright and cheerful as a daisy at the table, laughing, teasing, and joking with anyone nearby, she wanted to smack him. The female students, and a few of the teachers, took note of his handsome face and flirted with him. He reminded her of a mischievous toddler. Much like Jack had been as a young child. It amazed her that she’d never actually taken time to wonder why the two were friends.

In class, his energy filled the room. The students worked harder at their vocabulary, even made some progress with pronunciation. Arnie would be pleased when he returned in the morning.

In the middle of a lesson he interrupted. “Teacher-san.”

“Put down your hand, Mr. Robinson. Have you been reading
Sho-Gun
? In case you’ve forgotten,
san
is a Japanese term and we’re here to learn Chinese.” It just about killed her to keep a straight face. Severe was too much to ask for.

“Many pardons. I was wondering if courtship rituals will be a part of our cultural lessons.”

“I don’t know. Take it up with your regular teacher when he returns tomorrow. I assume the subject will be touched upon to some extent. It is almost a sure thing you may be invited to a social event while in Beijing, particularly if you stay more than a year or two.”

Unfortunately, that set off a whole storm of questions, especially from the women.

“How are courtships conducted?”

“What is the general feeling about mixed race marriages in China?”

“Is it true men outnumber women by nearly twenty to one? I’ve heard polyandry—one wife, many husbands—marriages are becoming popular due to the shortage of women. Is this true?”

The questions kept coming for a solid fifteen minutes until Meilin held up her hands. “Enough. This is not part of our lesson plan, and it is entirely possible some of these questions will be answered in units down the road. May we please return to our scheduled lesson?”

It was impossible to miss the twinkle in Drew’s eyes. The sneaky rat. If she set him up with Junlei, Ping, or Yauhua, would that distract him? Then again, it might take all three of her friends to keep him busy enough to stop him from planning more mischief with her. As it was, Arnie would be back tomorrow. She just had to make it through today. Less than eight hours and she’d be driving back to her apartment, getting ready for the week ahead—a week so busy she wasn’t sure where she’d fit in dinner with Shan, much less see her parents, grandmother, or buy a new dress for the Schultz’s house warming party to show off the newly decorated apartment.

Because the afternoon lesson included history, the question of romance came up again. This time she wrote five different characters on the white board. “Your homework is to find the definition to match these. I expect you all to turn in a paper with one sentence per word. I’ll let your teacher know to expect it.”

Drew was the first to laugh while groaning. “Will you get to read them?”

Hiding a smile, she shrugged. “It’s possible. If you’re creative enough to impress your teacher, I’m sure he’ll pass the results along.”

Ah, definitely challenged. The twinkle in Drew’s eyes made it hard to keep her smile hidden, but in her heart, she laughed. They wanted romance; they’d find at least three of the characters could easily be adapted to something along those lines.

* * * *

“What’s with the assignment you gave them?” On Tuesday Arnie called to touch base as Meilin was straightening her desk. It had been a long day, and she wasn’t headed home yet. “I suddenly have a classroom of lovesick ducks.”

Leaning back in her chair, Meilin laughed. “They kept asking me about romance and courtship rituals. It seems you have a class of lovelorn romantics.”

“I don’t even want to know how all that got started,” he grumbled. “Each time you teach, at least one student falls in love. How come I never get that?”

“Ah, cousin, you don’t throw off those vibes. You’re a happily married man and if some pretty young thing tries to flirt with you, it goes completely over your head.”

“I’m not that old or ugly.” No, but he was a little nerdy. Although she’d never tell him so.

“No, you aren’t. But you’re obviously off the market, and I’m sure you lay down enough homework to keep them too busy to think of seduction.” After picking up a pen, she doodled on her desk blotter calendar. She’d already circled the number in the square of the night she’d met Drew. Now little hearts started showing up.

From the phone, Arnie’s harrumph made her laugh.

“Still, I thank you for covering the weekend. They’ve asked if you’ll be back.”

Looking at the dates coming up, she made tentative circles around the following Tuesday, and a fainter circle around the Thursday after. She knew better than to give him a firm date now. “I may be able to fill in for you a few evenings with tutoring.”

“If you like. I’m committed for the summer, so it’s not like my wife expects me home for dinner every night.”

“I’d say commuting to Seattle isn’t easy from here. How is your father?”

“He’ll live. Tina and the kids are there to help my mother, plus she’s hired that health aide. It seems the health aide is the kicker. My father hates him and is determined to get well fast. Much like the bitter tea my mother makes him drink.”

“Good incentive to get well.”

“So, you’re willing to help with tutoring in the evenings?” At the hopeful note in Arnie’s voice she quietly cringed.

“When I can. Not looking good this week.” Tomorrow night was the unveiling party at the Schultz’s apartment and she still had to buy a dress. Shan had agreed to go with her but made her swear she wouldn’t skip dinner on Thursday night. Tonight was her only chance to shop, and Ping was meeting her at Saks in an hour.

“I’ll take what you can give. Thursday?”

“No. I’m sworn to have dinner with Shan.”

“Ah, the poor neglected fiancé. Sorry to mess up your plans last weekend.”

“We’re making up for it this weekend.” When she’d rather be at the school. Odd.

“I’ll have to call Shan and offer my apologies. Maybe he won’t be so mad at you then.”

“He’s not mad.” Exactly. Well, yes, he was, but Arnie didn’t need to know that. “Just disappointed. He’s trying to court me and my schedule gets in the way. Funny, I always expected his schedule to be the issue.”

Arnie laughed. “Then he doesn’t know you well. I’ll call him anyway. Maybe he’ll be more open to you tutoring. I’m astounded at what you accomplished in two days. The improvement in the basics is amazing. They’re really trying.”

“I’m sure that’s just a matter of getting past the first week.”

“I’m not so sure of that. Can I talk you into Friday night? It will give you a chance to see the results of your assignment. You and Shan aren’t leaving for wine country until Saturday, are you?”

“Let me get through the next few nights. I’ll let you know Friday morning.”

Arnie sighed. “Fine. As I said, I’ll take what I can get. Have to run now. Lunch is over and it’s time for some history and culture.”

“Have fun.” She laughed as she hung up.

On a deep breath, Meilin took Shan’s offered hand and stepped from his car. A valet hired for the night drove the car away, and holding hands, they strolled into the lobby of the building. The guard at the desk nodded as they walked by. He knew her well from the weeks of work she’d done for the Shultz’s.

“I hope you enjoy tonight. My clients don’t always throw a party specifically to show off the work,” she said as they entered the elevator.

“I’m sure you did a beautiful job.” Shan pulled her close and wrapped an arm around her waist. They were alone and he dipped his head to kiss the spot left bare behind her ear with her hair up. “Just like you did with our home.”

His lips were warm, his breath a whisper. His subtle praise of her work a sorely needed balm after last week’s tirade. While his touch didn’t make her shiver, it sent a gentle warmth along her limbs. Warm, not hot. Loaded with possibilities for someday down the road, but not for tonight. It was possible that with a touch of alcohol she might change her mind, but she was careful to not over indulge on nights like this. After all, she was technically working. To that end she had several business cards tucked into her small clutch purse.

“You smell delicious,” Shan murmured against her ear. Another spiral of warmth slid down her spine, slow and comforting, much like a fire dancing in the grate on a cold night. “Let’s not stay too long, hmm?”

“I need to stay a couple hours at least. And mingle. This is a networking event for me, Shan. You know that.”

He sighed and kissed her nape. “I know. But I’m not feeling very businesslike tonight. Can I help it if I just want you to myself?”

“No, I suppose not. However, please remember the purpose here. You may make some contacts yourself, but I need to network tonight.”

The reflection from the polished steel doors showed Shan’s frown. “Have pity on me, woman. I’ve been thwarted almost at every turn since our engagement.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. There will be times your business interrupts plans, so I ask for reciprocal patience.”

“Of course.” Although his words agreed, he still didn’t smile. He just scowled less.

The door opened and it was easy to tell where the party was. Laughter and music came from a doorway down the long hall. The Shultz’s had a corner condo with gorgeous views of the Golden Gate and Bay bridges.

At the door, Meilin paused, both hands holding her clutch low in front of her. When Herr Shultz, a robust man who worked at the German Consulate, saw her, she gave him her most modest smile. At his loud announcement that the star of the moment had arrived, she bowed her head. Exactly as her mother had taught her. Frau Shultz, a good twenty years younger than her husband, exclaimed and rushed to take Meilin by the arm and lead her to the center of the room. Chattering a mile a minute, she gushed over the reactions they’d had so far. Everyone loved Meilin’s work. Especially how she’d managed to work an authentic Black Forest cuckoo clock into the design with other touches of home tucked in with furniture, fabrics, and rugs from other countries and continents. It took a minute, but the Shultz’s noticed Shan and Meilin introduced him as her fiancé.

“Oh the poor men of San Francisco!” Herr Shultz exclaimed to a round of chuckles and twitters from the guests. “A great beauty has been removed from the marriage market.”

“You must be so very proud of her,” Frau Shultz said to Shan. “A beautiful woman with such great talent. I hope you don’t stick her in the kitchen, constantly pregnant and changing diapers!” She laughed at her own witticism, and Meilin inwardly cringed even as she caught Shan’s extra polite smile. One that made her cold. The kind of smile a polite person used with people he considered beneath him.

Yes, the German’s were a tad crude, earthy perhaps in a way she wasn’t used to, but they weren’t bad people. And their money spent as well as anyone else’s. For what they’d paid for the design, they deserved her best. And if that meant overlooking their unsolicited advice, then so be it.

“Of course I’m proud.” Shan’s arm tightened around her waist, making his possession clear to any who watched. “She has the choice to work or not. While we believe in the traditional family values, we’re modern enough to believe in a partnership.”

Meilin nearly choked on his declaration. After the captain of the ship speech, his suggestion last week that she close her business, and how inconsequential her work was in comparison to his, now he was telling strangers he believed marriage was a partnership? Staring at the floor was the only way she could hide her shock.

“Ach. ’Tis a lovely thing in theory,” Herr Shultz boomed. “But in practice, life is so much better when the wife is at home.” That earned him a playful slap on the arm from his twittering wife.

Although his face remained neutral, Shan’s body stiffened and his arm tightened. Dear Lord. Shan didn’t like these people. Not that she especially liked them, but this was business, not personal.

Fortunately the party guests started crowding in and Meilin became a tour guide, showing the various elements of the design. There were even before photos for comparison and the comments were favorable. She noted with relief that Shan found people to talk to while keeping an eye on her. Not once did she see him taking in her work. No approval, no disapproval. Either reaction would have been fine, but no reaction at all? Did he not want people to see his support of her work? Whether he took in her answers to questions, she had no idea.