Her Unexpected Affair (The Robinsons) (3 page)

“We’re learning,” Drew muttered. He loved his sister. Absolutely. No question. But she was far from the sweet, shy, biddable creature he’d first imagined her to be. Back before he knew he had a sister. Back when he’d been almost stalking her across campus trying to find out who she was, trying to find a way to meet her that didn’t seem creepy.

Like that had worked. After learning her name, her schedule, even a little about her from some of the guys he’d met while playing a pickup game or two of rugby, who were also attracted to her, he’d finally seen his chance one morning at a campus coffee shop. She’d tripped over his size twelve foot and nearly broken her arm. So smooth. But it had worked. They’d met the next several mornings for coffee in the same spot before she’d invited him to her home for Thanksgiving as a stray. A foreign student without family connections for one of the biggest American holidays of the year.

Only to find out she was his unknown half-sister not even his father had known about and never expected to find when looking for the elusive love of his life from twenty years earlier. Surprise, surprise. Although Drew never let on, it still choked him up. His new stepmother, Randi, was all he could have hoped for in a mother. Not only did she make his father ecstatically happy, she’d brought a light of love and warmth into his world unlike any he’d ever known. In some ways it made him feel twelve again. Not just the stereotypical California friendly sort of warmth, but genuine love radiated from her entire being. Something sorely missing from his life up to then.

Where Randi had been open, loving, and accepting from the get-go, Birdie had a tougher time accepting the secrets of her past. Sometimes it still took her aback, leading to snark instead of easy going cheer. The girl just didn’t fall in with the program of him being her protector. She didn’t appreciate him vetting her dates and trying to steer her away from some of the more obnoxious suitors clamoring for her attention. Didn’t she realize that he knew those guys? What they thought when they looked at her? What they wanted from her? It had been bad enough watching her those first weeks with those sharks disguised as law students, MBAs, and jocks circling her at the beginning of fall semester. But once they’d realized she was connected to him, connected to the Robinson international money, it had added a level of frenzy to the chumming around her. Not only did they see a beautiful, lithe blonde with a cheerful smile, they also saw connections to be made. The very idea of networking with someone as renowned as Courtland Robinson, the head of Lynford International Importers based in London, had opened up the sky of future possibilities for those in the International Law program. They were not only horny buggers, they were conniving networkers.

However, he never let Birdie’s lack of appreciation for his help deter him from his accepted role of big brother. With calm and logic, he stayed the course and gently herded her along the path he thought best. If she broke from the herding, he merely sidestepped her and eased her back to the trail. Usually without her realizing his aim. Of course, her own graduate work mostly made his job easy. Like him, she didn’t have much time for dating or carousing. She’d shifted from the plain old MBA program to International Business. In fact, she’d stay on in their apartment over the summer and take summer classes to move her along that much faster toward her goal of getting to London as their father’s executive assistant. Hell, she’d probably end up in the CEO position when the old man was ready to retire. Drew grinned at the thought. Although he was also up for the position, there was one other in the wings. The nephew of a family friend. With three of them vying for the top spot, the future promised to be mighty interesting.

However, for tonight, all he had to do was survive a few hours of drinking and dancing with some Chinese beauties. He’d keep an eye on old Jack Ling and his ambitions to move in on Birdie, and perchance he’d meet someone for himself.

Meilin Wu placed her order for a Napa Valley red wine and looked around the Golden Phoenix Club while her friends shouted their orders to the waitress. As usual, the place was hopping for a Friday night. Many of the faces were young, barely legal as far as she could tell. Probably new graduates celebrating their freedom from college. She’d been there ten years earlier and recognized the relief on the faces around her. The scent of wild celebration permeated the air. The music was faster, louder, the roving lights a tad brighter tonight. The dancers moved wildly, out of control, or as much out of control as the tightly restrained Asian upbringing allowed them to be. Mostly Chinese, there were a few other mixes in the crowd. White, black, and other Asians.

“Meilin!” One of her friends shouted over the music. “Let’s dance!”

She rolled her eyes and made a shooing motion to the table of friends. “Go! I’ll watch the table!” she shouted back.

Like a colorful flock of birds, they rose as one, grabbed each other’s hands, and ran for the crowded dance floor. Half of them were married women out for a night of girls-only partying, their husbands at home with the toddlers and infants. They were far more excited about tonight than she was.

Unofficially, this was her last night as a single woman. The very thought was depressing. Instead of holding out for true love, as nearly the last single daughter of her parents’ social circle, she’d finally caved to the pressure to marry. Tonight was her last night to be free from the five thousand years of tradition that had suffocated her most of her life.

Tomorrow night, at a classy hotel, wearing something closer to traditional and more modest than her current very short, peek-a-boo, red lace dress, with a carefully selected guest list of the San Francisco elite of the Chinese-American population and a few others tossed in—mostly her father’s esteemed business associates—she’d officially sign the contract and accept the proposal of a man who’d been groomed his whole life to take over his family’s dynasty. Shan Lin, as the Americans would call him. Lin Shan if one were being traditional. A man ten years her senior, he was ready to take a wife. She was the one chosen by their two families.

At least Shan didn’t seem to object to her career, although it had been made clear to her she was expected to produce the all-important heir and a spare, or three, to cement the family future. At thirty-three she was very nearly at the end of her time to be fruitful, in the words of her mother. The time to have babies was now. They’d find a way to indulge her career as an interior designer along the way. Or not.

Never mind she had an active client list with people waiting up to a year for her to be free to decorate their homes, offices, and condos with the very best in Asian décor mixed with her own eclectic touch of European antiquity and Modernist utility. The crème of the crop sought her out, looking for that mix of dignity and style. People who appreciated the truly fine antiques from three continents and multiple countries mixed with tasteful modern treasures. No one disputed her talent for finding just the right balance of color, style, and sophistication to fit every client.

How that would work with a nursery full of the next generation, she had no clue. Especially since she had little experience with rug rats. Somehow the mother gene had never made a connection with her biological clock. No alarms ringing there.

Shan Lin was everything a modern woman should want in a husband. He was relatively tall, handsome, solid in build but kept in shape with mixed martial arts, could cement a deal in the boardroom that made all parties feel as if they’d come out on top, knew how to dance at formal occasions, and even made time to spend weekends out on the bay on the impressive sailboat he moored at the St. Francis Yacht Club. He could talk politics with the men without offending anyone, hold court with the ladies and make each one feel as if only she held his attention. He could even charm those under ten.

It didn’t hurt he’d even had the good taste to hire her to decorate his condo. It had been a big job, including public rooms and private. He’d left many details to her, accepting her suggestions with few demands. In fact, he’d been as close to a perfect client as she’d ever had. Large budget, interested in the best without being ostentatious, and didn’t get in her way too much. Especially since he’d been away on business during the bulk of the work. They’d met in his condo twice. Once when she showed him her design boards and again when the work was done. In between they’d communicated by e-mail, and she’d kept him up to date with digital photos. She could easily argue she knew his housekeeper and secretary better than she knew him.

On paper he was the perfect man.

In reality, he left her yawning.

Her mother and many of her friends thought she was crazy.

Hell, even she thought she was crazy at times. Certainly missing some streak of romance that would allow her to see him for the perfect specimen he was.

Although, she had to ask herself, if he was so perfect, why had he remained unmarried up to the ripe old age of forty-three? What made her so special that suddenly he had stars in his eyes only for her? They’d never even had a date. She didn’t count the dinner with both sets of their parents the previous month when she’d learned of their desire to facilitate a marriage between her and Shan. An idea that had left her blinking in surprise. Hadn’t seen that one coming, but on reflection, she’d decided, why not?

Even before he’d hired her, they’d crossed paths at social events, both of them networking their way across the room and occasionally sitting at the same table through endless rubber chicken dinners making small talk. She knew who he was, his reputation in the community, what charities he contributed to. He’d always been polite and not too forward, although she’d caught a certain appreciation in his eyes when she caught him looking at her. Once his regard from across the room had made her blush. But she’d turned and seen a very beautiful socialite behind her and decided his gaze had not been for her at all.

Meilin’s parents had known his parents long before either of them had been born. The family friendship, or business relationship to be honest, probably went back to the days when their great-grandparents and grandparents had immigrated from China. Back then the families had stuck together, building Chinatown from the ground up, building their business interests from extremely humble beginnings to the very top of the social ladder.

Their families weren’t unique in that legacy. Hundreds of families had done the same. And although she’d asked her mother what had suddenly made her stand out from so many other eligible women as the only one for him, she’d never received a satisfying answer.

Tomorrow she’d ask her mother again and possibly the question would be answered at the engagement bash for three hundred of their closest friends. Could it be during their first dance together she’d feel a spark of attraction?

The waitress arrived with the half dozen drinks, and Meilin handed over her credit card. “Run us a tab, will you, Junlei? And get the next round set up, please.”

“Sure thing. Who’s the celebration for tonight?”

“That would be me. Getting engaged tomorrow.”

“Lucky girl!”

Meilin shrugged. “I guess. My parents think so.”

Junlei set down the last drink. “Arranged, eh?” Sympathy filled her face. She patted Meilin on the shoulder. “Good luck to you,” she said and whirled away toward the next table.

Good thing Shan was rich. As part of the engagement, he’d be taking on her bills. He could afford this party and not even notice. However, with him covering her living expenses, she could pay for this one on her own.

Meilin picked up her drink and downed a healthy sip. Thank God she’d put aside enough cash for a cab home. She intended to crawl out of this place at closing time and not a moment before. After this, it would be one party after another so everyone in Chinatown could toast the soon-be-wed couple. She faced three months of invitations, thank-you notes, and wedding planning. Her mother already had the California Ballroom at the St. Francis Hotel booked, as well as the nave at Grace Cathedral. Both large enough to accommodate the four hundred estimated wedding guests. A number large enough to make her head hurt.

Movement from the doorway caught her eye and she turned her head to see Jack Ling enter and stop to survey the room. Second cousin so many times removed they were hardly related, he’d been a pest to her most of his life. She’d spent more family gatherings tasked with keeping track of the brat than she could count until she’d escaped to college.

Ready to dismiss him, she paused to note the blond couple with him. The tall man towered over Jack by a good five inches, not that Jack was tall, but this guy had to be six-one at least. The blue oxford shirt and pressed khakis spoke of a man used to dressing with care, or at least in expensive clothing. The revolving colored lights bounced off his golden blond hair, making it look artistically colored. He surveyed the room, but had his hand on the back of the girl beside him. A girl who could have been his twin, although she was shorter than him; In heels she was about even with Jack. Both of them extremely attractive. The girl also dressed with style, but with more glitz, ready for a night of dancing much like Meilin’s friends. And they both looked as young as Jack. Too bad. The blond man looked interesting. Sort of like Alex Pettyfer but with a better haircut. Next to Jack, who vibrated like a raw nerve as usual, the blond oozed calm reserve, giving the impression of being a high-born Brit. The girl was pure Californian with her long sun-streaked hair, wholesome, smiling face, tank mini-dress in neon blue, sparkly heels, and swinging earrings. Interesting.

However, Meilin tore her gaze from the group and turned to face the dance floor once more, not interesting enough. Jack’s friends were always too young for her and tonight was all about being with her girls. A pre-bridal shower party. A pre-engagement blow-out. Let Jack and his friends find their own table, preferably far, far away from hers.

When the couple at the table next to hers got up to leave, she had a sinking feeling. It was confirmed when a hand landed on her shoulder.