Her Unexpected Affair (The Robinsons) (33 page)

When she stopped completely, Drew spoke. “So, it is, or was, your plan to go through with the marriage to care for your parents, even though your family knows you don’t want to marry him. And that doesn’t matter one bit to them? That you don’t love him? You have no hope of ever loving him?”

Eyes downcast, Meilin nodded. “He’s caught whispers of my plan to end the engagement but is still convinced he can woo me into loving him. By taking care of my parents, I’m supposed to see how kind he is. He doesn’t know Edna told me differently.”

“How is Edna?” Drew smiled. He hadn’t yet met Meilin’s neighbor, but she’d told him stories. He had a feeling he’d love the lady on sight.

“Still feisty. Mom’s right about one thing; I love Edna as much as my own grandmother. She comforted me last night when I was barely clinging to the last knot on my rope. It’s because of her support I’m here tonight. She insisted I needed to tell you what’s been happening.”

“I want to buy her some flowers. Wise woman.”

Meilin nodded. “She is.”

“What did Edna tell you about Lin?”

Meilin’s mouth flatlined. “One evening when he came to pick me up, he passed her on the stairs. Didn’t acknowledge her or offer to help carry her groceries. Nothing. Passed her like she was a bag lady on the street.” Temper sparked in her eyes. “He’s kind and concerned only when there’s an audience.”

“Selfish bloody wankstain.”

Meilin gasped. “What?”

“Wankstain. A waste of…” Damn he was blushing now, Meilin never swore, and he’d made a point to be polite around her. “…well, just a waste,” he muttered. “Someone should have cockblocked his father way back when.”

Meilin covered her mouth and…giggled. Not a sound he’d ever heard from her.

“Sorry. I don’t usually resort to crude language, I notice you don’t either, but, well, sometimes there are no other words.” He rubbed the back of his neck, hoping to dissipate the heat gathering there.

Meilin laughed outright. “You’re right. I don’t care much for crude language, but as you said, sometimes it’s the only option. Especially with a British accent.”

A sigh of relief escaped. “So. What other wise words did Edna share with you?”

Meilin bit her lower lip and looked away. “Um, she mentioned an option that might work out better than selling myself to Shan Lin.”

“Yes? If she said you should marry me, then I’ll send her flowers every day for the rest of her life. And then weekly to her grave site.”

Meilin shook her head, then looked down at the ground. “Remember you once said I could easily fill a position at Lynford? Art and furnishing acquisitions and interpreter for you? What would the compensation package be like for such a position?”

Drew stilled, a small part of him shocked. She wanted a job? Well, yes, it would be a tailor-made fit, and yes, he’d suggested it. It would also allow them the time to get to know each other better. Give her a chance to be sure of his love for her and to know in her heart she loved him too. They wouldn’t need to marry immediately, possibly putting her under undue pressure, but rather, allow her to grow into the idea. Okay then.

“What sort of compensation package would you like? I’m pretty sure we could come up with something to fit you like a glove.” Reaching into his pocket, he was prepared to call his dad and get the process started. Meilin’s hand on his stopped him from dialing.

“I’m aware there are some companies with insurance benefits that cover nursing home care for parents of employees. Does Lynford believe in such programs?”

“If it isn’t one of our benefits, it should be. I could see it being a huge perk. Let me call my dad and find out.”

Meilin’s hand still prevented him from making the call. “And if it isn’t a current benefit, I’m guessing, hoping, salaries are generous enough it won’t matter.” Her eyes were wide as they searched his.

“I’m positive we can find a way to make it work out. And if you choose you want to marry me, I’ll make sure your parents are cared for. I’ll even put it in a pre-nup, if you want one written.”

Meilin’s eyes widened more as she shook her head. “I don’t expect you to take on my problems by way of marriage.”

“I care about you and your worries. By loving you, and hopefully marrying you, helping you becomes my privilege. Not an obligation, not a contractual line item, but merely by extension of what you love, I love. If your parents need help, we help them. Likewise, should my parents ever need help, we help them. It’s what love does.”

At that Meilin’s face crumpled and she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him close. “Oh, Drew. You said it perfectly. You wouldn’t hold my parents’ needs over my head to force me to marry you. That’s love.”

Hot tears watered his neck, but he didn’t care. He pulled her closer until she cuddled on his lap. “It will all work out. We’ll make sure of it. You and me. On our schedule. No one else’s. I love you and want to be with you, however you’ll let me be with you. The minute you say you’re ready to marry me I’ll have you before an Elvis impersonator in Vegas just to seal the deal. Then we’ll follow up with church ceremonies here and England. Just to make sure everyone knows we mean it.”

Meilin’s laugh was watery against his neck. “Oh, Drew. I do love you. So, so, much.”

After long minutes of kissing, touching, stroking, Drew pulled away to catch his breath. “I’m calling my sister and telling her to find another place to sleep. She can take my room at the dorm. Tonight, the apartment is ours.”

Unaccountably nervous, Meilin smoothed the red silk dress embroidered with a gold dragon from shoulder to knee over her thighs. After spending the night in Palo Alto, she and Drew had driven into the City together for dinner with the class.

She badly needed this night out. While Drew had been in lessons, she’d called Jack’s Uncle Za for his advice. Turned out he hadn’t much liked Shan Lin before she told him about the engagement agreement. Afterward, he wanted to tear Shan apart in court. Publically. He wasn’t exactly thrilled with her parents, either, but for her he’d treat them with respect when quizzing them in further detail about the written, and unwritten, items in the contract. Since she had brought her copy in her briefcase, Za sent a courier to pick it up that afternoon and promised to get a hold of her early the following week. It was a relief to have something moving forward the way she wanted.

Dinner had been fun and full of laughter as the students learned the characters for delicacies such as squid and octopus, then ate the results of their orders. Most had been surprised to find they liked the unusual dishes. Unsurprisingly, Drew had dived in with great enjoyment and no sign of trepidation like a few of the others. He even handled his chopsticks like a pro.

Now they stood at the entrance of the night club where she’d first met him so many weeks ago, nervously wondering who she knew who might be at the club that night. More importantly, who there might know Shan Lin and report to him she was with Drew.

“There’s a table opening,” Drew nearly shouted in her ear to be heard over the music.

It was a miracle they found enough seats for everyone, and Junlei was there to take their orders. Meilin sent her a grateful smile, which was returned with a wink.

“As soon as you get the first round, set up the second,” Meilin told her. “First one is on me.”

“Sure thing!”

Fortunately it was busy enough, and loud enough, Junlei didn’t have time to verbalize the questions in her eyes. Obviously she recognized Drew, and the absence of an engagement ring on Meilin’s finger. No, Meilin didn’t want to go into it tonight. Instead she shrugged and turned her attention to the dance floor. Hopefully no one she knew would be here. Wasn’t Jack still out of town?

Arnie, still oblivious to the attraction between her and Drew, held out his hand. “I get first dance,” he yelled.

Happy for the distraction, she accepted. It felt good to shimmy and sway to the hip-hop beat. Like a physical touch, Drew’s gaze followed her from where he sat guarding the drinks and purses left behind, a secret smile on his face. Every dance move she made was for him, and his eyes ate her up. The slim silk dress fit her like a second skin and she let her hands trail down her sides, watching his eyes follow them before his gaze captured hers again. It was a tease and a torment for them both. A building of anticipation.

For a full hour she danced. Switching partners with each song. Arnie didn’t last long and traded places with Drew. While presumably their group danced together, she and Drew knew they danced with each other. They found plenty of opportunities for small touches, each one adding to the heat in Drew’s eyes. Adding to the heat that pooled low in her belly. Finally, a slow song entered the mix and Drew reached for her. In his arms, she flew back to the night they’d met, only now the electricity between them flared twice as strong.

He bent, placing his mouth close to her ear. “I want to kiss you.”

A gasp of desire escaped and she pushed him back an inch. “Not here. Not now. There’s only so far I can go.”

“I know,” he said as he spun her, drawing her closer for a moment. “I know what’s at stake. I won’t compromise you that much in front of the class, but it’s killing me.” He smiled and spun her out, then pulled her back.

She laughed with pure joy. No one danced like Drew. No one made her laugh, or float on candy clouds, like he did.

The music faded out for a second, and Drew took her hand and tugged her back to the table. “Don’t know about you, but I need something to drink.”

“Me too.” Meilin fanned her face.

Junlei had just reached their table with a tray of fresh drinks as Meilin dropped into her chair, reaching for a napkin to blot her damp face.

“Perfect timing,” she shouted at the waitress.

“I live to serve.” Junlei laughed. “You look thirsty.”

“I so am.” She used the napkin like a fan.

“Meilin! There you are.”

Both women startled as a man shouted from behind them. Junlei dropped Drew’s beer on the table, and it would have spilled but for his quick reflexes.

Ice formed and dribbled down Meilin’s spine. A tremor of fright coursed through her even as she turned to see Shan behind her in a wheelchair pushed by his health aide. “Shan? What are you doing here?” Who had called him? How had he known? As far as she knew, he never came to places like this.

Anger turned his handsome face into something ugly and frightening. “Looking for my fiancée who hasn’t been answering my calls for the last two days.”

Junlei gasped, her dark eyes round in surprise. “This is your fiancé, Meilin?”

Confused, Meilin looked at her friend. “Well…” Lord, what did she say?

“You didn’t tell me this low-down, cheating, conniving, double-crosser was your fiancé,” Junlei shouted, pointing a finger at Shan.

“What?” Meilin was even more confused and noted the conversations around them dropped off and everyone was turning to watch. “You didn’t ask, and I didn’t think you knew him. How do you know him?” She looked at Shan and saw his face slide into an expression of granite. “Do you know Junlei?”

“I don’t know her. I’m here for you. But I find you with”—Shan lifted his casted hand and pointed at Drew—“this upstart, this
boy
! I knew there was something going on between you two!”

With a scream, Junlei grabbed Meilin’s drink and flung it in Shan’s face. The red wine ran down his face and stained his white shirt almost like blood. “You lying, two-timing, son of a bitch! You know me, asshole. I’ve been trying to find you ever since I discovered you got me pregnant!” She lifted her tray over her head and would have whacked Shan on the head had Drew not caught her arms.

“He got you pregnant?” Meilin’s hand flew to her throat. “When?”

Using a white linen handkerchief to wipe the liquid away from his face, Shan stared past Junlei as if she didn’t exist while she struggled to break free of Drew’s hold. “The dirty rotten creep came here one night, maybe five, six weeks ago, because he was feeling ‘itchy,’ seduced me with his smooth talk and slick flattery, then tossed a handful of bills on my pillow and told me not to look him up because he was engaged to a
lady
,” she snarled. Giving up on getting her tray back, she spit on Shan’s face. “You’re the father of my baby, you dirty, stinking, rotten user! I’m a lady! How dare you treat me like trash!” She spit again and Drew pulled her farther back as a pair of bouncers arrived.

With a look of disgust on his face, Shan used the sopping, stained handkerchief to wipe the spittle from his face. “She’s delusional.”

“What’s going on here?” one bouncer demanded.

Meilin was in too much shock to answer. Shan was too stiff with indignation or anger, she couldn’t tell which, to say a word. It was Drew who stepped in, Junlei’s tray safely in one hand, the other around her arm, holding her back from assaulting Shan further.

“We have a case of a two-timing Lothario here. It seems both ladies object to his presence,” Drew told the two security guys.

The bigger bouncer scowled at Shan Lin and flexed his enormous fists. “You messed with Junlei? Man, that was a bad, bad move. It’s time you leave.” By the awful grin on his face, Meilin was pretty sure the bouncer wanted to get a few punches thrown in before letting Shan go. Maybe push his wheelchair off the curb…pointing downhill.

The smaller, but not by much, bouncer took Junlei from Drew’s hold. “Babe. You got him good. Let us get him out of here, and then you can tell us all about it, okay? Anything you need? Like his name or phone number?”

“I have those,” Meilin quickly said. “I know exactly where to find him.” For good measure she scowled at Shan. “Do you remember the day, Junlei?”

Junlei fumed, but she nodded and quieted down, folding her arms across her body. “It was about a week after you were here last. Middle of the week. Wednesday night, I think. He came in about nine or nine-thirty.”

Mentally scanning her calendar, Meilin thought hard. “A Wednesday night?”

“Yes.”

“Then,” Meilin turned a fiercer scowl on Shan who was still held by the bouncer, “that would have been the night of the Schultz’s party.” The night they’d made out by the door of her apartment. “You left me and came here.” Not a question, but a statement. He’d been aroused and talking of going to bed. Had almost pressed himself on her.