Her Unexpected Affair (The Robinsons) (10 page)

Shan’s steady gaze held hers. “Did you get my message? I don’t recall a response.”

Meilin shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t get a message.”

“I guess that explains the lack of response. I need to double check the numbers I have for you. No matter now. I’ve been invited to a party. A combined wedding reception and graduation thing. The groom is someone I knew when I was in London for my undergrad exchange. The graduate is his son. I’ll pick you up about four.”

“Saturday is Jack’s graduation. I’m obligated to attend the family function.”

“Ah. So am I. I’ll pick you up at twelve-thirty. We’ll celebrate Jack’s graduation, then head across the Bay to the other. It will have to count as our first date as I had unexpected business pop up and I have to fly to LA tomorrow afternoon. I expect to be back no later than Friday. Maybe sooner. But definitely home for Saturday.”

“Oh.” She blinked at him, doing her best to process the invitation presented as a command. “I suppose that will work.” She’d been hoping to spend the last part of Saturday at home with a movie.

“We won’t stay late. I’ve only seen this guy once in the twenty some odd years since school. He was kind to a misplaced foreigner. I’d like to pay my respects.”

“Well, when you put it like that…” There went her early night. At least she had time to reschedule and have a sloppy Sunday instead. Unless Shan came up with something else.

Shan smiled. “I also want to show him my happiness. Drink a toast to each other’s good fortune. It seems auspicious for a happy beginning to our life together.”

“Now there’s the smooth operator I’ve heard about.” She grinned at him to soften the intended rebuke.

“No more talk about pasts, darling. It’s all about the future and how we’re going to make it blissful.”

Doing her best to appear on board with that idea, she let him cup her skull and pull her head to his shoulder. His lips softly touched her temple and for one moment she let herself believe there was a chance everything would work out fine. No, she didn’t love him, nor did his touch set her blood on fire, but she didn’t feel cold. The warmth was there, although slight, but it was enough that maybe, just maybe it could build to something comforting and lasting.

“All right, I’ll be ready by twelve-thirty.”

After what seemed like hours in the intense sun, Drew was relieved to be ensconced in the back seat of his parents’ air conditioned car. The fancy new dark green Jaguar XJ-R had a cooling option in the seats, not just in front, but the back as well. The car was so new it still had the temporary plate and the scent of new leather. He’d already removed the graduation robes and tugged his tie loose. Next up, the renewal of wedding vows for his parents and then the combined reception and graduation party for a hundred of their closest California friends and a few from London. Most of whom would be Randi’s neighbors and her father’s business associates. Birdie had called in her friends to grow the ranks of people their age and once the formalities were covered, they’d turn the bash into a pool party. Something he highly approved of.

In the front seat, Randi was on her phone first with Martin, their butler who’d flown over from London—because, really, they couldn’t have a party without Martin in charge—then her friend from across the street, Kelly Tucker. The first time he’d met Kelly she’d been the one to comment on Birdie’s resemblance to him and his father. Kelly had since apologized a dozen times over for her big mouth. Her husband, Brad Tucker, known to family and friends as simply Tuck, had covered her mouth more than once. Seemed like a regular thing for them. In truth, they were more an extension of the family despite Tuck being Randi’s lawyer.

Because of the Tucker brood, there’d be younger kids at the party, so things couldn’t get too terribly out of hand. Probably no throwing girls in the pool or nonsense like that. Too bad.

“Okay.” Randi swiped the screen of her phone. “That’s done. Kelly is supervising Martin who is supervising the caterers so everything should be in place by the time we get there.”

“Excellent.” His father glanced at his wife and grinned. “So the guests begin arriving at one, at one-thirty we bare our souls to them, and by two we’ll be deep in toasts.”

Randi laughed and swatted his arm. “You can’t wait to gush out your vows again and you know it.”

“True, but I’m not sure why you’re making me do it in front of an audience. I’d rather keep it private.”

Knowing where this was headed, Drew cleared his throat while Birdie squealed and covered her ears.

Randi laughed and swatted his arm again. “Behave. We’ll warp the children.”

“Too late, they’re already warped.”

“Bleach!” Birdie called out. “I need eye and ear bleach!”

Drew chuckled as the parents laughed. It felt good being like this. He hoped it never got old.

Randi glanced over her shoulder, and Drew caught the roll of her eyes. Didn’t stop her from resting her hand on his dad’s thigh. It could be Birdie had the right idea about the bleach. Especially when his dad rested his hand over Randi’s and squeezed.

Their happiness thrilled him. No denying that, but he wasn’t used to seeing the easy way they expressed affection. His mother wouldn’t have allowed it even if his father had been so inclined to touch her publically. As she’d once explained, public displays were beneath them. The jewels she wore, all gifts from his father, were plenty to indicate the strength of their marriage. However, he saw it another way. The cold diamonds had merely reflected the ice building thicker and thicker each year between and around them.

His father didn’t give Randi diamonds, unless they were secondary to the other stones. Emeralds and sapphires suited her far better. Australian fire opals. Stones set in gold rather than platinum to reflect the warmth of her spirit.

Rubies. Not for Randi, but for Meilin. Red would suit her exquisitely. As the banter in the car continued, he imagined her in a red dress of thick Chinese silk, heavily embroidered with dragons and delicate birds. Black hair flowing straight, shining and heavy as the silk of her dress would provide the right backdrop for a cascade of rubies and diamonds hanging from her small earlobes like tongues of dragon fire. Not the kind that consumed and burned, but the kind that licked and teased, stroked and excited. Red lips parted, long nails covered in red lacquer… Oh yeah. He had dreams. Big dreams that had kept him up most of the night.

“Drew!” A small fist connected with his bicep, shattering his daydream.

“What?” He shot her an irritated glance. “Why’d you do that?”

“Your phone dinged. You might want to check your messages.”

Annoyed, he reached into his breast pocket for the phone.

“It’s from Jack,” he muttered.

“Doesn’t he have his own family soiree?”

Reading the message, he grimaced. “He did. It seems a distant, but ancient and venerable, uncle collapsed under the heat. They’re postponing the big celebration until tomorrow, so after lunch with his immediate family, he’s coming over to join our party.”

“Sorry for the reason,” Randi said, reaching for her phone. “But glad he chose to join us. I’ll have the caterer add his name to the graduation cake.”

“He won’t expect you to go to that amount of trouble,” Drew said.

“No trouble. Not for me. And I’m sure the caterer has had far worse wrenches thrown in her plans. This is just two words.”

After she hung up, nodding in satisfaction, Drew leaned forward and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.”

Randi patted his hand. “No trouble to make a guest feel welcomed, especially when it’s his day to celebrate too. The more the merrier.”

Now if only he’d found a way to invite Meilin to the party. Yeah right. She was probably all tied up in her fiancé and wedding plans. Probably had spent the night with him. He’d seen Jack’s parents and siblings in the crowd at the graduation ceremony, but there’d been no sign of Meilin. In all likelihood she wasn’t a close enough cousin to be invited for the actual ceremony. Would she have been at the family party scheduled for this afternoon? The one now postponed? Like he should be worrying about it. After a mental eye roll, he set it aside and concentrated on his own immediate future as they pulled into the garage at the house.

* * * *

As Shan handed Meilin into the passenger seat of his dark gray Aston Martin, he told her they had a change of plans.

She’d already received word that Jack’s party was on hold.

“If we hurry, and traffic isn’t bad, we can make the renewal of vows part of the afternoon.”

As he walked to his side of the car she wondered, how many couples, on any given Saturday, would be making or renewing vows?

Shan settled himself, checked for a break in traffic, then pulled onto the street.

“Exactly where are we headed?” She settled her purse at her feet and watched out the window as the apartment buildings and small stores passed by.

“San Ramon.” A small niggle slipped down her spine. “I met Courtland Robinson when I did a year at the London School of Economics. Nice guy, maybe a little too nice. I met his fiancée a couple times. She was a bit of a bitch. Haven’t really kept up with him directly, but my mother follows some of the London tabloids, and from time to time she’ll notice a piece where he’s mentioned. Attendance at this society gala or that fundraiser. When his wife died it made the news, and he became something of a playboy according to the papers. Not that he ever made the front page like the royals and movie stars.”

“I’m surprised, Shan. Following the gossip rags,” she gently teased.

He laughed. “Not me. My mother. She was spellbound with the stories I wrote in my letters home, and the one time they came to visit she met Court. Loved him, so she’s kept up. Every now and again his company makes the trades,
Wall Street Journal
and such. I was surprised when he looked me up this last spring, to tell you the truth.”

“Contacts are good,” she murmured, still fighting the premonition tapping on her shoulder.

“That they are. His new wife is something of a tea service collector, I believe. That should give the two of you something to talk about.”

“No doubt.”

“Anyhow, since we’re going earlier than planned, we won’t have to stay as late.” Shan grinned at her before checking over his shoulder and changing lanes, easing onto the Bay Bridge with the flow of traffic. “I thought we could watch the sunset while we have dinner at the Claremont.”

“Sounds lovely, but I don’t want to be out too late. I have a very busy week coming up. I generally take Sunday to do prep work and visit with my neighbor.”

“Today gives us a chance to talk about our expectations for the future. You know you won’t have to work after we’re married. In fact, you could start winding down now if you like. Things will only get busier the closer the wedding comes.”

Meilin opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Not that she should be surprised in any way; she’d expected pretty much this very discussion.

“You don’t have to answer right now, but Meilin, I want you to think it over. As my wife, there will be plenty to keep you busy. Especially after the children come. You won’t have to spread yourself thin.”

“I understand what you’re saying, but, Shan, I’ve worked hard to build my reputation. I have employees and contractors who depend on me. I have clients who value me. I like what I do. You should know that from the work I did for you only a few months ago. Before you ask me to quit my business, you should know I am booked with upcoming projects for the next eighteen months.”

“I know, I know. I understand, I really do,” he soothed. “You’re very good at what you do. This is merely opening the topic.”

“Negotiations.”

He chuckled. “If you like. Negotiation is a way of life in business.”

And in marriage as well, apparently. She didn’t say it out loud, but the sentiment was there.

“What do you expect from marriage, Meilin? I’m sure my wants are clear, but I don’t know your thoughts.”

“Do my thoughts matter?” After brunch last Sunday, spent with both sets of parents making wedding plans, she’d gotten the impression her voice didn’t count for much. Both mothers had their expectations and what the bride and groom wanted mattered little. And now Shan had brought up the topic of leaving her design business behind.

“Of course they do. They always will. I can’t make you happy if I don’t know what makes you happy. I like to know my path. I study business details from the largest gain to the minutest detail. The pros, the cons. Who will benefit, who will be hurt, how to minimize the damage, because in every business deal there is a casualty of some kind. Maybe it is dead wood that needs to go, or it’s a single mother who desperately needs her job and benefits. An older manager taking care of his parents.”

As he spoke, he handled the car like an extension of his body. It seemed to respond to his thoughts, moving with the Saturday afternoon traffic heading east on the lower deck of the bridge.

Out on the sparkling water of the bay, boats with white sails flew across the light chop. Instead of going to a party, she almost wished they were out on the bay with the rest of the sailors. Not that she knew how to sail, but she could learn and would enjoy the breeze, the salt water, the freedom of flying across the water.

Shan didn’t seem to notice her mind had wandered as he continued talking. “How can I make the necessary changes without destroying their lives, the income they depend on? I can’t save every job, every person who desperately needs theirs, but sometimes I can put them in an equal, or better, position. In some cases there is no way to protect them, but I can make job placement or technical school available to send them down a new path. It’s not always a popular idea with my stockholders, but in the long run it buys us goodwill. That’s something no amount of money can ever guarantee.”

“But you want me to give up my business to be your wife.” The very thought was still difficult to take in. Wasn’t her mother just the other day saying she could keep her job? And he claimed to value employees. What about her employees? Did he truly consider her work insignificant? Now that she thought about it, he hadn’t gushed in pleasure over her work in his condo. Did he not recognize the work she’d put into blending his taste with convenience? What did he think she did with the design form she’d had him fill out?