“But… here’s what I want to know. Were you ever going to tell me the truth?”
His eyebrows pulled together; his answer was revealed slowly, as if he were mining his mind for the answer. “I did think about telling you. But dad’s letter was clear about keeping it confidential. And then after a while, it seemed too late to come clean.”
She searched her emotions. Her anger had dissipated. The power of what lay underneath had not yet been released. She wasn’t ready to admit what she felt about his affection for her. In truth, she wasn’t sure she knew. “Well,” she said, gathering her things. “I better go home and pack.”
He sat there watching her. Even though she’d asked all her questions, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye. He hadn’t requested anything from her. He was leaving the ball in her court. She was in total control.
Then, an idea began to percolate.
She told herself to remain silent, to think about the consequences first. The words came spouting out before she knew it. “Would you like to have dinner before I go? I’d like to thank you for helping me with the assignment. It really was kind of you.”
The way his mouth stretched into an enormous smile radiated such joy that her heart thudded.
“I’d love to,” he said.
“Saturday’s free, but dinner’ll have to be early. My train to JFK leaves at an obscene hour. Tell me what you’d like and I’ll make reservations.”
He spoke in such a low voice, as if he didn’t want to frighten away her offer. “I appreciate it, really I do. But do you have time to think about making reservations?”
She scoured her brain for restaurants. “There’s a Shake Shack near my place. Or we can do Circ take-out.”
“May I be honest?” he asked.
She grinned. Her chest felt lighter than it had in weeks. “Honest is what you’ve been tonight, so go ahead.”
He granted her a small smile. “Let me make reservations. We’ll celebrate your assignment. And forget the train, I’ll take you to the airport. Are you on the ten a.m. flight?”
“Yeah. You sure about the ride? Ten a.m. means I’m outta here by six.”
“We’reoutta here by six,” he corrected her.
“That’s really nice of you.” She pictured seeing him in the wee morning hours, riding in his sports car. Maybe he’d walk her into the airport. It’d be a fitting start to her trip to China.
“Besides, having plans might take my mind off my dad’s anniversary,” he said.
That did it. All her defenses gone, she said, “Thank you.” Standing up, she stuck out her hand. “Friends?”
He considered her, then met her palm in his warm grasp. “Dagger to my heart,” he said. When he stood, he pretended to stagger, his fist against his chest.
She felt the corners of her mouth twitch. He’d been completely vulnerable and she’d given him nothing. Not even her own feelings. She pointed at the letter. Her last request. “Let’s never discuss this again. We met at a bar. We met at work. Any answer closer to the truth takes me back to being poor orphan Orchid.”
He frowned. “It’s a deal. But to be clear, I see nothing poor about you.” And then, right in front of her, he ripped the letter in two, then continued until it was nothing but shreds. After dropping the fragments into a nearby recycle bin, he turned to face her. “What letter?” he asked.
She almost laughed with joy. His action felt as if he had just chosen her over his father. “I totally forgive you,” she said with honesty. And then she sauntered out of the café, her steps light with a new beginning. She did not glance back.
She had promised they were just friends. She had lied.
CHAPTER23
HALF YET WHOLE
Orchid
Orchid flung open her closet door and fingered each item, seeking inspiration for this final night out. A shimmery organza minidress, low cut and edgy, suited her mood. She paired it with summer spiked booties, the contrasting styles mirroring her mood.
Dressed, freshly made-up, she stepped into the elevator. As it descended, she checked her bag. Lipstick, keys, phone. Check. A Houdini-worthy cage around her heart. Check.
Phoenix had suggested the most exclusive eatery in her neighborhood, one with enough plush perfection to cause her to peek inside whenever she passed it.
