“You’re wondering why she didn’t tell you,” Mr. Hsu mused, staring at his grandson. “But what you should be considering, now, is how you’ll end this with her before I cancel my donation tomorrow. And set other things in motion that’ll have her blackballed from every event of worth in this city—and beyond. You’re measly little trust won’t be able to get her a job displaying food at a supermarket, let alone any other event.

  He sighed, relaxing against the back of the chair. “David, my methods may seem harsh. But I didn’t get where I am today by being lenient. Leniency is what propelled Howards from Vice Chair to a loan officer under my watch. There are times you have to make hard, and seemingly harsh decisions, for the ones you care most about. Your time is now. I want this relationship severed, tonight. Miss Williams’ last day will be today.” He pulled an envelope from his inside jacket pocket and set it on David’s desk. “This should cover her inconvenience. And as for you, you will commit to giving me your full three years—just three years—David. Don’t force my hand.”

  David brought his clasped hands to his lips and breathed into them. “How did you get this way?” David asked in a hushed voice, his head reeling.

  “Determination,” Mr. Hsu said, rising from David’s chair and strolling to the door. “And desperation,” he added, his voice taking on an unfamiliar hint of gentleness. “I’ll close the door behind me,” he declared to David’s back.

  David heard the door open, and heard it slam shut.

  Chapter 12

  The clink of glasses and dinnerware surrounded her as Therese waited for David to return from the bathroom.

  He was taking an awfully long time, she thought as she consumed another forkful of her chocolate cheese cake.

  He’d been quiet all day following his grandfather’s visit; not even looking up the few times she’d cracked open his office door to check on him.

  He’d claimed he was just busy. But she knew David.

  Her lips twisted at the recollection of seeing his grandfather. Hard to believe that such vile personalities existed until one had the displeasure of meeting them.

  She shook her head, still in disbelief that the man had tried the same trick on her that he’d tried on David’s ex.

  Stupid man.

  But the idiot was still David’s family. And as much as David vowed he hated the man, Therese got the inkling that it’d break his heart to know his closest relative would sink that low—again.

  “Sorry,” David said, rushing to the table and hurriedly taking his seat. He blinked behind his glasses, his nose tinted with a hint of blush.

  “Are you okay?”

  He took in a deep breath and shook his head.

  He reached across the table and took her hand, his gaze directed at the arc of his sand-colored thumb as it slid back and forth across her mahogany skin.

  “My grandfather.” He let her hand go. “He’s threatened to ruin your career if we continue dating.”

  She gasped. “What—What do you mean? He can’t do that! If I’m fired, I’ll get another job. With the fundraiser, I can probably even work part-time.”

  “He’s going to sabotage your fundraiser if we don’t break it off tonight,” he blurted.

  “What do you mean? I don’t understand any of this, David.”

  “He’s a donor, Therese. A big donor, apparently. And he can still cancel his contribution. You see?”

  She fell back in her chair.

  “And I wouldn’t get anything.”

  “Exactly,” he nodded, frowning.

  He continued. “And even if that’d gone through, he said he’d ruin your name in the business. He’s got connections, Therese. He can do it.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not going to let him do that.”

  Therese blinked. “You really think he’d go that far?”

  He stared her in the eye. “I have no doubt he would.”

  She swallowed.

  “Well, we can’t let him dictate our lives,” she said, quietly. “I’m not his puppet. We’re not his puppets.”

  “I’m not going to rebel just to prove something to him,” David said. “Only for you to get railroaded. It’s not worth it.”

  “Yes it is! I—we can’t just give this up because of someone else’s crazy, skewed idea of how your life should look.”

  “Yes,” he said, flatly. “We can.”

  Her mouth gaped.

  He reached in his jacket’s inner pocket and pulled out an envelope. Sliding it over to her, she saw her name written in an unfamiliar cursive across the top.

  “If you’re still available—and interested—in three years, Therese, I hope you won’t hate me by then. I hope you’ll give me another chance.”

  He stood, took one long look at her as if studying her face. And with a tight smile, he walked past her.

  Therese twisted in her chair and watched him exit the restaurant.

  “Would you like anything else?”

  She swirled around at the voice of the server that’d approached from the other side.

  “What?”

  “The gentleman,” the attendant said, pointing in the direction that David had tread moments earlier. “He has already paid for the meal. And he wanted me to inform you that he’d cover any additions to your order.”

  “Oh,” she shook her head. “No, nothing else,” she said, hoarsely.

  She sat at the table for a long moment, clenching her jaw, her chest heaving.

  Ripping open the envelope, her eyes widened at the check with her name on it. In the memo, she read the words “Severance Pay.”

  She slammed the check down on the table. Her hand balled, crumpling the paper caught within its confines.

  Why that…

  He knew she wouldn’t make a scene at a restaurant.

  He had planned this entire evening.

  He’d already decided for them. For her.

  Snatching the envelope and its contents from the table, she struggled into her light coat. It hung askew on her frame as she stuffed the papers into her pocket and charged out of the restaurant.

  She flicked her ticket to the valet and waited, her mouth pursed and her eyes narrowed.

  That’s why he’d insisted they drive separately; he intended them to leave separately, as well.

  Once in her car, she took several calming breaths.

  Calm. Calm yourself, Therese.

  Wouldn’t due for her to run a red light.

  She planned on arriving at her destination in one whole, pissed off piece.

  Knock knock knock.

  Knock knock knock!

  “David!”

  David shot up from his prone position on his sofa, his hands flailing, tipping over the tumbler that sat on the edge of his coffee table, along with its remnants of melted ice and gin.

  Therese? Was he dreaming?

  Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

  “David!”

  If so, his dream was about to rouse his neighbors.

  He rounded the sofa as his poor door suffered more abuse.

  “David!”

  “I’m coming!”

  Swinging the door open, he came face to face with a woman he feared.

  As she stepped forward into his home, he backtracked.

  She kicked the door shut behind her.

  “Don’t you ever make decisions for the both of us, of that magnitude, again. Alright?” she said, pointing her finger at him.

  “You want to choose a meal for me at a restaurant you’re familiar with and I’ve never been to,” she pushed her lips upwards. “Okay, sure. I can allow that. I’m easy-going.”

  His eyebrow quirked.

  “You want to decide to throw me a birthday party even though I hate surprises and parties?” she jerked her head sideways and shrugged. “Sure, I’ll only hate you for a few days afterwards and then make you swear to never do it again. But it’s forgivable.”

  His backwards progress was halted by the hard edge of his sofa back.

  Her tone softened. “You want to decide on some of the food we’d serve at our reception? Okay. I’ll figure out how to incorporate it.”

  She continued walking to him until she was a hands-breadth away. She raised her hands, placing them on his chest.

  Looking up at him, she searched his eyes.

  “But you don’t get to decide if we’re going to let ourselves be bullied out of this relationship. I have to be a part of decisions like that, David. You’re not being a hero when you leave me out of decisions like that. Okay? You’re being dumb.”

  He blinked.

  “And, I love you,” she said, her arms moving up his chest and wrapping around his neck. “But, right now you’re being dumb.”

  “I don’t want to be dumb,” he whispered.

  “No,” she whispered back, shaking her head. “You don’t want to be dumb.”

  He leaned in, kissing her, pulling her close to him.

  Pulling back, he gazed into her eyes.

  “So what are we going to do?”

  “About your being dumb? Well, you’re going to promise to include me in conversations like these from now on.”

  He bobbed his head, inhaling deeply. “I can’t help wanting to protect you.”

  She shook her head. “MmmMmm, this isn’t protection.”

  “I know,” he said, a soft smile on his face. “This is dumb.”

  She nodded, looking in his eyes. “Promise me.”

  He touched his forehead to hers and breathed, “I promise.”

  They stood like that for long moments.

  “So what are we going to do about this predicament we’re in, with my grandfather?”

  “Well, how attached are you to this city? I mean, your grandfather can’t have the same level of influence everywhere, right?”

  His lips stretched into a lop-sided grin.

  “I still can’t get over the fact that that old evil man was bluffing! Well, at least about the fundraiser.”

  Therese nodded, putting back the materials from her most recent event.

  Nyla shook her head.

  “I’m glad, though.” Therese admitted. “He’d never invested one penny in my fundraiser. Thank God for small favors.”

  “But he still stiffed you when it came to his connections.”

  Therese shrugged.

  “I’ll just keep doing smaller events like this one, for now, until David and I move. Won’t be long. We’re just wanting to wait until his fundraiser is wrapped up and we can make sure the donation clears for the incubator and our clients.”

  “Our? We? Y’all are like two peas in a pod, already, and I’m here for it.” Nyla shook her head. “See, I knew y’all had something going on. And you lied through your teeth. To your beloved cousin, no less!”

  “Girl, I was lying to myself, too,” Therese chuckled. “It wasn’t, exactly, an ideal scenario for a love match, though.”

  “True. I guess everybody’s road is different. Still don’t understand why you felt the need to invite his grandfather to the wedding. I mean, that’s just too nice.”

  Therese shrugged.

  “I guess we just figured we gotta give the man a chance. Maybe he’ll realize that he’s about to lose his family. Again. Maybe something will click.”

  “You’re better than me,” her cousin muttered, picking up a vase filled with clear gel, a small bouquet of faux flowers sprouting from the glass’ opening.

  “Well,” her cousin sighed. “I hope you two live happily ever after. And that you’ll direct that bouquet straight at me when it’s time to throw it. I think I’ve earned it.”

  “I will walk that bouquet to you, Nyla. I’m about to make a whole lot of women mad.”

  Nyla guffawed. “Ah, I love you, Cuz.” Her laughter slowly quieted and she sat back, her face contorting into a pout. “And, I wish you didn’t have to move.”

  Therese smiled.

  She wished she didn’t have to move, too. Her cousin was her only true friend; her best friend—that is until David deftly stole Therese’s heart. And she’d grown to love her city. But her reputation was toast in this town. Both she and David could more easily start anew elsewhere.

  “Maybe one day we’ll be back,” she said with a soft smile. “But,” she said, “We’ve still got a few weeks before the wedding.”

  Nyla nodded. “Right,” she said, turning to begin emptying the box in front of her.

  Therese felt something soft hit her arm. Looking down, a faux flower blossom sat at her feet. She looked up and saw Nyla’s wide grin.

  “And just a few weeks until the wedding night,” Nyla said, her eyes waggling.

  Therese’s lips tightened as she fought to restrain her smile.

  Yes, indeed.

  Epilogue

  Therese stood before the table boasting their wedding gifts.

  She felt David’s arms wrap around her waist as he began nuzzling her neck and shoulder.

  “Come back to bed, Love. I’m not done with you, yet.”

  A husky laugh escaped her, her eyelids shutting as she held two envelopes in hand.

  “When do you sleep, Mr. Lin?” she responded, her voice hoarse.

  He chuckled against her skin, his hands pressing against her silk nightgown, slowly raising its hem until his palms lay against the skin of her thighs.

  “We can sleep when we’re dead,” he chuckled.

  “Aren’t you curious about our gifts,” she moaned.

  “More curious about how many different sounds I can get my wife to make over the course of our first night together as husband and wife.”

  She melted into him, opening her eyes just enough to read the names on one of the envelopes she’d picked up out of the “box-o-gift cards” they’d set out during their reception.

  She stiffened.

  “David?”

  “Mmmm?” he murmured, pressing his hips into her.

  She gasped, her head falling back as she pressed her backside into him, in return.

  “Time to go to bed, Dear,” he growled in her ear.

  “David!” she said, tearing herself away to turn and face him.

  She waved an envelope between them.

  “Look!”

  His eyes remained on her for an eternity, finally, he drug his gaze to the envelope.

  He peered closer, taking it from her hands.

  “From Mr. and Mrs. Lin, to our son and his wife.”

  “What the hell?!” he said, angrily.

  “Open it,” Therese said.

  He just shook his head.

  Therese reached over and took the envelope between her thumb and forefinger.

  “May I?” she asked, gently.

  He licked his top lip and nodded, allowing her to slip the envelope from his grasp.

  She opened the envelope and gasped. Her hand flew to her mouth, the light catching the wetness that’d formed in her eyes.

  “Dear David and Therese,” she read, “at least this is one gift that I signed myself.”

  She looked up at David. “Signed, Grandpa Hsu,” she whispered.

  She leafed through the envelope and gaped.

  “David, there’s a three hundred thousand dollar check in here made out to the incubator! And, these are the vouchers I sent out for my top reward: the grazing table for two! There are four vouchers in here. Oh my goodness! Lyn!” She looked up at David. “That was my biggest donor's name. Why didn’t I put that together?!”

  “My grandfather? But he said…then why didn’t he…? My grandfather doesn’t lie…” David said, stunned. He tottered over to a nearby chair and dropped into it. “My grandfather…?”

  “Oh my—David,” she said, pulling out a piece of paper from the back of the envelope’s contents. She turned it to face him. “It’s the check. From my client!” She pulled out another slip of paper on which there was a list of at least twenty names with email addresses and phone numbers under the scrawled heading: “Potential Clients”.

  She shook her head.

  “What does this mean?” she asked David. “Do you think, maybe, we don’t have to move, after all?”

  David licked his lips, folding them in before shaking his head.

  “I still want to move, Therese.” He looked up at her. “Some relationships are too toxic for even such a grand gesture to heal overnight.” He inhaled deeply.

  “And I want to start a new life—with you,” he continued. “It’d be hard to do that knowing he could so easily tamper with that. I think I’d just like some time for us to establish ourselves, who we are as a couple—away from anything…or anyone that he can influence.” He grumbled, “Or at least try to.”

  He bobbed his head. “But, maybe I should try giving him a call, at least. After the honeymoon. What do you think, Honey? Or…wait, do you want to stay?”

  She cast a longing look at the list before slipping it back into the envelope. She laid the envelope down on the table and came to him, settling herself upon his lap.

  She was rewarded with the feel of his strong arms wrapping around her, his head coming to rest upon her shoulder.

  “I’m with you, all the way David,” she assured him, her tone gentle as she kissed the top of his head.

  She smiled, and hugged him. “I do think a call could be a good idea. I’m hesitant…I don’t want to see you hurt. But I also think the possibility of having even one positive conversation with your grandfather would be good for you. But only if you're ready for it, Hon. Don't let this gesture pressure you into anything you're not fully prepared to do."

  He took a long, deep breath.

  "I'll call. I can do that much."

  "Okay."

  “I’m not gonna get my hopes up, though.”

  “Of course. I just want good things for you, David. And…in this area I’ll be the one to hope enough for the both of us, okay?”

  She felt his head as he nodded against her.

  She would tell him about the list before he called his grandfather. But David was right. She and him needed time alone and not reliant on the man who’d become so much of a presence in both their lives. They would move. But one day, maybe they’d call Kansas City their home, again.