Her Unexpected Affair (The Robinsons) (36 page)

She rushed toward completion so fast that later she wondered if just that hint of something dark and dirty had been more of a turn on than she’d ever expected.

At the sound of a gong from the lower floor, Drew and Meilin were already on their way downstairs. He’d worn the blue tie she said matched his eyes. She wore a matching silk dress embroidered with birds and flowers made in the Mandarin style with a high neck that fastened across her shoulder with silken frogs. The side slits in her long dress were high enough to show off her gorgeous legs. Her shiny hair was twisted up in a French knot to show off a pair of dangly gold earrings with blue topaz beads.

He’d never felt more proud of any woman on his arm.

She’d taken up his challenge to try a new life, and so far everything was going their way. He’d never been more sure of anything in his life.

Now, to find out if she liked surprises.

Voices came from the drawing room and he steered her that way.

“Sounds like more than just a few people,” she said.

“No idea how many the folks have invited.” But if he had to guess, there were close to twenty people gathered for dinner tonight.

Just outside the drawing room door, Drew stopped and turned to face Meilin. “In case I haven’t said so lately”—he picked up her hand and brought it to his lips—“you grow more beautiful every day. Tonight you positively glow.”

The soft smile she gifted him turned his heart to mush. “And you grow more handsome. I never knew I could love anyone as much as I love you.”

When she said it like that, there was no way he could turn away without kissing her. It was just getting good when a loud voice interrupted from the open doorway.

“Hey now, kids. Save that for later. There are people here waiting to see you two.”

Meilin dropped her forehead to Drew’s chest. “What’s Jack doing here?”

“That’s the problem with kids these days,” Jack continued in a loud voice and threw open the other half of the double doors. “You introduce them, make sure they meet up a few times, and then they go off together and you never see them. They don’t call. They don’t write. And if you ever want to see them again, you have to invite yourself to their parties.” He made a show of tsking and shaking his head. “I tell you. The kids of today, there’s just no—”

“Jack!” A man’s voice came from inside the room and Meilin’s head rose, a look of shock on her face. “Let them come in.”

Meilin turned and gasped. “Papa? Mother?”

Drew couldn’t keep the grin from his face any longer. “Surprise.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders and guided her into the room.

Randi came forward and took Meilin’s hands. “Since we didn’t get to meet your parents while we were in California, we thought it might be nice for them to come and visit. See that Drew comes from a good family. I know they were feeling less than confident about your choice to take a position with Lynford in China, so this seemed like a good time to gather the family and make introductions all around.”

“But—” Meilin started to protest but Jack interrupted again.

“Since they only had me for a character reference”—Jack slapped Drew on the shoulder—“I came along to assure them they were traveling safely to England. Also to help care for my uncle who is showing great progress in his recovery.”

“This house is a great place to recover in peace,” Randi jumped in again. “We thought they’d enjoy the scenery, and we’d get to know each other at the same time. We gave them the room on this floor so it’s easier on your father.”

Meilin’s mouth moved like a fish out of water and Drew rubbed her back. “They’ve been here a week and they’re having a great time from what I’ve heard.” Her father looked less pale and more relaxed than the one time Drew had met her parents in San Francisco. Her mother looked happier too with a pale pink blush on her cheeks. Both were responding well to the English countryside.

“Come, let’s make introductions.” Drew guided her from one person to the next. “My grandmother Robinson, who I believe has taken over the cottage in the garden this week. You may have met her at the graduation party.”

“Of course I remember you, young lady,” his grandmother said. “You made a wise choice joining this den of thieves.”

Drew laughed and Meilin smiled.

“Next we have my aunt and uncle and their sons…” Drew continued around the room, pleased and somewhat surprised Bea’s parents were there, and ended with the vicar who set aside his sherry long enough to shake Meilin’s hand. Each one had something nice to say. Even Larry, while Oswald kept watch from one side of the room and Birdie hovered near their grandmother. Both Birdie and Oswald carefully ignored each other. No change there.

Drew managed to keep Meilin busy enough mingling that she had no chance to ask him why her parents and Jack were there. She wasn’t buying the meet and greet story Randi had dished out. But she was noticing her parents getting along quite well with his father and grandmother. Randi flitted about keeping everyone’s drinks fresh.

Still, his woman had questions in her eyes every time she glanced at him. He merely smiled. There were traditions to uphold. Protocols to follow. He had a plan and he wasn’t going to deviate from it. Martin saved the day by announcing dinner just as Meilin had him cornered. Would have to send the man something special from China for that.

In the dining room they found Randi and his grandmother having a quiet discussion. When his grandmother told everyone to look for their place cards, Drew caught the exasperation on Randi’s face and the resignation on his father’s as he escorted his wife to her seat at the foot of the table. Far, far away from her usual seat next to him.

Drew seated Meilin on his father’s left, then drifted down the table to find his seat. Of course, on Randi’s left, while she directed Meilin’s father to her right. He held back his chuckle as he seated his grandmother on his left, then took his own chair.

“Giving up the hostess spot,” he said to his grandmother.

She answered with a harrumph and a nod of satisfaction, and turned her attention to his Catchpole grandparents.

Despite the new seating arrangement, Randi handled dinner well and the courses flowed as smoothly as ever. Conversations were bright and he exchanged many glances with Meilin who seemed quite bemused. Just a little longer and then he’d answer her biggest question—exactly why this dinner was being held.

Once dessert was served, Drew looked across the table at Meilin’s father. The solemn man gave him a nod. Okay then. Show time.

Pushing back his chair, Drew picked up his champagne glass and a fork. Carefully tapping it against the crystal—his grandmother’s eyes narrowed on him to make sure he didn’t break it—he called the dining room to order as the last server slipped back into the kitchen. Only Martin remained beside a table with bottles of wine and pitchers of water at hand.

“I suppose you’re all wondering why we’re gathered here tonight.” Chuckles met his statement. “All right, most of you know, but Meilin does not.” He set down the fork and started toward the head of the table.

“It’s been a wild ride since the night I met Meilin. I knew immediately there was something special between us, but it took a lot of fast talking and fancy dancing to reach this point. The fact is, I’ve never been happier.” He rounded the table behind his father’s chair, his gaze locked securely on his target. “There’s a new road ahead of me and while the people in this room will be a part of it, there’s only one person I want by my side.”

Meilin’s eyes widened as he reached her seat and set his champagne on the table.

“Tonight I carry on a long standing family tradition. There’s always been one place where the Robinsons make these grand gestures. The grander the better. And while it’s tough to beat my father and his grand gesture last Christmas Eve, made in this very room”—the family thumped their fists on the table with mutters of “hear, hear”—“I have my own grand gesture to make.”

Meilin raised her napkin to her mouth and moisture twinkled in her eyes.

“I want the world to know how very much I love you, Meilin. I want them all to be a part of this, but the honor is reserved for this small crowd.”

He put a hand back and his father slapped a velvet box into Drew’s palm. He dropped to one knee and held the box out to Meilin.

“I know it’s been fast, but I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I don’t want to go a step further without knowing you’ll be my love, my partner, my wife. Please, accept this token of my intention to make you the happiest woman on earth, as you’ve made me the happiest of men.”

Meilin dropped the napkin in her lap and covered her mouth with both hands. The tears shimmered in her eyes and he could see her trembling.

Nerves hit him then, and praying with all his might she wouldn’t turn him down, he opened the box and thrust it at her. “Please say you’ll marry me.”

Her gaze never left his as she reached out. She bypassed the jeweler’s box and touched his cheek. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes,” she said louder. “I love you so much, Drew.” She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him close.

His arms wrapped around her waist and he clung to her, his heart so light he feared he’d drift into the rafters with the ghosts if she didn’t hold on.

“So let’s see the ring,” Grandmother Robinson called out. “How’d you do? Does
it fit?”

Meilin lifted her head laughing and wiping at the tears spilling down her cheeks. “Yeah, Drew, how’d you do?”

Once more he held out the ring with a three carat diamond surrounded by the finest rubies to be had in Beijing. More were set into the carved gold band. “I learned red is the color of good luck in China.”

Meilin lifted the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger. “Indeed it is. I love it. I love you.”

Exaggerating his sigh of relief, Drew stood and pulled her into his arms. “I’m the lucky one here.” He tilted her backward in his arms, just as he had for the photos in June. This time he kissed her with everything in his heart and soul. Meilin kissed him back without reserve.

Behind him his father stood. “Lift up your glasses, ladies and gents. The lady said yes!”

By the time they came up for air, they were surrounded, but it didn’t matter. Meilin was the only one he saw, the only one he could hear as she whispered, “The day I met you was the luckiest one of my life.”

“To date,” he said and kissed her again.

The End

Keep reading for an excerpt from the first novel in the series

Twenty-two years ago, she ran out on the love of her life—and took a secret with her.

When Randi Jean Ferguson fell for Courtland Robinson while studying abroad in London, she was ready for a life of tea and crumpets. But when she discovered Court was being forced into a shotgun wedding, there was no way she could stay—or tell him she was also pregnant with his child. Now widowed, Randi is just starting to consider finding Court—when he shows up at her door. With his son. Randi’s not ready to reveal everything to Court, but if she doesn’t, will both their children end up scarred?

The best thing to come out of Court’s unhappy marriage was his son. But he’s spent the last twenty-two years thinking about Randi, his California girl, his first—and only—love. Now a widower, he takes a chance he’s only fantasized about and seeks her out. At last he’ll solve his heart’s greatest mystery—but that won’t be the only surprise in store for him.

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London, England

Mid-late 1980s

A soft spring breeze tugged a long curl from Randi Jean Dailey’s carefully styled up-do. She paid the cabbie his quid, stepped from the car with the help of the hotel doorman, and gave him a smile. The cabbie let out a satisfactory wolf-whistle before zipping back into London traffic.

Jean’s heart pounded with excitement. Instead of climbing on the plane to go home after her semester abroad, she’d primped and polished and put on her perfect little black dress accented with proper pearls and sexy stilettos. The ones Court had bought for her two weeks prior. The ones that made her short legs look a mile long, he said. The black shoes she’d worn to seduce him last night. The ones that had driven him so mad with lust he’d made love to her all night long.

With a long bittersweet kiss, they’d parted at noon. His promise to follow her to California as soon as he possibly could were the last words spoken between them.

She adjusted the lace shawl around her shoulders and headed into the hotel where the Lynford International Importers new hire reception was being held. As an only-just-hired summer intern, she’d received her job acceptance and invitation to the reception shortly after Court had left her studio flat. The afternoon had been spent madly running around making arrangements to stay in England another three months. To start.