“I don’t get out enough,” Jian muttered. “It was worth a shot.”
Ren shook his head. Even as work-hammered and clueless as he was, he wouldn’t go out with one of his mother’s fix-ups with an eye towards hooking up.
“So, did you hit it with Rachel?” Jian pressed.
Ren stood up, advancing on his brother, who held his hands up in defense.
“What! I was just asking.”
“Be careful, Jian,” Ren said, his voice low. “I still care about Rachel, very much. I’m not just looking for a hook up with her.”
Jian studied him carefully for a second, then his jaw dropped. “You’re thinking of getting back together with her? Seriously?”
“It’s too early to say.”
Jian shook his head. “Well, good luck with that,” he said, his tone dubious. “Just remember: we’ve got brand review coming up in a few weeks, we’re having problems with the factory in Zhuhai and the software developer stuff there, and we’re going to be dealing with a bunch of drama if we get out of the developer contract and need to be pulling in more people in house.”
“I know,” Jian said.
“That doesn’t leave you a lot of room for romancing,” Jian added.
“I know.”
Jian shrugged. “You want to grab some burgers?”
Ren shook his head. “Nah. I’m going to try to get home at a decent hour tonight.”
“And call her, huh?” Jian shook his head. “You’re whipped already, and you’ve already had one date.”
“Says the guy who thinks his mom will get him a hook up,” Ren said to Jian’s retreating figure. Jian flipped him off, and Ren laughed.
Once Jian had left, Ren cleared off his desk, getting things ready for the morning, and shut down his computer. He’d go home, eat some dinner, and call Rachel. He knew she had full days, too: work, school, the bookstore.
Maybe he should text her, instead. Wasn’t that what people did? Maybe he should check in first.
He shot her a quick text.
Ren: Hey. You busy?
He waited a few minutes, only to hear her responding ping.
Rachel: Just got home from the casino. Why?
Ren: I was thinking of you. Are you the type that would rather text than talk?
Rachel: Depends on who I’m talking with.
Ren: It’s old fashioned, but I’d like to call you. I like hearing your voice.
Ren: Also, I can’t use emojis for shit.
Rachel: LOL
Rachel: Most guys I know have terrible emoji game.
Ren: Well, that’s something. So can I call you tonight?
There was a longer pause. He found himself getting impatient as he walked to his car. Finally, he got the message ding.
Rachel: I need to study tonight.
He felt disappointment hit him. Was she blowing him off? Or did she really need to study? Maybe he could offer to help. He’d gotten good grades in B-school.
Or would that seem too desperate?
Before he could come up with an answer, another ding sounded.
Rachel: But if you really want to talk, I’ll probably be done around 9:30.
He let out a breath, a smile cracking his face.
Ren: Sounds good. Talk to you then.
He immediately put his phone back in his pocket, climbing into his car. And felt like an idiot.
There were going to be challenges to getting together with Rachel. His parents might not be thrilled, he realized. And he’d have to negotiate how to make time for her when business was pressing. But it was all moot unless he could frickin’ get her to see him again. That was the objective.
Chapter 3
Rachel closed her book and put her notes away, trying to remain casual as she glanced at the clock on her nightstand. Nine-twenty-five.
Ren is going to call.
She shoved the book into her backpack. He might not, she told herself, even though she knew she was lying. She thought about compounding the lie and telling herself she didn’t care, but she couldn’t go quite that far.
She’d seen him for dinner, and he was expressing interest. And for the life of her, she couldn’t understand why.
That wasn’t a slam on her: she knew that she’d lucked out in the looks department. Plenty of guys from her business program had asked her out, and guys from the casino followed after her on a regular basis. If she wanted a relationship, she could be in one easily.
But Ren was on another level. He was a billionaire, or the son of billionaires. He could see super models if he so desired. And the women that were in his social circle probably had a hell of a lot more going for them than a night class MBA and a ton of school debt, a little family bookstore, and a job at a local casino.
There was also the fact that he’d had her. He’d been her first: her first serious boyfriend, first lover. He’d been her world for years. They’d started dating in sophomore year of high school. He’d proposed their junior year.
Then, he’d changed his mind senior year, before he left for Cambridge.
She winced. The pain wasn’t as fresh, but it was still there, like an infection.
He’d had his chance. What realization was bringing him to her doorstep now?
The phone rang, and she let out a little yelp. Frowning, she glanced at the display.
Ren.
She answered it. “Hello?”
“Hey there.” He sounded tired. “How are you?”
“I got my studying done.” She bit her lip. “Why are you calling?”
“I told you I’d call,” he said, sounding surprised. “And I wanted to hear your voice. Why? Is now a bad time?”
“No. Not really.” She took a deep breath. “It just… it’s odd. Us talking again, after all this time.”
“I think it’s nice.” She heard sounds, like cloth rustling. Was he changing clothes? The thought made her heart rate pick up, just a bit. “What are you studying?”
“Marketing strategy.” Did her voice sound huskier than usual? Rougher? Jeez, get it together.
“I liked strategy,” he said. “Forecasting, and the math behind it, was my downfall. I’m more a big picture guy.”
“With the casino, I’m more of a tactician,” she admitted. “But the big picture stuff has been useful. If I stay with the casino, I’m sure I could use it, maybe get promoted.”
“If you stay?” He sounded curious.
“Well, when I graduate, I might look for something that pays a bit better. Maybe something in the city?”
“I bet you’d kick ass.” He sounded approving, and supportive, and it made her chest warm. “You’re an intelligent woman. Focused. Anybody could see that, even back in high school.”
She felt her cheeks heat in a blush. “Thanks. It’s not Harvard, and I don’t work at a multi-billion-dollar corporation, but hey, we do what we can.”
There was a beat of silence after that statement, and she sighed.
“That came out a touch more bitter than I intended,” she said.
“You could’ve handled Harvard,” Ren said. “And I’ll bet you could handle working at Chu Enterprises, if you wanted to.”
“I don’t.” The words were blunt, but she didn’t feel apologetic. It was a huge conglomerate, and it was prestigious, but it wasn’t what she wanted at all. “I might want to get a better job, but I think I’d like a smaller-firm feel.”
“Why?”
She stretched out on the bed, holding the phone up to her face. “It’s like Frost Fandoms,” she said. “I like working with my sisters. I don’t know that I’d make it my full-time gig, the way Hailey and Cressida have, but I know that it means a lot more to me because I love them, and I believe in them. I’d want to work somewhere that values what I believe in.” She grinned. “Someplace intimate, and, you know, not evil.”
She was referring to Google’s old mission statement, the one that had stated that they wouldn’t be evil. It really broke her heart when they took that out.
He chuckled, obviously getting the reference. “Well, we’re not evil, but I don’t blame you. Chu Enterprises is huge. I’ve worked in three divisions now, and they’ve got their own quirks and bureaucracies.”
There it was again. “You sound tired, Ren,” she observed. “What’s going on?”
“Work stuff.” He sighed. “I feel like I’ve been putting in some long hours lately. We’ve been having some problems with our sales ordering and inventory software programs, and we’re…” He paused. “Sorry. It’s boring, technical stuff.”
“I could follow along,” she said, feeling a little offended.
“Yeah, but I didn’t just call you so I could complain about my day,” he said. “How’s that going to convince you to see me again?”
She paused at that. “Was that the reason you were calling?”
You had that feeling. You knew why he was calling.
“I was calling because I like talking with you,” he said. “But yes. There was that, too.”
She took a deep breath, stretching out, trying to work the tension out of her shoulders. This was crazy, and she ought to shut him down immediately. But it was kind of nice, having him call her up.
“Where are you?” he asked.
“Huh? Oh. I’m in my bedroom.”
He let out a strangled sound. “Oh?”
She snickered. “You’re dying to ask me what I’m wearing, aren’t you?”
“That would be crass.” He cleared his throat. “And we haven’t hit that point in our relationship yet. But I have high hopes.”
She let out a giggle even as her skin heated. He used to ask her what she was wearing, sometimes in a joking manner… sometimes in a serious one that had her panties melting. “If it makes any difference, I’m wearing a parka and a pair of fleece-lined overalls,” she lied.
He laughed. “Well, that does it. I’m worked up.”
She shook her head. “So that must be why you want to see me again. You can’t find girls like this in the big city… ones that can make a thick woolen parka look good.”
“You can make anything look good,” he said.
She frowned, thrown off her game a little. “What are you wearing?”
“I got home early enough to get a workout in,” he said matter-of-factly. “So I’m just wearing a T-shirt and sweats.”
She thought about him in workout gear, his arm muscles sharply defined. He’d been a soccer player in high school, and had gotten his black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She remembered just how good that body looked after exercise.
Her mouth went dry.
“But I can break out my puffy jacket and a pair of Uggs, just for you,” he added. “Tundra sexy. That’s us.”
She laughed. He’d always been like this: gently goofy.
“When can I see you again?” he said. “I really want to get a good look at this parka of yours.”
She felt her breathing go shallow. “What makes you think you get a chance at seeing me in this parka, or anything?” she asked.
“I don’t want to rush you, or push you,” he said. “But I do want to see you.”
“Yes, but why?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Ren asked. “You’re smart, you’re sexy, you’re sweet. You’re the complete package.”
“You don’t even know me,” she said. “It’s been ten years. I could be a serial killer for all you know.”
“Okay. Are you a serial killer?”
“Like I’d tell you!” She rolled her eyes.
“I’m going to take that as a no.” He sounded like he was smiling. “You’re right. I know we talked about it over dinner: we’ve both changed. But there’s no way we’re going to be able to find out what those differences are unless we see each other again.”
She felt temptation pulling at her like a rip tide. Maybe he’d changed over the past ten years. He’d apologized for how he’d broken up with her. He wasn’t the same kid, overburdened with parental expectations and a college future three thousand miles away from her.
Maybe he was worse.
She frowned. Did she want to put herself out there?
“I’m not really in the mood for a relationship,” she said, and it sounded weak to her own ears.
“I’m willing to wait.” He said. “As long as I can still see you, I’m willing to go as slowly as you want, take as much time as you need.”
If we start seeing each other, I’m afraid I won’t want to go slow.
She squirmed on the bed. “I just… it feels like a stupid idea. People don’t start dating their high school sweethearts. It never works out.”
“We could,” Ren said, his voice low and intense. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
She closed her eyes. You, if I’m not careful.
“I have studying to do, so I don’t have time to go out.” Of course, she was fairly certain she was going to nail that test, but it was the best defense she could come up with.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” She frowned.
“Okay. You’re too busy to go out tomorrow. I understand.”
He was taking that rejection very easily. She was surprised to find herself stung that he wasn’t trying for later in the week. “And I’ve got the quiz later in the week,” she said, as if to point out that she was going to be too busy for a while.
“All right.” He sounded amused.
“So I guess I’ll go to bed now,” she said, although it was far too early.
“I’ll call you again,” he said. “If that’s okay.”
“Whatever,” she said, irritation now fully at the fore.
“Hey, Rachel?”
“What?”
She heard the smile in his voice. “Think of me tonight, huh?”
She felt it like a slash. He used to say that, before they hung up. Think of me tonight.
“Because I’ll think of you.” With that, he hung up.
She was struck dumb, unsure if what he’d said was inappropriate. It probably was. But the damnable thing was, she would think of him… just like she had the night previous. Just like she had every night since she’d called him to borrow the plane.
Damn him. He was getting under her skin, and she wasn’t sure what to do about it.
#
Ren hadn’t been to the Frost Bookstore – now Frost Fandoms, with a nice sign on the front lawn and over the front door – in ten years. Once he’d broken up with Rachel, he knew that he wouldn’t be welcomed back, and he accepted that. In fact, he was pretty sure Hailey had tracked him down and threatened to “castrate him with a melon baller” or similar. Hailey had always had a temper, and he had just broken Rachel’s heart.
Still, he kind of hoped Hailey was out of town or something, he thought with a wince.
There had been a few flurries that had turned to sleet, and the already miserable commute from Seattle to Snoqualmie had been a long hour on I-90. Add to that some wait time for the pizza he’d ordered, and it was now around seven-thirty. He hoped Rachel hadn’t already eaten, but he knew she was also a sucker for pizza. Who wasn’t?
Wincing as he was pelted by the cold and wet, he carefully made his way up to the front door. The sign said the store would be open another half hour. He stepped inside. The lights were warm and inviting, the store itself colorful. There were still tons of books on floor-to-ceiling shelves that flanked the walls and windows. There were also whimsical displays of board games, memorabilia, and costumes from various fandoms.
He couldn’t help but look over the stuff. They had a really cool Assassin’s Creed costume, he noticed, one that looked about his size. And Jedi robes. Not that he had a lot of places to wear a costume, per se. But he’d slam dunk the company Halloween contest.
Okay, so Chu Electronics didn’t have a Halloween costume contest. But he could start one, couldn’t he?
“Can I help you?”
He looked over to see a pretty red-haired woman walk up to him from behind the counter. Her skin was milk-pale, and s
he had a sprinkling of freckles. She also had a gentle smile.
“Cressida?” he asked. “Is that you?”
She looked puzzled for a moment, then tilted her head as recognition settled in. “Ren?”
“Yeah. Hi.” He shifted his weight between his feet and adjusted his grip on the pizza boxes. “It’s good to see you.”
“I’m surprised to see you,” she said. Stunned might be the better word, he noticed. She glanced down. “Pizza?”
“Yeah. I understand that Rachel was probably studying tonight, so I thought I’d bring by some pizza, see if she might want any help.”
Now Cressida goggled. “Rachel knows you’re here?”
“Well, she doesn’t know… I mean, this is kind of a surprise.”
“How do you know she’s studying?” Cressida asked. “Wait. You’re stalking her?”
“What? No!” Ren shook his head. “We talked last night. I had dinner with her the other evening.”
“Really.” Cressida was a sweet kid, he remembered, and she inherently believed in people. That said, he could tell she was having difficulty believing what he was saying. “Well. Let me, um, get her.”
He waited, looking at some of the other merchandise. A few other people were browsing, as well. It looked like the store was doing all right.
To his surprise, Rachel came out flanked by Hailey, who was glaring daggers at him. He took a cautious step back.
“Hey there,” he said, with forced casualness. “I brought pizza.”
Rachel looked at him like she couldn’t believe he was there. Hailey growled at him low in her throat.
“That’s… what are you doing here?”
“You’re studying,” he said. “At least, that’s what you said last night, so you couldn’t go out. I figured if you couldn’t go out, I could at least bring some food in. You still like pizza, right?”
“Who doesn’t like pizza?” she said, echoing his thoughts. He smiled.
Hailey looked at her, then at him, then back at Rachel. “That’s what you said last night?”
“We talked on the phone, yes,” Rachel said, and he saw the blush hit her cheeks.
“Anything else?”
Ship of Fools Page 4