He's Not My Boyfriend

by Jackie Lau

  He didn’t see her inside, but he hadn’t expected to.

  She was exactly where he’d thought she would be. On the swinging bench in the backyard patio, wearing the midnight-blue dress she’d worn the night he’d met her.

  As he walked over to her, images from the past couple months flashed through his mind. The day she’d shown up on site in her hardhat and safety vest, and they’d argued non-stop. Their coffee date, when he told her about his mother. Dinner at her grandmother’s. The smell of burning eggs. Eating wonton soup together at his kitchen table. Relaxing right here, beneath the murals of flowers and stars.

  He’d brought her to A Cup of Stars on a whim. This place was an escape, of sorts, for him; a place where he’d still been able to find a few minutes of peace, even when his mom was dying. He’d always come here alone.

  But it had felt right to bring Iris here last Saturday. He’d had the passing thought before that it was a romantic spot, even though he’d almost never thought about romance until recently.

  It felt right to be here with her now.

  “Iris,” he said, sitting down beside her.

  “Um.” She twisted her hands together. “Hi.”

  She let him take her hands, and they both looked down at their intertwined fingers.

  “You don’t need to be nervous,” he said. “You got the flowers yesterday, didn’t you? I meant what I said in the note.” He glanced at the roses on the trellis before turning back to her.

  She nodded, then began to speak. “I used to think I would always be alone. Not because I believed no one would ever want me, but because I wanted to be alone. I listened to my mother’s exciting stories of her single life, and her life with my father sounded dreary in comparison. I saw my grandmother’s life improve after her husband died. Once I started getting interested in boys... Well, none of them gave me a reason to change my mind. Until I met you.”

  Until I met you.

  That was how it had been for him, too. Perhaps he hadn’t sworn off relationships the way Iris had, but he’d never desired more than a casual fling.

  “I’m sorry I freaked out on you on Tuesday,” she continued. “You told me you loved me, and I told you to get out. I was frightened. I kept thinking about how I would have been there when my grandmother fell if I hadn’t been with you, but maybe I wouldn’t have been home anyway. I was focusing only on that—and the issues at work—and I couldn’t see how much you’ve given me in the short time we’ve known each other. Rather than giving up a part of myself, I found a part of myself when I was with you. Now, I see it so clearly, and I understand my grandmother and my mother’s choices, too. Anyway.” She took a deep breath. “I don’t know if I’m doing a terrible job of this. I’ve never made a declaration of love before; I’ve never wanted to. But I love you, Alex, and I’m not going to run away from you again.” She wrapped her arms around him, and they held each other in silence for a moment.

  He breathed her in. A light, flowery essence that somehow captured her beauty and strength. She felt so wonderful in his arms, and he felt so lucky that he would get to hold her again and again.

  “I love you, too,” he whispered. “Whether you’re threatening to give me amnesia or trying to burn down my kitchen.”

  “Hey! That only happened because you distracted me with your hot body and talented mouth. And I only wanted to remove twenty-four hours of your memory, nothing more.”

  “I’m glad you don’t have the power to do that, because I quite enjoy those memories of the first time I brought you home with me. Even if I woke up alone the next morning.”

  “I do apologize for that.” She tilted her head back to look up into his eyes. “From now on, I want you to wake up beside me as often as possible.”

  “Sounds good to me,” he said, his voice a little rough.

  She kissed his lips—a gentle, lingering kiss—before nodding at the table beside the bench swing. There were two cups of coffee and a plate piled with baked goods, including a currant scone.

  Like the time they’d been here a week ago, he broke off a piece of scone and fed it to her, and then she fed him a piece of brownie. The sweets were delicious, especially under the winking stars in the night sky and the giant sunflowers. It was magical here.

  The sweets were particularly delicious because he was sharing them with Iris.

  But he wasn’t in the mood for a leisurely coffee date today, not when he wanted to tear off her blue dress. They both finished their coffees quickly and hurried back to his apartment, where he pressed her against the door and kissed her senseless. They finally made it to the bedroom, and when he slid inside her, it took his breath away.

  She was just what he wanted.

  * * *

  A little while later, Alex woke up to find Iris climbing back into bed.

  “I was hungry again,” she said, “so I made a snack.”

  “Did you turn on the stove? Does the rest of my apartment still exist?”

  She cuffed him on the shoulder, then made a very thorough exploration of his biceps and chest before she returned her attention to the plate in front of her.

  “Last time I checked,” she said, “cheese and crackers don’t require any cooking.”

  He helped himself to a piece of cheese. “My father and I are going to take Cantonese cooking classes at the cultural center. Maybe you could join us? Actually, I should probably check that my father would be okay with that. I should also check that the place has a good sprinkler system installed.”

  “I’m not that bad!”

  “I know.”

  “A single fire extinguisher would probably be enough to deal with my mistakes, but perhaps it wouldn’t make the best impression on your father if we got to know each other in a kitchen. Just keep it as time for the two of you. Though I would like to meet him. Soon.”

  He pulled her closer. “My father came over unexpectedly with another box of food on Wednesday, and we talked. He said he was trying to do the things that my mother used to do for me.” Alex released a shuddering breath. The thought that Iris would never get to meet his mother was hard to bear. “But she’s gone, and Dad and I have to learn to be together when it’s just the two of us.”

  Iris plucked a cracker and a piece of cheese from the plate before leaning back against him. “You’ll figure it out. I have faith in you.”

  He smiled against her neck before kissing her.

  She was here with him, and everything was okay.

  * * *

  When Iris and Alex arrived at Rebecca’s apartment the following Saturday, everyone else was already there. She hoped he didn’t find her family overwhelming.

  “This is Rebecca, Elliot, and little Nicholas,” she said as they approached the couch. Nicholas wailed in response. “This is Natalie, Rebecca’s older sister. You’ve met Ngin Ngin and my parents before.” Her parents had driven Ngin Ngin from the rehab facility, where she had already made several new friends, to visit her new great-grandson.

  Alex nodded and said hello to them all before he and Iris sat down on the loveseat.

  “You see?” Ngin Ngin said. “Now my work is done. All four grandchildren married—”

  “Married!” Mom’s head snapped toward Ngin Ngin. “Do you know something I don’t know? Iris, did you secretly tie the knot? Why wasn’t I invited? You’re my only child!”

  Ngin Ngin laughed. “Ah, Carolyn, I just said that to see if you’d notice. As far as I know, Iris isn’t married.” She looked at Iris for confirmation.

  “Not married,” Iris confirmed, but one day, she knew she’d be married to the man sitting next to her. Not long ago, she would have recoiled at such a thought, but now, everything was different.

  She took Alex’s hand and squeezed it.

  “It’s okay,” Ngin Ngin said. “At least you’re no longer saying he’s not your boyfriend. Good enough for me. You can wait to get married, but not too long because I’m getting old. Maybe you can have a baby, too, but if you don’t want b
abies, it’s okay. Already have Nicholas.”

  At that comment, Nicholas wailed again.

  “Pass him to me,” Ngin Ngin said, and Elliot stood up and handed her the baby. “Lucky to live to have great-grandson, even if I busted my hip. And look! He stopped fussing. I have the magic touch.”

  “You sure do,” Mom said.

  Dad was sitting on the chair beside her, and he made an inarticulate grunt, which usually meant “yes.” Iris now found herself looking at her parents’ lives from a different perspective. Unfortunately, her father was still unable to make eye contact with her after the events of last Saturday afternoon.

  Too bad nobody had invented brain bleach yet.

  “How did you and Alex meet?” Natalie asked.

  “Oh.” Iris felt herself blushing. “We met at a bar, and then we were kind of working on a project together, and...it’s complicated.”

  Their path here might have been a little complicated, but everything seemed simple now.

  They loved each other.

  She was lucky she wasn’t like her grandmother, who’d had to choose between the man she loved and the man who would take her to Canada to start a new life.

  Iris could have it all.

  “Alex,” Ngin Ngin said. “Take the baby from me, now that I’ve calmed him.”

  Alex dutifully got up and accepted the little bundle. He sat back down beside Iris, and Nicholas appeared to regard him thoughtfully.

  And, okay, Iris did get a warm, mushy feeling when she saw Alex holding a baby and smiling. She couldn’t help it.

  Maybe they would have one eventually. Her mother was probably desperate to have a grandchild to fuss over and would start bugging Iris about it soon. Not that she’d ever listened to what her mother told her to do.

  But although Iris didn’t know where life would take her, she did know one thing.

  She and Alex would be together.

  Epilogue

  Several months later...

  It was the final afternoon of work before the holidays. Lowry Engineering would be closed for more than a week, until January.

  Well, saying it was an afternoon of work was really stretching the definition of the word, since they were having a party.

  Iris popped a chocolate in her mouth, then turned to Emma. “What are your plans for the holidays?”

  “We have to do Christmas three times in three days, and two of those are out of town. I just hope nobody gets sick, because I don’t need a repeat of last year.” Emma sighed dramatically. “I’m going to get more egg nog. Want some?”

  Iris shook her head.

  Emma walked away in search of egg nog, and Scott appeared beside Iris.

  “I got your save-the-date email,” he said.

  Iris smiled. “Yes, I’m getting married in June.” She was inviting Scott, Emma, and one other engineer in the office.

  “Which surprised me. I hadn’t known you were seeing anyone.” He looked at her hands. “Ah. You’re wearing a ring.”

  “I’ve been wearing it for two months.” She paused. “You actually did know I was seeing someone.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

  “Remember my conflict of interest for the East Markham Hospital project? The site supervisor?” When he nodded, she continued. “Why weren’t you angrier at me for that?”

  “I knew it was a one-off. You were so embarrassed and ashamed that I was sure it would never happen again.”

  “It won’t. Because I’m marrying him.” She wasn’t ashamed of what had happened, not anymore. It wouldn’t have happened with anyone but Alex.

  “So I see. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you.”

  He headed off in the direction of the food, and Emma returned. “So, what are you doing for the holidays, Iris? Lots of wedding planning?”

  * * *

  When Iris arrived home, the house smelled amazing.

  Alex had moved into Ngin Ngin’s house with Iris after they’d gotten engaged, and last weekend, they’d put up a Christmas tree, which smelled lovely.

  But it wasn’t just the Christmas tree.

  “Are you baking?” she called out as she took off her boots.

  Alex appeared in front of her with a plate of shortbread cookies, and she couldn’t help but grin.

  “Is that smile for me or the cookies?” he asked, placing a kiss on her cheek.

  “You, of course,” she said, but she plucked a cookie from the plate, even though she’d already eaten her weight in sugar today. The cookie was better than anything she could have baked herself, that was for sure.

  He led her to the ugly brown couch, and she snuggled up against him.

  She did, indeed, like her new life very much, but she didn’t regret the way she’d lived before: lots of going out, one-night stands. She’d enjoyed it at the time, and it had led her to Alex.

  It was a very good thing that she and Crystal had gone to The Thirsty Lumberjack that night in their quest to find men. Iris had met Alex, and Crystal had met Jared—and they were getting married, too. Next fall. Iris would be a bridesmaid.

  This was her first Christmas in a relationship. In addition to seeing her family on Christmas Day, she would be joining Alex’s family on Christmas Eve at his father’s house. His brother and sister-in-law had moved to Toronto a few months ago, and Ericka was now nearly nine months pregnant. Iris had bet Alex that the baby would be born in December; Alex was convinced she wouldn’t make an appearance until the New Year. Whoever lost had to make the other person a romantic dinner.

  Hmm. Perhaps Alex actually wanted to lose so Iris wouldn’t set fire to anything.

  She reached for another shortbread cookie—a star decorated with sprinkles—and looked around the cozy house. She loved coming home to her fiancé. Loved going to sleep next to him and waking up next to him.

  So much had changed this year, and she couldn’t wait to see what the New Year would bring. Rebecca and Nicholas were doing well. Ngin Ngin had regained most of her mobility, but had agreed to remain with Iris’s parents in Scarborough for now, though she visited Iris and Alex at her house every week.

  This spring, Alex planned to turn the tiny patch of grass in the backyard into a garden, complete with a swinging bench and roses. Perhaps some peonies, too.

  By late summer, Nicholas would be walking, and Iris and Alex would be married.

  Married.

  She’d never wanted that for herself before, but thanks to the man sitting next to her, she’d changed her mind.

  Alex pressed his forehead to hers, his breath warm on her face, and kissed her.

  This would be the best Christmas ever.

  Because she’d be spending it with the man she loved.

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you to Rain Merton for their help with the manuscript, and to my editor, Latoya C. Smith, for helping me make this book the best it could be. Thank you also to Toronto Romance Writers, as well as my husband and father, for all your support. Lastly, thank you to Flirtation Designs for the lovely cover!

  About the Author

  Jackie Lau decided she wanted to be a writer when she was in grade two, sometime between writing “The Heart That Got Lost” and “The Land of Shapes.” She later studied engineering and worked as a geophysicist before turning to writing romance novels. Jackie lives in Toronto with her husband, and despite living in Canada her whole life, she hates winter. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, hiking, eating too much gelato, and reading on the balcony when it’s raining.

  Find out more at jackielaubooks.com.

  To learn about Jackie’s new releases, sign up for her newsletter here!

  Also by Jackie Lau

  Kwan Sisters Series

  Grumpy Fake Boyfriend

  Mr. Hotshot CEO

  Chin-Williams Series

  Not Another Family Wedding

  He’s Not My Boyfriend

  y Boyfriend