Her Unexpected Affair. Shea McMaster

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СКАЧАТЬ “Let’s take ourselves off to the drawing room for brandy, coffee, and some carols to warm up our throats for church, shall we?”

      His father sent him a look of gratitude as he stood and helped Randi to her feet. “Excellent idea.” He clasped Drew’s arm and spoke quietly. “We’ll come in for a bit, a chance to talk with the elders, and then we’ll slip away. Randi is definitely on her last leg.”

      “No worries, old man. I’ve got this. Make your rounds, then take yourselves off. We won’t start anything until noon tomorrow. The lads are old enough to enjoy a sleep-in.” He nodded at his cousins, now young teenagers. “If you’re not downstairs by noon, we’ll sic Martin on you.”

      His father groaned and Randi elbowed him in the side. “We’ll be downstairs, dressed, with bells on,” she assured him. Warmth spread through Drew when she placed a hand on his arm. “Thank you.”

      “For what?”

      “For being you.” She smiled up at him, and the glow in Drew spread and deepened.

      The feeling was bittersweet because his own mother had never said something as nice to him. She’d been there to correct his manners, critique his schoolwork, shame him into straightening his clothes, and would only send a short nod to indicate approval. Never had she smiled at him for just being. He swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat and leaned down to kiss Randi on the cheek. “I’m pretty happy to have you around, myself.”

      Chapter 1

      “I don’t know, Jack….” Drew grimaced as he rubbed the back of his neck. Normally he was all for going out and blowing off the steam of studying. Only this wasn’t just ordinary studying. He’d survived the grilling, passed the grueling exams, and earned his degree. Soon to be supplemented with a ten week crash course in Mandarin Chinese. Five weeks at Stanford, five weeks at Peking University in Beijing. Not like he would be leaving Stanford in the immediate future. Graduation ceremonies in a week—his parents were arriving from London tonight for it and a recreation of their spring break wedding for the California friends—and then the following Monday he dove right back into studying. Absolutely no rest for the wicked or exhausted.

      Yeah, he really could use a night out. But he was so damn drained he barely knew his name. All he wanted to do was sleep for the next week, waking only to cross the stage and accept his Master of the Science of Law degree.

      “Come on, Drew. You’re the party animal. Besides, I have a place in mind where the women are beautiful and you can get a head start on your Chinese course.” Jack spread his hands as if pleading his final argument. One guaranteed to win the hearts of jurors.

      “Chinese women specifically?” He frowned. “Why does that matter? Do they speak Mandarin?”

      Jack nodded so much his over-long straight, black hair flopped in his eyes. “Look, you’re headed to Beijing in, what? Six weeks, right? These ladies are the closest you’ll get to the real deal here. The high caste, the cream of the society. The ones with true traditional values, including speaking Mandarin at home, while also embracing the modern times. A hundred fifty years ago these women would have come straight out of the Imperial Court.”

      While his interest was piqued at the possibility of finding people to practice Mandarin with, Drew wasn’t sure he was up to high society. A burger and beer, or three, down at The Oasis Beer Garden sounded more his speed tonight, but it was still second choice to a six pack in the apartment while zoning out to whatever movie was on TV. Something violent, but other than that, he didn’t particularly care. Possibly the O, where other students were sure to be blowing off the steam of exams, would provide enough of a party atmosphere. Lord knew he’d barely survived the last week when he’d probably had a total of four hours sleep combined. Most of that acquired in thirty minute blocks.

      Drew ran a hand through his hair, ending at the back of his neck. “Sounds pretty interesting, but awfully tame. I’m close enough to falling asleep on my feet as it is.”

      “Nah. These girls love the music loud, the drinks frothy, and the lights bright. No sleeping there, unless you’re truly dead.”

      One last ditch effort. “Look, my folks fly in tonight. I need to get out to the house in San Ramon and help with arrangements for next week. Graduation Saturday morning, then their second wedding and my grad party immediately after. Sort of a two-fer. Then the following Monday it’s back here bright and early to check in for the next five weeks. I’m sure tomorrow night or a night during the week will work as well.”

      Jack slid him a sly look. “I’ll teach you some more phrases guaranteed to get the attention of a lovely Mandarin princess.”

      Just what he needed. Right. Drew sighed. “Who would be interested in a bloke from England…why?”

      “Because you’re nothing like the men they’re used to. Men like me.” He gestured at himself. “Men who are American to the bone. Many barely civilized and trying to hide it under Armani. You, you’re civilization personified. Polite, classy, refined, mildly humorous, in a tasteful way. You’re like Prince William to them. Tall, blond, killer accent which should make your Chinese accent adorable to them, and you’re not hidebound by Chinese tradition. Only English tradition.”

      “Amusing, Jack.” Sure, Drew had been raised with formal manners, but was he really anymore civilized than the next man? Not sure he liked that description, he rested his head on the back of the sofa in the apartment he’d started sharing with his sister in January. If only she were home at the moment, she’d distract Jack and Drew could escape the pressure to go out. And the self-introspection Jack seemed determined to force on him.

      “Birdie should be back in a minute. Why don’t you take her to dinner?”

      Jack’s dark eyes flew open in surprise. “Really? Now you give me permission to ask her out?”

      Yeah, so he wasn’t thrilled about Jack, or any of the other guys he’d met in California, asking out his sister. If that wasn’t a sign of his desperate need for sleep, he didn’t know what was.

      “She had a tough quarter too and still has her exams next week. Treat her like an English princess and I’ll grant you this one favor.”

      Jack sat back on the other end of the sofa and frowned. “Seriously?”

      The fact Jack questioned the offer showed he was tempted. Seriously tempted. Then Jack threw out his next idea. “Why not just bring her with us? She can help vet any woman you meet.”

      A groan started at the base of his stomach and crawled up his throat. That’s all he needed. Chaperone his sister while having Jack hunt down a woman for him. Nope. Not happening.

      “Look, I’ll contribute a hundred bucks to a nice dinner. Something low key. Just leave me alone tonight. I have a date with a six-pack and my suitcase. If I know my folks, they’ll swing by here when they leave the airport before heading home.” Come to think of it, he wasn’t sure how happy they’d be if Birdie were out with the Chinese American version of Slick Eddie. Jack Ling was just a touch too smooth, too practiced, too oily. A nice enough guy, really, and not seriously a jerk, but just one of those guys who always seemed to be working something to his advantage. Sort of like the furniture salesman on TV. The one who looked like Carrot-top and had a crazy deal every week. Only more subtle.

      Jack stared at him through narrowed eyes. The wheels grinding in his head searching for the angle could almost be heard from the other end of the couch.

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