Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
T heMandarin Oriental Hotelin New York City was one of the crown jewels of New York’s hotels. With its available views of Central Park and an elegant glamour that called to mind old world excellence and timeless beauty.There was something about the interior that could take someone’s breath away and make them feel welcome.
Familiar with the layout of the hotel,Alexander waited patiently in the lobby for his parents to arrive.
Well, he hoped he looked patient.
It didn’t help matters that his hand kept reaching for his pocket, touching the outsideso he could feel the edges and corners of the pale blue box he’d secreted there over an hour ago.
Good.
It was still there.
The energetic hum of New York City life filled the lobby with sound for a moment and then cut off as the front doors closed.
"Xue!"
Turning on his heel, he saw his parents making their way across the lobby. With a bright smile on her face, his mother looked like the very model of beauty and grace. He met them in the center of the lobby and wrapped his mother in his embrace, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. "You look happy."
Her laughter brought back memories, flooding through his mind and his heart. So much love had flowed through their family because of his mother and he knew that she would love Tatum, just as much as he did.
"I look happy?" She leaned back and touched her hands to his cheeks. Her skin was a touch cooler than his, but shehad always been. Having her touch his face like she had so many times before calmed him. "You, my son, look very happy too."
Knowing he had to move along, or he’d be in dangerof blurting out the secret, he kept an arm around his mother and held out his hand to his father. "You look like you had a good time."
His father had always been the quieter of the two, speaking when he needed to, otherwise Alexander’s mother would do most of the speaking. So, when his father spoke, Alexander always took notice.
"You’re different, Xue. You look happy too."
"Happy that you’re bothhome." Alexander gestured to a group of chairs nearby. "I’d like to talk to you both."
His parents exchanged a look, and like so many times in his life, they seemed to carry on a whole conversation without a word. His mother was the one who spoke for them both. "Here?"
Nodding, he walked with them toward the alcove and waited for his father to settle his mother on the couch before Alexander took the seat adjacent to them. He could almost read their expressions. His father was worried, but his mother was a multi-tasker as she’d always been, was both worried and excited.
Leaning forward on his chair, he reached out and took his mother’s hand. "I’ve met someone."
He felt her hand squeeze his and her face seemed to glow.
"Xue," he really loved that his parents called him by his Chinese name, "I can see she makes you happy."
"Is she from a good family?"
His father’s questiondidn’t catch him off-guard. He’d expected something like that from him. He knew it wasn’t a criticism, just a carryover from other generations.
"She doesn’t have much in the way of family," Alexander explained.
He watched his mother take his father’s hand in hers, connecting them both through her love.
"As long as she makes you happy," his mother’s eyes were full of joy, "then we will be happy too."
His father’s eyes remained focused on him. "Are you telling us this because we are to meet her tonight?"
He’d always been a shrewd man when it came to business and his business partners, so it really wasn’t that much of a surprise that his father had foreseen the reason why Alexander had wanted to have this conversation in the lobby.
"She won’t be joining us until halfway through the evening," he began to explain, and realized he should have found a different way to explain. His father’s expression was already shuttered and his back was as straight as a steel rod. "She’s going to be performing in the exhibition."
His mother’s face lifted again. "She dances!" His mother had always been in love with dance and he knew it would give her another reason to like Tatum.
He hadn’t expected his father’s expression to take a similar downward turn.At least, his father hadn’t said anything negative.
For the first time since he’d made the arrangements for this evening, he started to wonder if he’d made a mistake.
His watch chimed with a timer and Alexander stood. "We should go to the ballroom and get to our table.”
T atum stood before the tall mirror in the backstage area of the ballroom. Adjusting the fit of her bodice, she smoothed her hands over the neckline, making sure that it was settled in place. It was made by an expert seamstress, so she wasn’t worried about a ‘wardrobe malfunction.’ No, that wasn’t ever a worry for her, but she needed something to do with her hands.
"Hey, what’s going on?"
Lifting her gaze tolook intothe mirror above her shoulder, she saw her partner Carl Landon walking up behind her.
"Nothing," she told him with a sudden smile. "Everything is fine."
Carl laughed. "You and I have known each other too long to even begin to think that
I’d accept that as an answer."
It was true. She had known Carl since they were twenty-two and twenty-five respectively. They’d quite literally grown up together within the competition circuit.
"I’m just realizing that this is it." She turned around and gestured at the room and then between the two of them."We’ve been dancing together so long," she laughed and felt some of the strain lift from her shoulders, "you must be so glad to be getting rid of this ball and chain."
Carl pulled her in for a hug, laying his cheek down on the top of her head. "Don’t be stupid, Tatum." After he gave her a tight squeeze, he leaned back. "You and I have been through a lot together, but we’ve never gotten to that stage. And, while you know I would be happy to have another few years with you, I understand why you’re retiring now."
She nodded, smiling at him. "You’ll always be my best partner and my brother in all the best ways, but if you ever call me ‘old,’ I will gut you with my heels!"
He pulled her in for another hug. "That’s my girl."
When their laughter slowed, she pursed her lips and asked him, "Have you found a new partner?"
He gave her a look that saw right through her flippant tone. "Are you jealous?"
"No!" Tatum scoffed at the thought."That’s impossible! You can’t ever find someone like me." She deflated at the ridiculous denial spoken in her own voice. "Not jealous so much as selfish. I don’t want you to forget me or to think she’ll be better than me. We’ve been together so long. I want you to have all the success you’re looking for."
Carl sighed and pulled her in for another hug. "No one will ever replace you on the floor, but if I’ve been reading your secretive smiles correctly, you’re in love."
Tatum took a step back and looked at him with a big grin. "Yes. Yes, I am. And," she gave him a wink, "what makes this even betteris that he’s here tonight."
Carl’s knowing look made her smile even more. "Do I need to have a talk with him about how to treat you right? Or do I have to tell him that if he breaks your heart, I’ll break his knees?"
Shaking her head, Tatum laughed at the idea. "I don’t think I have to worry about that from Alexander, but," she lowered her chin and gave Carl a pointed look, "you know the same applies for you. If your new partner steps on your toes… figuratively or literally, I’ve got your back."
He gave her an answering wink. "Just like I’ve got your front, Tate.You’ll always be my champion."
"You too, Carl. I owe it all to you and the way we’ve worked together through the
years."
He brushed a kiss on her cheek and she returned the gesture."Now, while we’re waiting for our turn, you’re going to need to tell me all about this man."
When Tatum stepped out from behind the curtain with her partner, Alexander hadn’t been prepared for the hard kick of jealousy that nailed him square in his chest.Carl Landon. He knew the man’s name. He’d looked up their videos online and watched them when he missed Tatum and their schedules didn’t match up for a call. He’d seen the man partner Tatum through both classical ballroom and Latin dancesand he could tell that the two of them genuinely cared
for each other.
But a video was a weak substitute for the truth. Seeing the flesh and blood man was another thing entirely and he had to focus on Tatum as the partnerswalked out of the curtained ‘backstage’ area into the ballroom.His mind was still replaying the images in his head. That first moment when the stage lighting had caught her in its glow, the shimmer of her costume, the long
length of her leg, and the secretive smile on her face that he swore was meant for him.
The number hadn’t lasted longer than five minutes, but he knew that after they were done and the rest of the audience had risen to their feet after him, applauding the performance, the standing ovation lasted for quite some time. It was her farewell performance, but he knew it was the start of something new.
Something he was excited to be a part of.
As the dancing partners moved around the crowd, Alexander wasn’t sure exactly how it was going to work and he’d been too intent on talking to her during their last phone call instead of asking her about the event.That was a mistake on his part, especially when he saw her partner lean down to kiss her.
Yes, he was jealous.
He knew Tatum’s feelings for himwere real and true, but it wasn’t easy to see another man show her affection. And he would hold it together when they came over to the table. He was a man in love, but he was also a man who trusted the woman he loved.
Tatum reached up and touched Carl’s cheek with a gentle pat as they spoke to each other. The conversation was as short as it was friendly and before Alexander realized what was happening, Carl turned around and walked back through the curtain.
"Go," he felt his mother’s hand on his back. "Go and walk with her."
Looking down at his mother, Alexander saw her smiling up at him.
"Don’t make her walk alone." He didn’t hear a real reprimand in his mother’s voice. She had never really reprimanded him with volume, even when he was a child. No, his mother’s displeasure was always measured in her eyes. A solemn look of disappointment had reduced him to tears as a child. The look she gave him at that moment was one of gentle love and encouragement. "She’s bound to be nervous,Xue."
"I’ll be right back with her. Go ahead and sit."
She tsked at him and shook her head. "I’m not so aged nor infirmed to need to sit for the next few minutes."
"You know your mother," his father’s comment shocked Alexander and his mother, "you
either go and get her, or she will."
Alexander left his parents bickering softly even though they were still smiling. That was something he was used to, but his father’s interjection was unexpected.Leland Wen was usually a stoic man who let his wife speak for the both ofthem buthearing his father’s astute comment told him his father had been hiding a bit of a sarcastic wit. He hoped he would hear more of it in the future.
Tatum’s expression brightened when she saw him heading in her direction, and itmade him feel like a king. Knowing that she was happy just to see him feltreally good.
And knowing he felt the same way made him walk just a little faster.
He reached out and took her hands in his, pulling her close. "I’m the luckiest man in this room, you know."
"Just the room?" Her laughter filled him with joy."Just kidding."
"I’m not," he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on her lips. "And you’re right. I’m pretty much the luckiest man anywhere because I’ve found you. And I’m not taking that lightly." He leaned in for another kiss. "But,if I don’t walk you over to the table, I’m going to be in trouble with my mother."
"Oh," Tatum kissed himquickly, "well I don’t want that."
They started to walk as he held her hand in his, feeling that simple touch soothing hissoul. He really should have asked to see her before the event just to take a little bit of the edgeoffhis nerves, but there he was, holding thehand of the woman who held his heart. It couldn’t get better
than that.
As they approached his parents, Alexander heard Tatum draw in a breath and let it out. It was almost steady. He gave her hand a squeeze. "Easy now,it’s going to be fine."
She chuckled and grumbled at him under her breath. "Easy enough for you to say. I
want to make a good impression."
He laughed out loud and she squeezed his hand tight enough to catch his attention. "Hey. Don’t worry, my mother already thinks you’re great."
"I’ll hold you to that."
"Hey," he leaned closer, "just remember one thing."
She looked up at him with a question plain in her eyes. "What?"
"I love you."
S peechless.
She was speechless.
Sure, they’d said it to each other over the phone. Texted it. Even written it, old school on actual paper, but it was something so very sweet to hear it in his voice… right there beside her.
And if that didn’t make her the luckiest woman anywhere, she didn’t know what else to believe.
Having a few weeks apart from Alexander had been tough. At first it wasn’t that bad.
They talked on the phone and on video andthat had been enough.
Then, as the days had stretchedon,she felt his absence as if a piece of her physical body was missing. Some nights she woke up and found herself hugging her pillow after dreaming it was him. Now, holding his hand was like a lifeline.
"I…"
She looked up at him and felt tears gather on her lashes.
"Alex, I don’t know why I’m so… overwhelmed."
He slowed to a stop and touched a kiss on the tip of her nose. "I think I know how you feel. Having you close enough to touch? To be able to hold your hand and hear your voice without something carrying the signal through the ether? My heart is pounding in my chest being physically close to you."
She almost laughed with relief.
When she turned to look at Alex’sparentsshe realized that they’d probably seen what had just happened. What would they think of her now?
As they reached the table, Alex started the introduction."Tatum, I’d like to introduce you to my-"
"She knows who we are!" His mother pulled Tatum closer and gave her a hug. "You’re so talented!"
Tatum looked back at Alex, a little bit in shock.
He grinned and shook his head."My mother loves to-"
"I make his father take me dancing every chance I can, now with both of usliking dancing, Alexander can get his father to go even more."
"Ellen, let her breathe."
"Hush," she tsked at her husband, "she can breathe. You can, right?"
Tatum could only nod and smile.
"See?" Ellen gave her husband a knowing look. "She’s perfectly fine." Alex’s mother gave him a nod. "We’re going upstairs, right?"
Tatum looked between Alex and his mother, smiling at the way Ellen had taken charge.Alex had given her some preparation for meeting his parents but she really hadn’t expected this.
"We have a reservation upstairs," Alex confirmed.
Nodding, Ellen gave her a smile. "Come, let’s head upstairs, I’ve heard they have the
most amazing desserts."
"Desserts?"
Tatum could feel her heart start to pound in her chest. "I love dessert."
Tatum felt Ellen link their arms together as they started to walk.
"Then you and I," Ellen gave her a wink, "are going to get along just fine."
It didn’t take long to get up to the Aviary, an incredible lounge that Tatum had only dreamed of visiting on past trips to New York, but when the elevator stopped, Tatum wondered if they’d arrived at the wrong time. "Is it closed?"
There wasn’t a sound to be heard coming out of the lounge andthe lights appeared to be a little dim. Turning around, she looked at Alex as he walked off the elevator behind them.
"No," he shook his head, "it’s open." The smile on his face told her hehad a secret. He walked up to her and gave his mom a peck on the cheek. "I think I’ll steal Tatum back from you."
Ellen gave her arm up all too easily and as soon as Alex had her arm, Tatum leaned closer. "What are you planning?"
"Trust me?"
The answer was all too simple. "Yes."
His smile made her heart beat faster in her chest.
"Okay," he blew out a breath. "Let’s go."
The hostess greeted them with a smile. "Mister Wen, Miss Hansen, we have the table ready for you and your guests. If you’ll follow me, please."
It felt like she could see the whole world out through the windows. Alex must have noticed the direction of her gaze and when they reached their table, he walked her right up to the windows so she could look out. "That’s Central Park." She leaned forward and almost touched herforehead to the glass. Talk about an amazing view. She sighed, remembering the many times that she’d walked through Central Park on her way to classes at one of the local studios. Back then, she
would look up at theskyscrapersaround the park and imagine what it would look liketo see the park from such lofty heights.
"And now, here I am."
"Here we are."
Tatum turned to look up at him. "Yes, we are."
The soft scrape of chairs brought her back to the present. "Oh no, your parents."
Turning around to apologize to his family for being wrapped up in the view,what she saw left her shaken.
The whole lounge with only just a single table set up and Alex’s parents were standing at one end and they had seats at the other. There was room in the center of the table as if something was missing. The lights above the empty space made the table cloth glow with a warm white light.
"Wow. You don’t fool around when it comes to a small private party."
Alex leaned closer to her. "I deliver on my promises."
She couldn’t help but laugh. "Yes. You certainly do."
Alex showed her to her chair and yes, he held her chair out for her and helped her scootin tothe table. She loved the way he showed her he cared by being exactly the gentleman she’d always dreamed of.
The staff wereamazing and brought out a succession of desserts for them to taste, and while she spoke with Alexander and his parents, the same staff quietly moved about their business, bringing out plates and clearing the ones that were finished.
When they’d made their way through every single dish that the pastry chef could produce, Tatum sat back in her chair and gave a contented sigh. "I don’t think I’ve ever had a better meal or better company."
Alexander’s father shook his head and laughed. "It’s not much of a meal. It was more like a buffet of sugar."
"I’m just glad this happened after my last performance. If it had been lastnight,I don’t think I could have fit into my costume."
Ellen had given her husband a careful look. "Don’t tease her."
"Oh, he can tease me," Tatum had explained, "I laugh at myself often enough."
Looking at her son, Ellen nodded as well. "And now that I’ve met you, I understand what happened. The difference in my son." Reaching out, she covered Alex’s hand with her own. "There was something different about you, you know. Even a few days into your cruise I could tell there was something… new. It wasn’t anything big or grand, but there was something lighthearted in the way you wrote and on thephoneyou said more jokes, relaxed more. I thought it was just the fact that you’d decided to take a vacation and leave your job behind so you could… what do they
call it? Re-charge? Yes. I knew that you needed something to change your life,Xue.
"Little did I know it was a person!"
Alextook Tatum’s hand in his and gave it a squeeze. "I wasn’t used to connecting with anyone the way I did with you. At first, I chalked it up to your teaching style. You were sweet and lovely, and everyone agreed that you were not just talented and a gifted teacher,youwere open to others and that made it easy for us to open up to you."
He shifted slightly, leaning closer.
"And then I realized how natural it was to open up with you. To share my thoughts with you, and my heart."
When Alex lifted his free hand from the table and reached into his pocket, she felt her hearttrip in her chest. He drew out a small box from his pocket and she took in a short breath. Tatum tilted her head, hoping to find an answer in his smile. "Alex, what is that?"
Her heart tripped in her chest at the thought of what might be in the box. They’d talking on the phone about where their relationship was going. She just wasn’t sure what this moment would mean to them.
His hand shifted slightly as he brought her hand up to his lips. "I know… I know… this is something different."
Setting her hand down on thetabletop, Alex used both hands to open the box and held it out for her to see.
"Oh, Alex. It’s beautiful."
She was barely aware that Alex was already rising from his seat, the necklace dangling from his fingers. Tatum blinkedto banish the tears in her eyes as the warm glow of the candlelight sent shimmersoff ofthe elegant necklace.
"I wanted you to know how much you’ve changed my life. The necklace is platinumbecause you told me how sad you were when you lost a pendant during a competition because the strain snapped the chain. That won’t happen with this."
Tatum looked up as he lowered the necklace down before herand when the pendant touched her chest, a few inches above the neckline of her elegant wrap-around dress, she touched her fingers to it.
"The open heart holds a mixture of dark rubies and garnets for your January birthday and my own in July. I think the subtle shifts in colorare a fair representation of our differences."
She felt his fingers adjust the necklace and settle something near her collarbone.
Lifting her hand, she traced the shape, slowly exploring the unique twisted design. "Is
that-"
"The symbol for infinity," he explained and she smiled, so excited to be right, "because I know that’s what we’re going to have together, Tatum. Forever. You and me."Alex placed a kiss
over the chain where it laid across the base of her neck and then leaned in
behind her until his hands were settled on her shoulders andthen he
whispered in her ear. "I love you."
Turning sideways on her chair, Tatum slipped her hand around to the back of his neck
and smiled up at him.
"I love you too."
A few musical notes turned her attention to the other side of the room.
While they had been talking, a small band had set up behind them.
Tatum caught Alex’s eye and sighed. "You think of everything, don’t you?"
Alex stepped back with a shrug and held out his hand. "I was hoping that even though
I’m just an amateur in ballroom, you might still be willing to dance with me."
"Willing?" Her laughter was filled with light-hearted joy. "Normally, I don’t, but since you went to so much trouble… I guess. Alex.” Her expression was softly chastising him for thinking she wouldn’t. “You make my heart dance." She put her hand in his and let him help her up from the table. Turning back toward his parents, Tatum gestured for his parents to join them on the dance floor. "You should join us."
Alex’s dad put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. "In a minute, you two go on."
The band was just about done with their warm-up when Alex stopped a few feet away
from them and drew Tatum into his arms. "Is there a particular dance you’d like to start with?"
She loved the feel of his hand on her lower back. The warmth of the hand holding onto her own. "As long as I’m dancing with you, Alex, I’m happy for anything."
He turned to talk to the band, and she blurted out one request. "Just not the
Hokey Pokey."
Someone in the band groaned at the suggestion and everyone shared a laugh.
"Point taken," he assured her, "no Hokey Pokey."
Turning back to the band, he gave them a nod, but before Tatum could ask him what they
were going to dance to, she heard the melody and smiled. "I like your taste in music."
Alex drew her a little closer and leaned in to whisper. "I like you. I love everything about you."
Together, they swayed once…twice… and then began to move together.
Smiling, Tatum felt her heart swell with pride. "You’ve been practicing!"
"I must have looked pretty silly in my office and at home at night, imagining you in my arms."
Together, they made a quick turnaround.
"Well," her smile broadened, "you’ve done a great job, but you could use a few pointers."
"Oh?" His eyes widened a bit. "I can see how that might be helpful." The music changed to the chorus and he gathered her closer. "Do you know of anyone who might be willing to help me practice? Give me some help with my dancing?"
She composed a thoughtful look on her face. "I might be able to give you some help.
Remind me later and I’ll give you business cards from a couple of studios where I’ll be teaching."
His momentary surprise mellowed as he caught onto her tone. "I might just take you up on that. I may be a novice at this dancing thing, but there is one thing I’d like to become an expert on."
"Oh? Care to share?" She felt a bit of breathless anticipation as she waited for the answer.