Chapter 11
Kris
Zhen and Jo Jo, good to their word, came to the office before five o’clock.
Four-thirty to be precise, and you’d think upon their arrival a parade had struck up based on Boss’s reaction.
I knew the Barre and Ramshaw families were close, but I hadn’t realized everyone in the families were.
Not until Boss heard Jo Jo and practically skipped out of her office. This from a woman who used a cane.
“Jo Jo!” she called, one arm held out for a hug.
Jo Jo swooped in on her, lifting her right off her feet, which made her laugh in delight.
“Grandma, it’s been so long!”
“It has, almost a year, and shame on you”—she wagged a crooked finger—“I want to see you more often.”
“Blame these damn curses popping up all over. Keeps me busy.”
Seeing them interact, I leaned into Zhen’s side and asked, “Are you just as close with his grandmother?”
“Sure am. Meemaw’s awesome, too. Actually, I need to call her up today and ask for warded bags. I didn’t realize she could still make them, and those things are amazeballs. There’s very little they can’t ward against or contain. It’ll be great to have a few on hand.”
Aside from constructing paper dolls for work, I wasn’t really the crafty sort, so I admired people who could make things.
“I’ve got everything set up in the conference room with snacks,” I offered. “Jo Jo, Zhen said you like the thumbprint cookies from the bakery across the street? I got a variety for you.”
Jo Jo’s eyes lit up. “Are a dozen just for me?”
“I was forewarned, so yes.”
Zhen, Boss, and Mom had all warned me Jo Jo’s appetite was legendary.
He apparently could eat someone out of house and home.
Where he put it was my question, because you couldn’t pinch an inch on Jo Jo anywhere.
He wasn’t even that tall, maybe 5’8”? I could almost look him in the eye.
I had no doubt of his strength, though, if he could lift Boss and go toe to toe with Zhen.
The boys and Boss headed for the conference room, and I returned to my desk to wait for people to enter. Or intended to, except Charlotte seized me by the arm and drew me sharply in, whispering, “OMG, is that Jo Jo?!”
“It is.” Wait, pause. This was perfect. “I’ll find a good moment to introduce you two.”
She nodded but kept glancing at the open door before whispering, “He’s even cuter in person. And, um, hello? I never thought I’d find a southern accent so hot!”
“He’s really funny, too. I have a comedy duo in my house.”
She paused, gazing toward the conference room. What was dramatic fangirling a moment prior had given way to thoughtful contemplation, a side of Charlotte I rarely saw.
“What are your thoughts, Char? Remember, there’s no pressure and you can date at your own pace. But if you want to take a chance on Jo Jo, I one hundred percent support you.”
A beat more, then grey eyes met mine, a feline smile gracing Charlotte’s lips. “I’m gonna shoot my shot.”
Was it wrong of me to egg her on so I could watch the show?
You know what, a little flirting wouldn’t hurt, and if Jo Jo was receptive, then I’d be the first to cheer these two on.
I wanted Charlotte to date good men. Jo Jo Ramshaw was about as good as they came according to Zhen.
A gentleman to his core with the protective instincts of a wolf.
“Quick tip, then. Jo Jo loves food. And lots of it. Do with that knowledge what you will.”
“So you agree I should go for it?”
I winked. “I wouldn’t have suggested him otherwise.”
She grinned, gave me a quick hug, then hurried for the bathroom—to touch up her makeup and set to concocting a plan on the fly, no doubt.
Once she was out, I took a second to introduce them. They both said polite Hi, nice to meet yous but the eyes? Oh, their eyes were telling their own story. It wasn’t just Charlotte, Jo Jo was clearly interested as well. Mutual attraction at first sight, huh.
I honestly hadn’t seen that coming but more power to them.
The family started arriving at ten till five.
Mother and father first, then about five minutes later, the daughter-in-law and son.
I had a feeling they were already dating, if they were arriving together in a car separate from the parents.
Zhou Jia Li had also agreed to be their parents’ translator for the meeting, which I was grateful for, because it freed me up for other needs.
Just after five, Jennifer Davis—the not-obsessive girlfriend—arrived.
I noticed she didn’t have her daughter with her, which was likely for the best. Better to straighten the mess out first.
Right on her heels followed Luna Martin, who I’d mentally dubbed Crazy Girlfriend, or CG.
She seemed back to her bubbly self, like yesterday’s scare tactic hadn’t happened, but I noticed she glanced toward my desk before quickly striding for the conference room.
Nervous about a certain hellhound, eh? Good.
Hopefully today wouldn’t devolve into another cat fight.
From the way the two women cast glances at each other, though, it might. Felt like I was in a Tom and Jerry cartoon where lightning crackled in the air between them.
Moving right along… “All right, ladies, into the conference room.”
They went. But the side-eye kept going.
Boss had informed the family yesterday about Luna.
No one looked happy to see her. Couldn’t say I blamed them.
Luna gave an overly cheerful greeting everyone ignored.
She seemed oblivious to the fact she was making everyone uncomfortable.
Still, everyone sat, a few munched on cookies, and Jo Jo and Zhen supported the back wall behind Luna, staying out of line of sight and thereby unobtrusive.
The guys had coordinated outfits this morning—I swear, they’d acted like two boys playing dress-up, popping into the other’s room to show off what clothes they’d picked.
They’d gone for “serious mode,” with black combat pants and plain black T-shirts, and each wore a wicked knife strapped to their thigh.
The knife was purely for show. Those two didn’t need a weapon—they were the weapon—but it seemed the bad boy ensemble had cast a spell over Charlotte.
She kept shooting glances at Jo Jo from the other side of the room, as if her eyes were drawn to him.
If anyone wondered who the scary guys were or why they were here, they didn’t dare ask. Muchen lurked under the table, out of sight from most of the people sitting there. I was sure he’d poke his head out and scare Luna back into good behavior if needed.
I said that because she clearly sensed something. She peeked under the table, then audibly gulped. Her eyes told the tale of how unnerved she was, but I made no move to reassure her.
Muchen would pick his moment.
Boss brought in another spirit doll, which I had made earlier today, for our dead groom to inhabit, and took control of the room as soon as she set the doll on the table. “All right, everyone settle. I’ll summon Yan Yichen now.”
Boss spoke the words to summon him, and Yan Yichen came into the doll easily.
I once again watched him on two different planes when he lifted the doll’s head.
I’d expected a hi to his family, maybe an emotional reunion with Jennifer, but instead he homed in on Luna, sitting immediately to his right, his little eyes flaring wide.
His ghost face contorted, disgust curling up his mouth, outrage rampaging across his features.
“Luna!” He barked, making her and everyone else jump, the temperature of the room dropping by a few degrees. “Why the hell are you here?!”
Her eyes overflowed with tears. “Oh my god, Yichen, ye—yer really ’ere. I’m so, so glad to see ya, baby.”
His drawn-on eyebrows creased in anger. “Don’t ‘baby’ me—we broke up years ago, you maniac! Fucking move on already, this has gotten ridiculous! I’m literally dead!”
“I-I just wanted to talk to ya,” she pleaded, sobbing and reaching out as if to touch the doll.
Zhen moved quickly, putting a restraining hand on her shoulder. “Don’t touch the doll.”
“Oh, sorry...” Luna barely gave Zhen a glance, her tear-filled eyes fixed on Yan Yichen and nothing else, mascara streaking her face.
Yeah, Jennifer called it when she said Luna’s spirit animal had rabies because wow. She was taking delulu to a whole new level.
Yan Yichen didn’t wait on us to get rid of her. “For the last fucking time, we’re done. I don’t want anything to do with you. Leave my family alone, leave me alone, please go get therapy. This obsession you have with me is unhealthy. We barely even dated a year!”
Wait. Wait, they hadn’t even dated a year, broke up a good eight years ago if I had my timeline right, and she was still hung up on him? Yeah, therapy was absolutely called for here.
Muchen whispered to me, “Popcorn!”
Damn, it really was a popcorn moment, he was right there.
“You’re done,” Zhen informed her. He grabbed her by the arms and pushed her toward the door. “Do not come back, you will not be welcomed.”
Luna turned her head as she was pushed out, sobbing, “I love ya, Yichen!”
This wasn’t some lover’s dramatic farewell. This was just sad. I almost felt like apologizing to the guy.
Boss actually did. “I do apologize, Yan Yichen. We had to sort her out, and it seemed wisest to get the story straight from you.”
Yan Yichen groaned. “I understand, but do not trust her. She will do anything to remain connected with me.”
“She’s been stalking me for ages. Among other things.” Jennifer sighed. “I put in a restraining order this morning, in fact. Hopefully it gets approved. I suspect she’s been stalking your family as well. Although I can’t prove it.”
I wouldn’t put it past Luna.