Chapter 12 #2
Ahri had gone through this a few times over the years, with white guys fixating on her eyes. If not for the color, she doubted she’d stand out that much. Maybe she should get some brown contacts. Though, he was an artist, so maybe it was only that.
“Thank you, I guess.” Then an image of a drawing of her showing up online came to mind. If he mentioned it again, she’d have to come up with an excuse. This hiding was getting really old.
“Do you speak Chinese?”
She was tempted to say something to him in the little Korean she knew because most Americans couldn’t tell the difference. She decided against it since so much of the champion mythology came from there. It’d be just her luck that he actually knew some words.
“No. When my mother came from Taiwan, she wanted to be American and only spoke English once she married my father.”
“That’s a shame. Do you want that last piece?
” When Ahri shook her head, he slid it over to his plate.
“It’s too bad you lost your family’s language when immigrating here.
Obviously from my last name you know my dad’s family came from Ireland.
I would have loved to learn Gaelic, but my grandparents had the same attitude as your mom.
However,” he took on a realistic Irish brogue, “I did learn how to speak English with their accent.”
“That’s wonderful,” Ahri said with a laugh. “Did you ever get to use it in school?”
They lingered at the table sharing high school experiences. He was a lot of fun, but she wasn’t attracted to him as more than a friend. She hoped it wouldn’t be an issue.
“A table for five,” came a familiar voice from the front.
Her heart gave a lurch. What was Rafe doing here? She glanced over her shoulder. He stood with his family. Francie hadn’t mentioned eating here. It must have been a last-minute thing.
“Ahri!” Lessa skipped over to their table, followed by Nik. They threw their arms around her.
“Hey. I didn’t know you were eating out too.” Ahri turned to Ken. “They’re my . . .” She struggled to think of how to describe them. “My landlord’s kids.”
“Hello,” Ken said. “Which is your favorite pizza?”
They were still trying to tell him, talking over each other, when Francie, Alex, and Rafe joined them.
“I didn’t know if you’d still be here.” Francie stretched out her hand to Ken. “I’m Francie Diederik. This is my husband, Alex, and our children Nik, Lessa, and Rafe.”
Ken gave a gasp and stumbled to his feet. “Mr. Davis.” He swallowed and rubbed his hands on his pants.
“Just call me Rafe. Nice to see you again, Ken.” Rafe picked up Nik. “I guess my mother introduced my family.”
“There’s room at our table if you’d like to sit here,” Ken offered.
“We wouldn’t want to intrude,” Francie said at the same time Rafe said, “We’d love to.”
There was no way Ahri was going to sit at the table with a guy she’d almost kissed two days ago while she was on a date with another man.
“We’ve finished eating and need to get going anyway. You’re welcome to our table.” She stood and said to Nik, “You ought to try the Machine Gun Mike’s pizza. I think you’d like it.” She grabbed her purse and hugged the children again.
“See you later,” Alex said.
Rafe said nothing but watched her with a light furrow between his brows.
Once she and Ken were outside, Ahri took a deep breath. That could have been a disaster.
“Why’d you rush out like that?” Ken asked, disappointed.
“I see enough of Rafe at the office. I don’t need to have dinner with him too.” Dressed in jeans and a button-down shirt, he’d looked yummy enough to kiss.
“Wait,” Ken said, frowning. “Executive assistant. You work for Mr. Davis?”
“He said to call him Rafe, but yes.”
“I thought his assistant was pregnant.”
“I’m filling in until she gets back from maternity leave.”
“Oh, man. We could’ve had dinner with the CEO of REKD.” Ken glanced wistfully at the restaurant. “I have some ideas I’d love to present to him.”
“Really? You want to intrude on his family time so you can pitch work ideas to him?” Ahri shook her head. “You can bring any ideas up to him at the office. He’s good at that kind of thing.”
“I wasn’t in a hurry to end our evening, either.” His ears turned pink.
“The weather’s nice this evening,” Ahri said, trying to shift the topic away from Rafe. She glanced up the street. “Do you want to do some window shopping?”
“Sure.”
They spent the next half hour strolling the lane looking at the shops. By the time they’d returned to the restaurant, it was getting chilly, and Ahri was ready to get home.
“Thank you for a fun evening.” Through the window, she saw Rafe glance her way. Their gazes met, and she felt that draw to him again. Seriously, it was getting ridiculous.
“I hope you’ll let me take you out again.” Ken stepped a little closer and broke her connection.
If Ahri hadn’t been caught up with Rafe, she’d have realized Ken’s intent. As it was, he was already leaning in to kiss her before she did. She managed to turn her face at the last minute, and he kissed her cheek instead. His ears went red again.
“Friends, remember.” She gave his cheek a quick peck and forced herself not to look toward the restaurant.
“Right,” Ken said, sounding disappointed. “Sorry.”
“I had fun. Thank you.” Ahri turned and headed for Kayn’s behemoth truck.
“I reckon work must be wearing you down,” Rafe’s mother said to him when Alex took Nik to the restroom.
“Why?” Rafe continued to stare at Ahri and her date outside the restaurant. Was Ken going to kiss her? He was. Something primal seemed to flow from Rafe’s chest up into his skull, blurring the edges of his vision. Ahri turned her head at the last minute, and he wanted to whoop.
“Because you seem a little preoccupied tonight,” his mother said, her tone droll.
Rafe shifted his gaze and found her watching him, looking very much like she wanted to laugh. At him. He straightened, clearing his throat.
“You like her,” she said.
“Like who?” Lessa looked up from the paper she was coloring.
“Ahri,” Ma said.
“Oh, I like her. She’s so nice.” His little sister pointed to a crayon near him. “I can’t reach the green.”
“I like her too.” Rafe handed it to her and met his mother’s gaze. “Too much since I’m her boss.”
His mother did laugh then. “That was our problem too.”
“Yes, but you were able to transfer to another professor in the same department.” He pulled out his phone. “Transferring her would be a demotion, and I need her there until Cass comes back.”
“Then be her friend for now.” Ma reached over and covered his hand with hers.
“And what if she falls for someone in the meantime?”
“Just make sure that someone is you.” She winked.
Rafe had never thought of his mother as devious before.