Page 69 of The Cost of Love

“Happiness.”

“What bill company takes that as a payment?” She shoves her shoulder against mine, and I laugh.

Handing her back her things, she stuffs them in her purse and leads me out of the bathroom. Over her shoulder, she says, “If you don’t water your dreams, they are going to die. Take something for yourself.”

I let her words linger around me as we bring out the first appetizers.

Chapter 27

Alex

The leather seat feels cool against my palm. It’s the only thing keeping me from heating up, as I remember eating Chanice out in the back of this town car. If I knew I would be propelled into a flashback every time I rode in it, I would have probably begged her to see me more often. I wish I got to bring her with me tonight. Instead, it’s just me and, hopefully, Carter.

Walking into the venue, I quickly realize that someone else intends to join our party.

“Alexander!”

I look to see Elizabeth advancing towards me with the gusto of someone sure the person is excited to see them. It makes me wonder if I hallucinated the last conversation where I ended things.

“Hello, Elizabeth.”

She kisses both of my cheeks and then loops her arm through mine.

“So is this one of your causes?” she asks, turning to look up at me.

“It’s one of the company’s choices this year.”

“How do you feel about it?” Thumbing the pearls around her neck, her apple-red lips lift in the corners a little.

“I’m hoping London does a better job of embracing immigrants. They are one of the best things about the city, and the groundwork for some of our culture. I think the refugee resource center is a great way to help repair our legacy.”

“Hmm.” She turns back to looking around the room.

I have no idea what she means by that, but it sets me on edge. Not understanding how my response wasn’t sufficient, I feel like a child being ignored to be taught a lesson.

“What do you think about it?” I ask despite my urge to just walk away.

“I think it’s a good cause.” She smiles up at me, and it reminds me of my mother. Which just makes me think about my sister and her wife.

As someone who immigrated to this country from South Korea, I know that Mei would have loved to talk about her own experience acclimating, and all the ways we can help others do the same. She would be at the event tonight if they hadn’t just had a baby. I don’t know how the company would have mixed.

Clear across the room, I can see Carter by the bar. I go to make my way towards him, saying my goodbye, when Elizabeth starts to pull me in the opposite direction.

“I want you to meet someone.” She brings us into a circle with a few people our age.

I recognize some who I went to school with or have had meetings with over the last few months. The one she is set on introducing me to happens to be new to me.

Apparently, between our last date and now, she has been networking on my behalf, talking up some of the initiatives I mentioned to her while we ate dinner. Sourcing some possible funding, she thought he could be of service. Her generous use of her social circle makes me feel like she is trying to prove to me how much of a match we would be. Like she is trying to get me to change my mind.

“It was nice meeting you,” I say to the man before detangling myself from her and walking away.

“Alexander, let me steal one more moment of your time.”

I follow her to a corner of the room, unsure what she might want now.

“I’m typically not one to cause a scene, but I don’t know if I will see you outside of social events, and I just need to know what I did wrong.”

For once, her eyes aren’t gleaming, and the pull of her lips tugs down on my gut, making me regret ever making that deal with my mum.