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“Guess that’s why I took up the interests I have,” Therin said around a bite of steak.
Kianti nodded. “Politics.”
He smiled. “Education.”
She tilted her head at a cocky angle. “Now you’ve really got me interested. Talk, man!”
They dived into the incredible breakfast of fruit, seasoned browns and scrambled eggs. Seated next to an enviable view in a peaceful dining room they chatted like longtime acquaintances.
“Growing up…privy to dedicated teachers and fine schools made me naively think that was the norm,” he shared. “Then I realized that too many parents, and kids, for that matter, wouldn’t put dedicated teachers and fine schools together in the same book. It made me sick to my stomach.” He held his fork poised over the plate and glared out at the view. “No child should be denied a fine education, and no parent should feel it’s beyond their power to claim it for their child.”
Silently, Kianti marveled how there could be any education woes with a man like the one seated across from her as its champion.
Therin noticed her set expression and closed his eyes in playful regret. “Sorry about that.” He tapped the tip of the fork to the cleft in his chin. “I tend to get carried away.” His voice lowered an octave on the last word.
“That’s not it.” She waved off the excuse. “You’re very persuasive in your arguments. My guess is that you’re a fundraiser’s dream.”
“Hmph.” Therin returned his attention to breakfast and didn’t appear to appreciate the assessment. “So I’ve been told,” he grumbled.
“Did I offend you?”
“No, Kianti.” He tapped his fingers next to her plate and waited for her eyes to meet his. “No. I’ve just got a lot of friends and…acquaintances who tell me the same thing. Many times they don’t mean to flatter me with it.”
“Well, that’s crazy. What could be more admirable than taking up such a cause?”
He smiled at the innocence he’d once been a victim of. “Kianti, everything pales next to the cause of raking in obscene amounts of cash for the next war.”
“Ah.” Enlightenment dawned and she nodded. “So is that why you gave up your ambassadorship? To devote more time to your cause?” she asked, following several moments of easy silence.
“One of many reasons,” was his only reply. His thoughts drifted toward his parents. His involvement—er—obsession over his cause had cut short that relationship far too soon. At least, he had always suspected that was the case.
Kianti caught his grimace again and decided to call a halt to the Q&A.
“Someone once told me that with power comes the ability to make change in addition to suggestion,” he eventually added somewhat prophetically.
“I’ve always thought of ambassadors and such as figureheads. Sorry,” she said demurely before sipping her coffee. She was pleased to hear him chuckle.
“You’re not too far off.” He helped himself to his last forkful of eggs. “As ambassador, I found that I could suggest ’til the cows came home, but affecting change—” he brushed the back of his hand along a sideburn “—affecting change eluded me until I left my post.”
“You left your post yet you remain in Vancouver? No desire to return home to the States?” A teasing element made her eyes sparkle.
Therin shrugged. “Canada’s not so far away. I’m in the States off and on. But I really like where I am—many diplomats aren’t so lucky.”
Kianti added a bit more cream to her coffee. “It would seem you could do more for the cause on this side of the border, that’s all.”
“Well, that’s what’s so impressive about the organization.” Therin settled in more comfortably. “We’re everywhere. EYES members and branch offices across the country go a long way to give the impression that we’re a strong united group. Everyone works equally hard which is another reason we’re so successful.” He thanked the waiter who’d returned with a fresh glass of juice. “Education’s my passion, and while I’ve been labeled as the face of EYES, I’m not its leader. That’s a joint responsibility.”
“It’s a different outlook.” Kianti studied his very handsome face with unmasked appreciation. “Guess the opposition doesn’t quite know how to take you all.”
Therin chuckled, causing his provocative gaze to narrow. “I think that’d be the case no matter who we were. Politics is a nasty game. You have to be…creative to get things done.”
