“Thank you,” Leilani says. “Not many people would throw themselves into harm’s way for such a new acquaintance.”
“Well, you’re pregnant,” Rebecca says. “Besides, I wasn’t hurt at all.”
Leilani squeezes Rebecca’s hand and leads her onto the sixth floor. They weave their way through the design apartment to the consultation room at the back. As they walk, Leilani can feel the employees staring at them. Most of them scowl and whisper behind their hands, but a few give her shy, friendly smiles.
She shows Rebecca to the small consultation room between Crystal and Emily’s offices. Crystal’s door is closed, and Leilani hopes she’s busy with other clients. But Emily’s door is wide open. Before Leilani can pop her head in to say hello, Emily comes rushing out.
“Oh, Leilani, it’s so good to see you,” Emily says. “Sophie said you were coming in today, and I was hoping I’d run into you. I was so worried when you had to cancel our plans to meet with my father. And then Sophie said you had to take a leave of absence, but I’m glad you’re back now. You look well.”
“It’s great to see you too, and I’d love to reschedule our meeting, but I’m with a client right now,” Leilani says. “Is there a sketchpad around here I could use?”
Emily nods and points at a pile of sketch pads and pens on a nearby table. Leilani grabs a pad and flips through the first few pages to check that it’s empty, then she takes a few pens and heads into the consultation room.
“So, you want a pair of cufflinks?” Leilani asks. “Can you tell me more about what you’re looking for?”
“Yes, they’re for my boyfriend,” Rebecca says. “I want something as unique as my boyfriend, something to show him how much I love him.”
Leilani smiles and asks, “Did you have anything particular in mind? Gold, silver, platinum? Or is there a specific stone you want me to use?”
“I’ve heard that rose quartz symbolizes love,” Rebecca says. “Actually, if it’s not too pushy, I already have the stone I’d like you to use.”
Rebecca reaches into her bag and pulls out another small box. She opens it and shows Leilani the gem inside. The stone is clear and flawless. Leilani holds it up to the light, and the sharp edges sparkle and glitter.
“I’ve known my boyfriend for a long time, but the relationship is still very new,” Rebecca explains, blushing again. “I’ve seen your work, and I love the way you use jewelry to tell a story. I was hoping you could use this quartz to tell the story of my love for my boyfriend.”
Leilani puts the stone in the box, already thinking about possible designs. She makes a few notes in the sketchbook and slides the box back to Rebecca.
“If you need any help, just let me know,” Rebecca says. “I’ve just moved here, and I don’t have much to do yet. Besides, I’d be happy to help with whatever you need. This project means a lot to me.”
“Your boyfriend is lucky to have a woman like you,” Leilani says.
“Oh, trust me, I’m the lucky one,” Rebecca says with a small smile. “He deserves the best, but still, he chose me.”
“He must be an excellent man,” Leilani says. “Is he from your country?”
“Oh no, he’s from here,” Rebecca says. “Honestly, he’s a huge part of the reason I’ve moved here.”
“Hmm, how did you meet?” Leilani asks. “The more I know about your story, the easier it’ll be to design the cufflinks.”
“I met him at a banquet when I was a child, and I liked him very much,” Rebecca says with a small laugh. “I guess you could say, that’s when my feelings began. Every few years, I see him at a social event or dinner, and my feelings have only grown stronger. Honestly, I’ve always dreamed of marrying him.”
“He must be a wonderful man,” Leilani says. “I wish you two the best.”
“Thank you, I think he’s the best man in this whole country,” Rebecca says.
Leilani smiles—everyone thinks their lover is the best person in the world. But the way Rebecca talks about her boyfriend is especially sweet. As she sketches, her mind wanders, and she thinks of Waylen. With a pang, she realizes she used to talk about him the way Rebecca is talking about her boyfriend.
“Leilani, are you doing anything tonight?” Rebecca asks, breaking the silence.
“I’m not sure yet,” she answers.
“Can I take you out for dinner?” Rebecca asks.
“That’s generous of you,” she says, trying to keep her answer vaguely.
Rebecca blushes, and Leilani feels guilty. Under normal circ.u.mstances, she’d love to have dinner with Rebecca, but she was hoping to have dinner with Emily. She still wants to meet Emily’s father and ask him questions about her mother.
“I’m sorry, am I too pushy?” Rebecca asks. “Trust me, and I’m not normally like this. It’s just because I’m new here and everything in this country feels a bit strange. From the moment I met you, I felt like we had a connection, and I was hoping we could be friends. But I should have been more considerate—after all, you’re pregnant, and you must be very busy.”
“No, I’m sorry for being so standoffish,” Leilani says. “It’s just that—”
The door flies open and slams into the wall. Crystal stands in the doorway, flanked by half a dozen employees.
Leilani looks Crystal up and down; she’s wearing a stylish white suit, and her curly brunette hair falls loose down her back. She flashes a wicked smile at Leilani and marches into the room.
“Look, Miss Stone, Leilani has your sketchbook,” a young intern shouts.
Crystal snatches the book off the table and flips through it. She closes it and glares at Leilani.
“Miss Peters, do you care to explain why you have my sketchbook?” Crystal asks.
“I had no idea it was yours,” Leilani says. “It was in a pile with other sketchbooks and pens—I thought it was blank.”
“Sure you did,” Crystal says with a sniff. “Miss Peters, I know you’re new to our office, but surely you know better than to take other people’s things. If you need a sketchbook, we have plenty of brand new ones you could use.”
“I swear, I didn’t know it belonged to you,” Leilani says. “Besides, why would you leave your sketchbook just lying around the office?”
“It wasn’t just lying around the office,” Crystal says. “It was with other sketchbooks filled with incomplete designs. My intern here was supposed to scan and file them all, and she told me she couldn’t find my book.”
“I swear, I thought it was blank,” Leilani says. “I even opened it and checked the first few pages. There’s nothing in there, Crystal.”
“Yeah, right,” Crystal says, tossing her the book. “Take another look, and this time check it properly.”
Leilani opens the book and flips past her own sketches and notes. The creamy white pages in the middle are all blank, but the last few pages are dark with ink. Leilani glances at the designs—each sketch shows a different type of cufflink. She snaps the book shut and turns to Crystal.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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