A Tricky Proposition(25)

“And the guy she’s seeing.” Since Lily refused to look up from the lettuce she was shredding, Evan directed the question at Ming. “She can’t get serious about him?”

“She says they’re just friends.” The Yorkie barked and Ming filled Muffin’s bowl. “Isn’t that right, Lily?”

“I guess.” Lily’s gaze darted between Ming and Evan.

“So, when are you expecting him to show?”

“Who?”

“The guy you’re preparing the lamb for.”

“There’s no guy,” Lily retorted, her tone impatient. “I told you I was craving lamb. No big deal.”

Ming felt the touch of Evan’s gaze. She’d been using Lily’s love life to distract him from whatever purpose he had for visiting her tonight. Something about Evan had changed in the past year. The closer they got to their wedding, the more he’d let things irritate him. A part of her had been almost relieved when he called things off.

What was he doing here tonight? She glanced at the daisies. If he was interested in getting back together, his timing was terrible.

“I’m going to head upstairs and unpack,” she told them, eager to escape. “Evan, make sure you let me know if Lily’s mystery man shows up. I’m dying to meet him.”

“There’s no mystery man,” her sister yelled up the stairs at her.

Ming set her suitcase on the bed and began pulling clothes out of it. She put everything where it belonged, hamper and dry cleaning pile for the things she’d worn, drawers and hangers for what she hadn’t. When she was done, only one item remained. A white silk nightie. Something a bride might wear on her wedding night. She’d bought it in San Francisco two days ago specifically for her weekend with Jason.

Now what was she supposed to do with it?

“Ming?”

She spun around at the sound of Evan’s voice. “Is Lily’s date here?”

His gaze slid past her to the lingerie draped over the foot of her bed. He stared at it for a long moment before shifting his attention back to her.

“I’ve wanted to talk to you about something.”

Her pulse jerked. He was so solemn. This couldn’t be good. “You have? Let’s go have dinner and chat.”

He put up his hands as she started for the door. “This is something we need to discuss, just us.”

Nothing that serious could ever be good. “You know, I’m in a really good place right now.” She pulled her hair over one shoulder and finger-combed it into three sections. “The practice is booming. Terry wants me to buy him out.” Her fingers made quick work of a braid and she snagged a scrunchy off her nightstand. “I’m happy.”

“And I don’t want that to change. But there’s something you need to know—”

“Dinner’s ready.”

Ming cast her sister a grateful smile. “Wonderful. Come on, Evan. You’re in for a treat.” She practically raced down the stairs. Her glass of wine was on the counter where she’d left it and Ming downed the contents in one long swallow. Wincing at the taste, she reached into her wine cooler and pulled out a Shiraz.

Over dinner, Evan’s sober expression and Lily’s preoccupation with her own thoughts compelled Ming to fill the awkward silence with a series of stories about her trip to San Francisco and amusing anecdotes about Wendy’s six-year-old daughter. By the time the kitchen was cleaned up and the dishwasher happily humming, she was light-headed from too much wine and drained from carrying the entire conversation.

Making no attempt to hide her yawns, Ming headed upstairs and shut her bedroom door behind her. In the privacy of her large master suite, she stripped off her clothes and stepped into the shower. The warm water pummeled her, releasing some of the tension from her shoulders. Wrapped in a thick terry-cloth robe, she sat cross-legged on her window seat and stared out over her backyard. She had no idea how long her thoughts drifted before a soft knock sounded on her door.

Lily stuck her head in. “You okay?”

“Is Evan gone?”

Lily nodded. “I’m sorry about what I said to you earlier.”

“You’re not wrong. I am being selfish.” Ming patted the seat beside her. “But at the same time you know that once I decide to do something, I give it my all.”

Lily hugged Ming before sitting beside her on the window seat. “If anyone is going to be supermom it’s you.”

“Thanks.” Ming swallowed past the tightness in her throat. She hated fighting with Lily. “So, what’s up with Evan?”

“What do you mean?”

“When I came in tonight, he looked as grim as I’ve ever seen him. I figured he was explaining why he showed up out of the blue.” Ming knew her sister had always been partial to Jason’s older brother. Often in the past six months, Ming thought Lily had been the sister most upset about the broken engagement. “You two became such good friends these last few years. I thought maybe he’d share with you his reason for coming here tonight.”