"And that I'm a lousy brother." Dominic added with self-disgust.
"No, that may be what you heard, but that's not what she was saying." Abby's confidence was grating.
"And after meeting her once, you know her so well?"
"After a lifetime of being her brother, do you know her at all?" she challenged. "I'm not saying I have all the answers, but my sister and I had a similarly strained relationship for years."
Dominic remembered what he'd read in Abby's profile. She'd practically raised her sister. Their situations were nothing alike. "You and your sister still live together. You seem to be close. It's not the same at all. I've haven't had a real conversation with my sister in years."
Abby turned her hand under his to give him a supportive squeeze. "Neither had I, until last night. Sure, we lived together, but that just made it worse. I got to see up close and everyday how distant we had become."
"And all of that changed last night?" He raised a doubting eyebrow.
Abby's expression grew wistful. "We reconnected. I'm not saying it's perfect, but it's better now—so much better. You and your sister could find that, too. Nicole just needs time and maybe a softening in your approach."
A small doe came out of the tree line, leading a tentative group of about six other deer. They watched Abby and Dominic carefully as they nibbled on the furthest and safest kernels.
One large buck stepped out of the group and approached the seated pair. Abby reached into her bag and filled her palm with his reward. The others became bolder and soon the small bench was surrounded by hungry deer.
Abby poured some of the kernels into Dominic's hand. He reached forward and was surprised by how softly the fragile animals took the treat. He was further surprised by the feeling of triumph he felt that they trusted him enough to bring their young ones closer to the bench.
Abby looked on with a real expression of pleasure.
He announced, "This changes nothing. You heard my sister. She doesn't want anything from me."
Abby simply gave him more corn and said, "Who are you trying to convince, me or you?"
The ring of Dominic's cell phone scattered a few of the deer. It rang again, but he didn't reach for it.
Abby turned to him as the rings grew louder, "Aren't you going to answer it?"#p#分页标题#e#
I should. Jake wouldn't call him again so soon if it weren't an emergency. Dominic dug the phone of his front pocket and flipped it open. "Corisi," he said with all the impatience he felt.
"We've got a problem," Jake announced. "You need to get back to New York ASAP."
"That is a problem," Dominic answered, "because I have no intention of returning till next week."
Jake was not deterred by his refusal. "I just got off the phone with a contact we have within the Chinese Promotion Investment Agency. He says you've offended the Minister of Commerce. By missing his meeting, the Minister has lost face and is doubting your guanxi."
"My what?"
"Your personal relationship with him. Your mutual trust. Whatever. I can't fix this without you. You're going to have to drop whatever you're doing and fly to Beijing to meet with him in person this week or the whole project is going to be tabled."
Beijing was the last place Dominic wanted to be. He wasn't ready to step back into his old life yet. He wanted a few more days of simply being with Abby. No pressure. No expectations. With her, he was rediscovering who he was beneath all of his anger and ambition and he liked the man he saw reflected in her eyes.
"This contract will benefit them as much as it will us. What are they stalling for?" Dominic's voice revealed his growing frustration.
"We didn't take into account the level of importance the Chinese place on personal relationships. They aren't going to move forward until you go out there and talk to them. Our contact says, unlike the impatient Americans—they have all the time in the world. We can't afford to have this project put on hold. Our investors are already getting nervous."
A group of children saw the deer that still lingered around Dominic and Abby and came screaming toward them.
"What is that noise, Dominic? Where the hell are you?"
"At the zoo," Dominic answered absently.
Jake grunted in agreement. "Sounds like one. What are you, outside a toy store or something?"
"No, I'm actually at a zoo." Abby shouldered the blame with a shameless shrug and continued listening to his side of the conversation with undisguised curiosity.
Jakes voice rose an octave. "A zoo as in with real caged animals?"
"Are there any other kind?"