Fearing that Summer might go back on her word, Lynn immediately said, “Anything. I’m free today.”
“But I’m not free today. Let’s make it tomorrow,” said Summer, her voice unhurried.
She had been the one who turned the other cheek during her years in the Emerson family, and they had all been used to treating her like that, including Lynn. When he heard her perfunctory reply, he got ratty. “It’s not like you have a job now. What are you busy at?”
“Dad, you think I’m brushing you off? I really have something on. Let’s just stop here. I will send you the location of the meeting place.” She hung up, thought for a moment, then wrote a text message to Lynn.
When Lynn received the text and saw the venue, he frowned. Summer had always been a dumbo and bumpkin in his eyes. Her choice of venue was really a surprise. He already began to feel the pinch by just thinking of going to the place.
The Golden Cauldron was the expensive place where “Douglas” used to bring Summer for lunch. She chose the place because it was just that–expensive. There was another reason, though; she reckoned Lynn would not dare do anything stupid there because the Golden Cauldron was a proper high-end clubhouse. What she needed to do now was find a lawyer which she did not have and also could not afford one.
…
Carl Jones had been ringing up Leonardo every night, whining about how the old stick-in-the-muds in the company bullied him. There had been indeed some situations in the company. So Leonardo went back to the office. He attended two meetings, got the next upcoming project sorted out, and went home.
When he arrived home, it was right about lunchtime. The minute he stepped into the doorway, he could smell the fragrance of rice and aroma of delicious dishes from the kitchen. Was she cooking?
Leonardo took off his coat, handed it to his bodyguard behind him, and strode toward the kitchen. Summer wore an apron, back facing him, standing on her toes to reach for the switch on the range hood overhead.
It was a little too high for her reach even if she was on her toes. Leonardo went over, reached over her head and switched the range hood on.
Summer looked back and up, her face without makeup and her bangs shorter now. Standing there with a spatula in her hand, she looked extra tender and docile.
“You’re back! Lunch is just about ready.” Needing to ask him for a favor, so Summer’s smile was unusually sincere.
There were tons of people trying to butter him up every day, but he only liked it when it was Summer doing it.
Leonardo answered with an “Mm”, face straight. He then put his hands in his pant pockets, standing at one side watching her doing her stuff. His face looked absent-minded but his eyes were affixed on Summer.
The crackling in the wok was drowning their sounds of breathing. When Summer finished and looked back, she only realized that “Douglas” was still standing there.
“Why are you standing here?” He must have the hobby of sniffing the cooking grease smell.
“Nothing.” Leonardo spun around and walked away. He just found her pleasing to look at. That was all about it.
When they finished their lunch and were still at the dining table, Summer looked at him, all smiling. “You and Leonardo have your own lawyers, don’t you?”
“Yup. “Leonardo took a hand towel and wiped his hands, his voice casual. “Why? You’ve got a problem?”
Summer shook her head from side to side. “No, just that I need a lawyer specializing in contracts. They can help, right?”
Leonardo looked at her eyes, still not many emotions on his face. Summer could sense a hint of displeasure in him, but she did not know why he felt that way.
Leonardo thought Summer must have something unusual to ask of him when she was bending over backward to please him. It turned out that she was only asking for a goddam lawyer. That was a little disappointing.
“Of course, but…” Leonardo paused, his eyes swimming across her body.
Summer looked down at herself. Was something wrong with her clothes, or was he going to make some shameless demand? Thinking of this, she looked at him suspiciously and folded her arms across her chest.
Leonardo had captured her every reaction and nearly laughed out loud. But he fought back that urge by curling his hand over his mouth, forcing a cough to conceal his laughter. When he had done that, his face became straight again.
“You will cook for me from now on.”
“From now on?” Summer tried to sound him out. “For how long?”
“Depends on my mood.” Leonardo tilted his head, half-closing his eyes looking at her as if saying “now or never.”
Summer gritted her teeth. “Deal!”
“Douglas” had no obligation to help her, and since his demand was not unreasonable, she gave in.
Leonardo smirked, his voice commanding. “Now, cut me some fruits.”
Summer was like “Is it not just to cook for him? He sounds like I’m his maid.” She was cursing in her mind as she went to fulfill his demand. After cutting some fruits and placing them on a plate, she went away.
Leonardo took his phone, snapped a photo of the fruits and sent it to Carl Jones. As if having his special attention, Leonardo got his reply in just a second. “There is nothing to brag about over a plate of fruits.”
Leonardo took a breath and typed his reply. “My wife’s the one who cut them.”
Carl Jones responded with an emoticon that said, “As if I care.”
Pleased by how envious Carl Jones was of him, Leonardo began to tuck in.
…
In the afternoon, Summer brought the lawyer whom she loaned from Leonardo to the Golden Cauldron. Wearing no makeup with just a simple white down jacket and jeans and a handbag over her shoulder, she looked as unremarkable as she could get.
The Golden Cauldron was an exclusive club that not any Tom, Dick, and Harry could get in. But with Lynn’s vast connection, he surely had his own way.
So her plan was to have him waiting and bringing her in. But when she brought the lawyer arriving at the entrance, not only did bellhop not stop her, he was all smiling, grinning ear to ear like a Cheshire cat and greeting, “Welcome.”
It was indeed an out-of-the-ordinary exclusive club.
Summer headed straight to the private room where Lynn was waiting. Lynn was a little surprised to see Summer had brought a lawyer along. In his mind, Summer was only a dumbo and a slowpoke.
Summer sat facing Lynn and greeted him. He had noticed something different in her at first glance. Had she become prettier? A suspicion lingered in his mind.
He stopped short of asking if she had gone for plastic surgery, especially when there were outsiders in the room.
Lynn came out of his wonderment and replied with an “Mm.” He glanced at the lawyer standing behind Summer and exchanged a look with his lawyer, meaning to tell him to keep his eyes peeled.
But so what even if Summer had brought her lawyer? How good a lawyer could she hire when she did not have the money? They might not even notice the loopholes in the contract.