Page 9 of Heart of The Night

William nodded, looking contemplative. ‘Maybe I can help. This is my bread and butter, after all.’

Jian shook his head with a sigh. ‘We’re barely keeping our heads above water with the loans. We can’t foot the bill for lawyers.’

At this, William’s brow furrowed, as if he was offended. ‘What do you take me for? I’d do it pro bono, Jian.’

Jian’s eyes went wide in disbelief, his lips parting as if to argue, but no words came out. I found myself echoing Jian’s shock. William was offering to work for free? Had he forgotten he was already working on two rather considerable transactions at Day & Night?

Unfazed, William continued, ‘I’m guessing you haven’t breathed a word of this to Dad since it’s news to me.’

Jian cleared his throat. ‘As I said, we didn’t want to—’

‘Burden us,’ William cut in. ‘I get it. But would you mind if I had a word with him about it? I know he’d want to lend a hand as well.’

Jian stared at William for a moment, and it almost looked as if he was about to cry. ‘Thank you, Will. I can’t express how much this means to me and my family.’

‘Don’t mention it,’ William said, his tone serious. ‘It’s the least I can do. Granddad would have insisted on it, anyway, had he known. But he doesn’t, does he?’

Jian shook his head.

‘Well, I’d like to tell him too, if you don’t mind. He’d want to know. He and your grandfather were essentially brothers, after all.’ Were, I noted. So Jian’s grandfather was dead, I presumed. ‘And I know Granddad cares for this place as though it were his own.’

‘I don’t mind if you tell them, but please know that we’ll understand if it gets too much.’

William rubbed his neck. ‘Well, I can’t guarantee results, but give me a call on Sunday. Fill me in on the details, and I’ll see what I can do.’

‘Thank you, Will. Thank you.’ Jian touched his chest and bowed slightly. ‘Have you paid the bill yet?’ he asked then.

William narrowed his eyes at him. ‘You’re not putting it on the house, Jian.’

‘I insist.’

‘Please, don’t. I’m here on a date.’ William jerked his head toward me. ‘I need to impress.’

I couldn’t help the smile that flickered across my lips. As if he hadn’t already impressed me by offering to help Jian out pro bono.

‘Let him pay, please,’ I said to Jian, thinking about the loans he had mentioned. And I knew full well that William could afford this. This was barely spare change for him.

‘Yes, let me pay, Jian. I said pro bono – putting this on the house would equate payment for my services,’ William argued, his endearing crooked smile making an appearance.

Jian hesitated for a moment, then gave a reluctant nod. ‘If you insist. Thank you, both of you. It’s been a pleasure having you here tonight.’ He walked away, looking a little dazed.

‘A takeover?’ I questioned once he was out of earshot.

William faced me. ‘I had the same pause. As far as I’m aware, Fusion is privately owned, making a takeover a bit of a head-scratcher.’

‘Maybe he was being a tad loose with the term,’ I said.

‘Probably. I suspect he meant the conglomerate is pressuring them to sell or resorting to some unscrupulous tactics or the like.’ He shrugged. ‘We’ll see. Anyway, tonight is about us, so let’s roll you out of here, darling.’

§ § §

‘Open yours first,’ William ordered.

Fortune cookies didn’t taste great, in my opinion, but the real treasure wasn’t in the flavour.

I scowled up at him as I broke mine apart. ‘So domineering.’

He answered with a wolfish grin. I pulled the small scrap of paper from the pastry and read the text.

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