Page 9 of Her Inconvenient Wedding Date

I start picking at the food on my plate again. Even my favorite dish, beef chow fun, doesn’t taste so good. How can I enjoy anything, knowing that I’ve made zero progress on my goal of finding myself a husband? So much for my grand plan of not failing my sister.

“There’s only one thing left to do,” I announce to Hunter. “Something my mother suggested that I said I’d never do, but apparently never is now.”

He eyes me cautiously. “What’s that?”

“An arranged marriage.”

He shoots me an incredulous look. “Uh, Lil, with all due respect, if you didn’t want to accept a proposal from Mr. PowerPoint, what makes you think you’d be okaymarrying a guy who doesn’t even have a chance to give you a presentation?”

I let loose a groan from the depths of my despairing heart. It’s so loud, one of the servers comes running across the restaurant to see what’s wrong. She asks in Mandarin if we need more tea or the bill. I can tell from the older woman’s worried expression that she’s hoping I say the latter, so I don’t scare any customers away with my mini meltdown. I reassure her that I’m fine, the food is fine, and everything is fine. She doesn’t seem convinced, but she does leave us alone after offering Hunter a sympathetic smile.

I feel bad for him, too. Of all the other things he could be doing after a long day of work, I’m sure consoling me was not on his list. I turn to him with a remorseful frown. “I’m going to go. You deserve to eat your dinner in peace. Thanks for listening and trying to help. I’ll get the check; it’s the least I can do,” I offer as I gather up my purse and jacket.

Before I can stand, Hunter places his hand on my arm. “Please stay, I enjoy your company. And the bill’s been paid for, including the one for you and Simon, so don’t worry about it.”

“When did you—” I stare at him in disbelief. “Why would you pay for our bill? That wasn’t your mess to clean up.”

He shrugs like it was no big deal. “Haven’t you heard of the multiple table discount at Chinese restaurants? I wanted to get my money’s worth.”

Hunter’s joking tone has me smiling despite my sour mood. I wish I could take back all the petty things I’ve ever thought about him. He’s so good-natured, much more than I am, especially when my kindness half the time is about beingke qi. That’s the Chinese art of being nice—extreme politeness for the sake of saving face. Hunter, on the other hand,genuinely cares about people. And for some reason, he’s decided to gracemewith his kindness.

“Thanks, Hunter. You’re a really good coworker—and friend,” I add, deciding to move our relationship to the next level. “Next time, it’s my treat.”

“I’d like that.”

We sit in amiable silence for a few minutes as we enjoy more of the delicious food. In between bites, I find myself sneaking peeks at Hunter out of the corner of my eye. He looks more dressed up than usual with a black leather jacket over a button-down shirt. The outfit is trendier than office attire, especially with his hair combed back. His baby blues are on full display, making my inner teen squeal with delight. Hunter’s the kind of guy I would have asked out back in high school when I was going through what my parents called my “rebellious phase.” The only difference is that he’s not the bad boy type that I secretly liked. He actually has a heart of gold that makes his outward appearance even more attractive.

If Hunter Payne was Chinese, he’d be the first man I’d consider having a marriage of convenience with.

Whoa. I shiver inadvertently as the thought bounces around in my mind. How did I go in a single day from being annoyed with my coworker to thinking about marrying him?! I’m pretty sure my last ounce of sense has just done an Elvis and left the building. But the more I think about it, the more convinced I am that he’s my best choice.

He has the Cs that I’d want in a husband—Christian, caring, and compassionate. It doesn’t hurt that he’s cute, too. And he has the things that are important to my parents, like a career, condo, and cash. The only thing missing is him being Chinese, which is the least of my worries. Honestly, Hunter is the whole package and maybe the solution to my dilemma. The question now is how do I bring up this ideawithout getting Hunter all shook up or leaving me in the heartbreak hotel?

I swallow hard, then square my shoulders. With a hopeful smile, I present my proposal to him. “Is there a chance you enjoy my company so much, you wouldn’t mind getting married?”

His ears turn bright red, leaving me wondering if I just made the worst decision of my life.

CHAPTER 6

Hunter

“Kindness is free.Sprinkle that stuff everywhere.” ~Unknown

Did Lily Lam just propose to me?

“What did you say?” My heart’s pounding in my chest like the booming of a bass drum, setting the mood for this suspenseful conversation. “Are you asking me what I think you just asked me?”

“What do you think I just asked you?” Her tone is tentative, and she has a hard time maintaining eye contact. “You know what? I take it back. Let’s pretend I didn’t say anything. This night’s already gone sideways. It’d be best if I kept my thoughts to myself.”

I frown, seeing Lily be so unsure of herself. This is a woman who can hold her own in a room full of colleagues, most of whom are men. She’s often the first to offer a solution that no one else thought of and is one of the last people on the team to leave the office when there’s a project due. Besides having a strong work ethic, she’s also a great friend. I’ve heardher on the phone with her friends, listening and giving them advice. And it’s impressive how hard she tries to be a good sister, even to the point of asking a random guy to marry her.

Given that the random guy is me, maybe she’s just desperate.

Desperate or not, I’m not foolish enough to pass up an opportunity when I see one.

“I want to hear them, your thoughts,” I say to Lily. “Are you talking about us pretending to be married or us having an actual marriage of inconvenience?”

Her expression softens enough for her to crack a small smile. “It’s marriage of convenience. And I can’t believe you’re entertaining my wild idea.”

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