Page 31 of Tiger's Quest
“I’m so sorry, Kelsey. Did I hurt you? I didn’t mean to—”
Before he could finish apologizing, Li was thrown to the mat a few feet away. Ren kneeled over me.
“Did he hurt you, Kells? Are you alright?”
Angry and embarrassed, I hissed, “Ren! I’mfine! Li didn’t hurt me. I just wasn’t paying enough attention. It happens.”
Ren growled, “He should have been more careful.”
I whispered quietly, “I’m fine. Andreally! Did you have to throw himhalfwayacross the room?”
He grunted and helped me stand up.
Li hustled back over, pointedly ignoring Ren. “Are you okay, Kelsey?”
I put my hand on his arm. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about it. It was my fault for being distracted.”
“Yes.Distracted.” His eyes shifted to Ren briefly. “Good throw, but I’d like to see you try to dothatagain.”
Ren grinned widely. “Anytime.”
Li smiled back subtly and narrowed his eyes. “Later, then.”
I stood by Jennifer, who was quivering with excitement. She opened her mouth to ask the first of what I was sure were hundreds of questions, and I stuck a finger in the air.
“Hold that thought. I just want to get through class. Then I promise I’ll tell you what’s going on.”
She mouthed, “Promise?”
I nodded.
Jennifer spent the rest of the hour vigilantly watching Ren, Li, and me. I could see the wheels turning in her brain as she listened carefully to every remark and probably categorized every look and casual touch. Li guided us through simple hand forms for the rest of the hour and then abruptly dismissed class. He and Ren seemed to be locked in a staring contest. Both of them had their arms folded across their chests, coldly assessing one another. I walked Jen to the door.
She squeezed my arm. “Your Ren is wonderful.Andabsolutely yummy. I can see why you had a hard time letting him go. If I were a couple of years younger and wasn’t happily married, I’d lock him up with me and swallow the key. What are you going to do?”
“Ren wants me to date both of them.”
Jennifer’s mouth fell open and I hurried to add, “But I’m not making any decisions yet.”
“This is so exciting! It’s better than my favorite soap opera. Good luck, Kelsey. See you Monday.”
When we were driving home, I asked Ren, “What did you and Li say to each other?”
“Nothing much. I’m going to attend wushu classes, but I have to pay Li’s fee, which he purposely set at an exorbitant amount, thinking that I couldn’t afford it.”
“I don’t like this. I feel like the child in a hostile joint-custody battle.”
He replied softly, “You can date us both or you can break up with Li now. But to be fair, you should give Li at least a week.”
“Ha! What makes you think I’d choose you? Li’s a good guy too!”
Ren rubbed his jaw and said quietly, “Yes. I think he is.”
That comment surprised me, and I quietly thought about it as we drove home. Ren dropped me off, helped me out of the car, and disappeared as usual.
Dating Li, Ren, and Jason at the same time was absolutely ridiculous. It almost felt like I was surrounded by knights jousting for a girl’s favor. As they stomped around in battle armor, sharpened lances, and prepared to mount their horses, I pondered my options. I still had a choice at the end of the day. I could choose the winner, the loser, or none of them. The good news was that it would buy me some time.
I could understand the idea of a romantic rivalry from Ren’s point of view, at least a little. During his century, men probably did battle for females. Surely Ren’s tiger instinct told him to drive off the other males. What I hadn’t expected was Li’s reaction.Who knew that he cared this much?I thought.If Li had just broken up with me, it would have made my part in this little production much easier. Maybe they’d both kill each other in the process, and everybody would die in the end, like inHamlet.
