He stopped in front of a store display. In the window was a silk robe of the fieriest crimson. On its back a golden embroidered fènhuáng spread its wings. The workmanship was extraordinary. The mythical bird looked as if it would soar into the sky at any moment. It reminded him of how Natalie had seemed to soar when they were making love. Usually, she was somewhat guarded, but he had seen her spirit, joyous and giving, unleashed in bed.
A dragon and fènhuáng set represents a harmonious relationship between a man and a woman… I thought I would give the dragon to a man I lov—a worthy man.
But who would give Natalie a fènhuáng?
Alex stood, gazing at the robe. After several moments, he walked inside. A clerk wearing metallic green eye shadow greeted him in British-accented English. He told her what he wanted.
The robe came in one size, and there was only one left. Each design on the back was one of a kind, handmade by a local artisan. The store didn’t give refunds or exchanges. Would he take it?
He nodded and handed over his credit card. The clerk wrapped the robe in gorgeous gold and red paper and tied a silk bow around it. The package was light but beautiful and somehow seemed like exactly the perfect gift for Natalie.
His mood vastly improved, Alex returned to his hotel.
* * *
It was already Thursday, and still there was no word. Natalie hadn’t asked Ethan dir
ectly again, but it looked like even he didn’t know when Alex would be back.
Fool, fool, fool!
Finished with work and back inside her condo, she kicked off her shoes and let her feet sink into the thick carpet. Matto came out to greet her—or, more accurately, to demand a fresh serving of his favorite treat.
“Not right now.” She tossed her purse on the couch and was heading to the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Her heart leapt.
“Who is it?” she said, walking quickly to the door.
“FedEx.”
Her shoulders slumped at the chirpy voice. She opened the door and saw a delivery woman in a uniform.
“Natalie Hall?”
“Yes.”
Matto trotted out, stood between her feet and hissed at the woman. She glanced down and dismissed the cat. “Can you sign for this?”
Natalie scribbled her name on the delivery form and took the box. The address label didn’t indicate the sender, and she didn’t remember buying anything online recently. “Who sent it?”
“If it’s not on the label, I don’t know,” she said with an apologetic smile. “Thank you. Have a nice evening!”
Before Natalie could ask any more questions, the woman disappeared. Natalie sighed and shut the door.
Back in her living room, she shook the box. Something moved, but nothing rattled. Hmmm. She went to the kitchen, heated some water for tea, and grabbed a knife to cut the double layers of tape around the package…then encountered more tape and wrapping.
Just what was inside? A national secret?
The kettle started to whistle, and she poured the hot water into a small teapot. Dried tea leaves began to plump out, a few floating up to the surface. After placing a lid on the pot, she ripped the rest of the packing open. Inside was a beautifully wrapped oblong box. An elegant, dark navy ribbon with gold trim made a festive bow around it. She examined it from various angles, then went carefully through the wrapping paper. No card.
And the brown carton contained nothing inside except bubble wrap. Strange.
She unwrapped it and saw a dark navy velvet box. In the center, a gold emblem gleamed under the kitchen light.
Her hands stilled. It was a jeweler in Hong Kong. She’d seen the logo during her tenure at Goldreich. Her heartbeat accelerated.
She opened it and frowned at a row of exquisite rubies glittering like fat drops of blood. She picked up the choker. It felt icy against her hand. Finally, she found a small, heavy stock card engraved with an elaborate copperplate script:
To Natalie