“Ren,” she whispered, feeling low. “How did you know?”
“Know what? Is something wrong?”
She bit her lip. They hadn’t spoken since her wedding day in Tokyo. She didn’t know where to begin. “I...it’s hard to explain.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have ignored you for the last six months,” Ren said quietly. “I just...didn’t know how to deal with everything.”
“I know.”
“I’m in Paris. I wondered if I could come see you.” He paused. “I have some news.”
Hana knew her husband wouldn’t like her seeing Ren. He’d made his thoughts clear on her having a best friend who was a man: it wasn’t allowed.
But it was so unfair. Antonio had abandoned her, cutting her off even from work. Did he expect her to remain a lonely prisoner in this house?
Forget that.
“Please come as soon as you can,” she said, her voice cracking. “I need a friend today.”
After they hung up, she paced all afternoon, staring at her phone, wishing Antonio would call her, trying to resist the urge to call him. He’d surely arrived in New York by now. She wondered how the negotiations were going with the labor union. Hana had always been the buffer.
Finally, she could resist no longer. Snatching up the phone, she dialed his number.
Antonio didn’t answer. It rang and rang, then went to voice mail. She tried again. The same. She felt sick, questioning the future of their marriage. She was desperate to find something, anything, that would give her hope.
In the meantime, Antonio couldn’t even be bothered to answer the phone.
She didn’t leave a message. What was there to say?
When Ren showed up at the door of the palacio later that night, they hugged awkwardly over her enormous belly. Ren looked different, Hana thought. He’d grown a beard, and his clothes were more youthful.
Manuelita brought tea into the salon, then left, looking back between them suspiciously.
“Does she think I’ve come here to seduce you?” Ren said, his lips quirking.
Hana tried to smile, blinking so fast he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. “Yes, a heavily pregnant woman is always a seduction magnet.”
They sat on opposite couches in the salon for an hour drinking tea, making small talk about inconsequential things, people they knew, the expansion of the Tanakas’ hotel business in Tokyo. Finally, with the pastries all gone and the tea grown cold, Ren looked at her across the coffee table.
“You look well, Hana,” he said softly. “Are you happy?”
She set down her china teacup and changed the subject. “What’s your big news?”
Leaning forward, Ren pulled a small black velvet box out of his pocket. Opening the lid, he held it out to her. A huge, sparkling diamond engagement ring.
Hana’s mouth fell open with horror. “Oh, no—Ren, you know I’m already...and besides—”
“Hana, relax!” With a laugh, Ren snapped the lid closed. “It’s not for you!”
“Whew!”
Staring at each other, they both burst into laughter, the awkwardness suddenly gone.
“You should see your face,” he said, grinning.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “But you scared me! For six months, you haven’t answered my messages. I had no idea what you were feeling!”
“I know.” His face grew serious. “The night you left Tokyo, you broke my heart.”