Chapter 19: Do You Want To Have Some?
Jessie took a few sips of the yogurt. She had been critical of food, but it was brought to her personally, so she had to appreciate it.
She knew Tristan was different from her. He treated caviar and pancakes as the same food group. He didn’t look like a regular billionaire. She appreciated him, but she could never learn his ways.
She screwed up the cap and looked at his profile. Chiseled face, deep-set eyes, composed and wise after the honing of years, youthful at his age and with a mysterious depth. Jessie was wailing inside: she had fallen in love with this man.
She blurted out, “This afternoon…”
Before she finished, Tristan said, “I have a meeting at 2:30.”
“Oh.”
They were silent all the way back. And before getting out of the car, Jessie asked casually, “Am I too old now?”
Tristan was startled, and when the car came to a stop, he looked at a few dressed up girls walking by and said, “People are different. Some are like meteors, and some are like stars.”
Jessie’s heart was warmed and softened, and her eyes sparkled with love. The best gift for a woman who was panicking at the turn of age was the approval of a man.
When she was on the ascending lift, she saw her lonely figure in the mirror and came to realize that the best gift wasn’t just approval. It was a commitment, a commitment that could dispel her worries and could be relied on.
On his way back to the company, Tristan turned on the radio. Kenny Rogers’ mellow voice, full of affection, filled up the air. A song and a singer that belonged to their own time. And it suddenly occurred to him that it was March 1st today. He heaved a long sigh.
My love, there’s so many ways I want to say I love you.
Let me hold you in my arms, forevermore.
You have gone and made me such a fool;
I’m so lost in your love.
And oh, we belong together.
Won’t you believe in my song?
Something forgotten was waking up and seemed so close but also so far away.
At the red traffic light, Tristan took out his wallet and opened it. There was a picture of it.Copyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.
A beautiful woman, with spirited eyes and a joyful smile, looked up at him from the wallet-sized picture. His fingers touched her cheeks and then stopped at the dimples.
He raised his hand and pressed his forehead, reminding himself to stop dwelling on this.
Seeing that person again, it was like a sleeping torpedo was detonated suddenly. Terror, rage, and deep guilt had all emerged to the surface of Tristan’s consciousness.
Kate went to the bank after work and wired some money to her the cards of her brother and sister who were at school. And she felt a little relieved.
Days later, Jimmy York called her and asked her out to dinner.
Hearing his brisk and amiable voice, she felt joyful and at ease again. She could get away from the past and start over again, she thought.
This time Jimmy took her to a fancy restaurant. They didn’t book the table in advance, and it was full when they got there.
But the manager heard it was Sergeant York and gave them a reserved table immediately. He even came over to chat with Jimmy York for a minute. Jimmy told her jokingly that that was the welfare of policemen.
He ordered quite many yummy and exquisite foods and wines. He said, “Don’t worry. I am not very rich, but I still can afford it.”
Kate found he was in a good mood and quite talkative today. Of course, he was always talkative, but it was a little different than his usual demeanor. Indeed, he could not hold it in for long and told her his good news. “I am going to move to the criminal police team next week. I will be able to get some big cases.”
Seeing he was gearing up excitedly, Kate congratulated him. “I am so happy for you. You will have your dreams come true.”
“Thank you.” He said, and he lifted the bottle of wine. “Do you want to have some?”
“OK, give me some,” Kate said after a pause.
He poured half a glass for her. It tasted mellow and smooth and left a fragrance lingering in her mouth after she drank it down. She thought perhaps his heart was probably feeling like the wine now.