Chapter 37

"Are you guys done?" Soriya asked after poking her head in the doorway.

Sam nodded while Chan eyed Lilly watching her just behind Soriya. The little girl became shy suddenly, and Chan wondered why.

Adam, after he'd finished wrapping the bandage around Chan's ankle once again, said, "Yes. All done. Has Marian finished preparing lunch?" At Soriya's nod, he got up from his spot. "In that case, I'll go and help set the table."

Once he was out the door, Lilly took the opportunity and rushed in, straight to Chan. Behind her, Soriya rolled her eyes. "I knew it. I just knew it." She turned to Sam. "See what I told you? Every kid likes her."

Sam chuckled. He'd admit it wasn't just the kids. It was him as well.

Lilly claimed a spot beside Chan on the couch and started telling the young woman about her school and friends, including Timothy and Jason. Then she went on about her birthday party coming up next Saturday.

"Here," she said, handing Chan a paper cut into a card.

Chan took it and realized it was an invitation for a birthday party. There were drawn balloons and bears with glitter. It was pretty well done, and she knew Soriya had a hand in helping out.

"For me?" Chan asked.

Lilly nodded enthusiastically. "You have to come. It's going to be so awesome!"

Soriya laughed. "You bet it is."

Chan certainly didn't know how to respond to that. She'd vowed to herself she wouldn't get too close and too involved with this family. Oh God! The dilemma and the ache within her heart suddenly erupted within her.

Sam saw Chan's hesitation and wrapped his arms around his daughter. He pulled her small form against him and said, "Chan's busy Saturday, sweetheart. She won't be able to come."

Though he said that, he knew for a fact Chan wasn't busy on Saturday. He knew she and Jeremy didn't have a date. Why? Because Jeremy would never upset Lilly by not attending her birthday party. Then, of course, he wondered why Chan was so reluctant to come. The thought upset him. Was it because of him? He knew it wasn't Lilly. The woman was pretty much in love with his daughter.

Lilly screwed up her face as though she were very upset and about to cry. "Really?"

Chan felt like someone had punched her in the stomach hard.

Soriya chimed in. "She has a date, Lilly."

Lilly turned to Soriya, her eyes teary and large. "Date?" At Soriya's nod, she turned back to Chan and rushed forward, clutching Chan's hands. "Then we can all do a date together."

Sam chuckled; he couldn't help himself. "Lilly, sweetheart."

Lilly didn't listen to her dad's gentle warning tone. "Please, Chan? Can you do a date with me on my birthday? Then Daddy can do a date with you after."

Soriya burst out laughing. "Maybe we should have a list."

Chan ignored her sister's teasing. She had more important problems to deal with at the moment. How to get out of this birthday party? Then Lilly had to go and become all adorable and beg, and most of all, be logical, just like her dad.

"Please, Chan, please? I promise it'll be very fun. Lots of people are coming. You can cancel that other date. But my birthday only comes once a year. We'll have to wait another full year to have our date on my birthday."

"She's right, you know," Soriya added.

Chan sighed. She couldn't fight the little darling. She had no superpower to protect herself against cute, adorable little girls with logic and the ability to persuade. "All right. I'll come."

"Promise?" Lilly asked.

Chan nodded. "I promise."

Lilly jumped up and down. "Yay! Yay! Now I have to go and tell Marian and Timothy and Jason." Without further ado, she stood on tiptoe, gave Chan a peck on the cheek, and then ran out the door before Chan could utter a word.

Dara was at the door, smiling. "Success, huh?" Chan knew what they were talking about. "All right, let's have some lunch, people." Then she went on, "Oh my God, Sam, you're right. Marian is so awesome. Her food is just so… awesome!"

Soriya jumped up from her seat, and the two sisters left, leaving Chan to sit there staring after them in annoyance. Oh, so suddenly they'd forgotten all about her, huh?

"Guys?" she called after them. "A little help here?"

Before she could get up, Sam had her in his arms and was heading out the door.

"Honestly," she said. "You know you don't have to do that."

"I know I don't," he said. "But I want to."

She blushed. "What if Marian sees us? Wouldn't she get jealous?"

Sam cocked his head to one side and then smiled. "Marian is one of the loveliest people I've ever met. Why would she be jealous?"

Was this handsome billionaire daft or what? Surely, a wife would get jealous of her husband carrying another woman about in the house as if they were a lovey-dovey couple.

"Marian just isn't the type," he said bluntly.

They were heading outside, Chan realized. She'd always wanted to have lunch outside in the backyard. At the apartment, however, they had no backyard to speak of. Just a shared courtyard that wasn't at all private.

There was a table set up with an array of dishes on it. Roast lamb as well as pork, along with root vegetables, salads, and home-baked bread.

Sam placed her onto a chair and took the seat beside her. Lilly rushed over and took the seat on Chan's other side. Dara sat next to Lilly, and beside Dara was Soriya. Adam and his wife, Holly, sat opposite them.

"Hi, sorry I didn't introduce myself before," the woman said. "I'm Holly, Adam's wife. And the two boys are ours."

"I'm Chandra," Chan said. "You can call me Chan."

"Chandra," Holly said. "Sanskrit, isn't it?"

Chan nodded. "It was our grandmother who named us."

Dara nodded. "She died about six months ago, back in New Zealand."

"Sorry to hear that," Holly said.

At hearing that, Sam had the sudden urge to find out more about Chan's family background. If he remembered right, the Chandler sisters had recently moved to Australia. The house that was part of his company's project used to belong to their father who was deceased. Of course, he'd found out from Soriya their mom had passed away when they were kids.

It was then the two boys, Timothy and Jason, came out carrying jugs of water and juice. Marian wasn't far behind, bringing another tray of food, mince pie. She placed it on the table and told everyone to dig in.

Chan watched as everyone, including her sisters, started the meal happily. Beside her, Sam began cutting out some pork and placed the morsel onto his plate and then some onto hers. At the same time, Lilly asked Chan to help her get some lamb, which Chan delightfully obliged.

As they were enjoying the meal, Chan wondered where Sam's wife was. Wasn't the woman joining them?

At that thought, a part of her was relieved, and the other part dreaded the moment she'd come face-to-face with the blond woman.

"Your food is simply awesome, Marian," Soriya commented.

Chan paused and looked up.

"I've been cooking since I was a teenaged girl," Marian replied cheerfully. "My mother taught me."