Devastated

She couldn’t wait to pitch her idea to Gordon. He might say that he doesn’t have the time or staff to dedicate to such an event, but she would offer to organize it. She could get her parents, Keisha, and other folks she knew to help out.

The biggest potential challenge she faced was getting past Ben.

Chapter Nine

Pissed that Kimani had gotten away from him, and that she had defied his directive not to walk East Oakland, Ben took his frustrations out on the precinct captain back inside the headquarters.

“You let a young woman walk Havenscourt alone?” he barked at Anthony, wanting to fire the guy for having such a winning smile.

“I offered to go with her,” Anthony replied. “Should I go get her?”

Imagining the young man getting chummy with Kimani, Ben replied, “No. But don’t let her do it again.”

Anthony nodded. “Got it.”

Ben turned around and blew out a breath. Bill was supposed to be on Kimani, so she wasn’t really alone. Still...

“Who was she?” Eumie tried again, trying not to appear too curious.

“A campaign volunteer,” Ben replied as he texted Bataar to confirm that Bill was watching Kimani.

Eumie swirled the ice in her drink. “It looked like she was more than just a volunteer. It looked like you had some history with her.”

After receiving confirmation from Bataar, Ben looked up from his mobile at Eumie. “You could say that.”

“That’s it? You’re just going to leave it at that?”

“Yes, I am.”

She pouted but didn’t back down. “Was your history a dating history?”

He couldn’t help a rueful laugh. “Hardly.”

Her brow furrowed in puzzlement. “Then what was it?”

“I’m not interested in talking about it.”

While he would have tolerated some pushback from May, he would put Eumie back on a plane to China within minutes if she persisted.

Getting the message, she muttered, “Must have been some history.”

Ben regretted allowing Eumie to accompany him to California. At least May hadn’t pushed to come along. She wouldn’t have lasted five minutes with Eumie.

“I didn’t know you were interested in her kind. Was it because you went to Harvard?” Eumie asked.

“Howard. It was Howard University.” He looked at the time on his mobile. “I’m meeting a property owner in Chinatown for dim sum. I can have Bataar drop you off at Union Square.”

Eumie’s activity of choice in any metropolitan area was shopping. She rarely did the tourist attractions, had no interest in museums, and refused to walk anywhere she couldn’t wear her four-inch heels.

“Thanks,” she said. “Aunt Alice offered to give me a ride, but I think she drives a Honda Accord. The Porsche is a much better ride.”

Ben turned to head outside.

Eumie finished her sugary beverage of milk tea and boba. “Should we meet for dinner? You think you could get a table at Ishikawa West?”

He froze, remembering how hot Kimani had looked the night he’d taken her to the Michelin-star restaurant. He remembered making her sit on his lap while the servers cleared the table because she had complained about appearing like a couple having an argument. He remembered the punishment afterward when—

“You have to book six weeks in advance,” he abruptly said to Eumie before his mind went too far down memory lane.