Page 53 of It Had to be You

The number hadn’t lasted longer than five minutes, but he knew that after they were done and the rest of the audience hadrisen to their feet after him, applauding the performance, the standing ovation lasted for quite some time. It was her farewell performance, but he knew it was the start of something new.

Something he was excited to be a part of.

As the dancing partners moved around the crowd, Alexander wasn’t sure exactly how it was going to work and he’d been too intent on talking to her during their last phone call instead of asking her about the event.That was a mistake on his part, especially when he saw her partner lean down to kiss her.

Yes, he was jealous.

He knew Tatum’s feelings for himwere real and true, but it wasn’t easy to see another man show her affection. And he would hold it together when they came over to the table. He was a man in love, but he was also a man who trusted the woman he loved.

Tatum reached up and touched Carl’s cheek with a gentle pat as they spoke to each other. The conversation was as short as it was friendly and before Alexander realized what was happening, Carl turned around and walked back through the curtain.

"Go," he felt his mother’s hand on his back. "Go and walk with her."

Looking down at his mother, Alexander saw her smiling up at him.

"Don’t make her walk alone." He didn’t hear a real reprimand in his mother’s voice. She had never really reprimanded him with volume, even when he was a child. No, his mother’s displeasure was always measured in her eyes. A solemn look of disappointment had reduced him to tears as a child. The look she gave him at that moment was one of gentle love and encouragement. "She’s bound to be nervous,Xue."

"I’ll be right back with her. Go ahead and sit."

She tsked at him and shook her head. "I’m not so aged nor infirmed to need to sit for the next few minutes."

"You know your mother," his father’s comment shocked Alexander and his mother, "you

either go and get her, or she will."

Alexander left his parents bickering softly even though they were still smiling. That was something he was used to, but his father’s interjection was unexpected.Leland Wen was usually a stoic man who let his wife speak for the both ofthem buthearing his father’s astute comment told him his father had been hiding a bit of a sarcastic wit. He hoped he would hear more of it in the future.

Tatum’s expression brightened when she saw him heading in her direction, and itmade him feel like a king. Knowing that she was happy just to see him feltreally good.

And knowing he felt the same way made him walk just a little faster.

He reached out and took her hands in his, pulling her close. "I’m the luckiest man in this room, you know."

"Just the room?" Her laughter filled him with joy."Just kidding."

"I’m not," he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on her lips. "And you’re right. I’m pretty much the luckiest man anywhere because I’ve found you. And I’m not taking that lightly." He leaned in for another kiss. "But,if I don’t walk you over to the table, I’m going to be in trouble with my mother."

"Oh," Tatum kissed himquickly, "well I don’t want that."

They started to walk as he held her hand in his, feeling that simple touch soothing hissoul. He really should have asked to see her before the event just to take a little bit of the edgeoffhis nerves, but there he was, holding thehand of the woman who held his heart. It couldn’t get better

than that.

As they approached his parents, Alexander heard Tatum draw in a breath and let it out. It was almost steady. He gave her hand a squeeze. "Easy now,it’s going to be fine."

She chuckled and grumbled at him under her breath. "Easy enough for you to say. I

want to make a good impression."

He laughed out loud and she squeezed his hand tight enough to catch his attention. "Hey. Don’t worry, my mother already thinks you’re great."

"I’ll hold you to that."

"Hey," he leaned closer, "just remember one thing."

She looked up at him with a question plain in her eyes. "What?"

"I love you."

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