Page 50 of Kai
"Kai," she whispered, suddenly overwhelmed. "This is... this is unexpected."
He glanced over at her as he came to a stop in front of the double doors. "Good or bad?"
"Good of course. I expected a mansion."
He grinned at her and could not resist the urge to lean over and kiss her. "You're wonderful," he murmured, causing her heart to flutter.
"We lived in one before, but when dad died, we decided that it was prudent for her to downgrade."
He helped her out of the car, his hand steady and reassuring as she stepped onto the cobblestone driveway. The front door opened before they reached it, and a small, elegant woman stepped out, her smile both welcoming and assessing.
"Mother," Kai said, his voice warm as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. "This is Maxie."
Maxie swallowed her nerves and smiled as brightly as she could. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Tanaka."
The woman tilted her head slightly, her eyes keen, but her smile widened. "The pleasure is mine, my dear. And please, call me Akemi," she continued shyly.
Maxie exhaled, the tight knot in her chest loosening ever so slightly. As Kai's fingers brushed against hers in a silent gesture of support, she realized that tonight, whatever happened, she wouldn't face it alone.
"We have a very pleasant surprise awaiting, Kai." She turned to her son, her demeanor serene and demure. Looking at her, Maxie began to recognize that Akemi Tanaka was a woman who had grown used to men taking charge of her life.
As soon as they stepped into the lofty foyer, two men rushed forward, making Maxie think she was looking at the same person. And she saw where Kai had gotten his incredible good looks from. He looked like his uncles, only taller. Both men were dressed in exquisitely cut tailored jackets over seamless pants and their hair was impeccably groomed.
"Kenzo and Koji." The obvious delight on his face showed how much he thought of his uncles. And the feeling was mutual as they came forward and wrapped their arms around him.
"Dear boy," one of them said. (She was never going to be able to tell them apart!) Maxie realized.
"How are you here? I just spoke to you this morning."
"We were in London at a conference and that's what private jets are for." In unison, they turned to Maxie, eyes dancing. "I can see why you want to rush into marriage after avoiding it like the plague for so long. She's absolutely exquisite. I am Kenzo, the gorgeous half of the twin." She took his proffered hand and noticed the different shape of the eyes and that he had a mole beside his left eye.
Elbowing his brother aside, Koji grabbed her around the waist and planted a kiss right on her mouth. "Don't listen to him and yes, I do agree, you're exquisite."
"Hands off," Kai growled. "She's mine."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Maxie decided that she already adored them.
They had supper in an elegant room decorated in cool lime green with gorgeous white antique furnishings. A medium-sized fireplace cast a cheerful glow over everything. Instead of artificial lights, candles were everywhere, casting the room into shadows.
"My mother believes in ambiances," Kai murmured in her ear. "She made the candles herself."
"How delightful."
She had expected a Japanese cuisine and wasn't disappointed. The entree was a delicious seafood soup served by a housekeeper who went in and out of the room silently, clearing the plates when a course was finished. The Yakitori was scrumptious and the best she had ever tasted. Conversation ranged from the weather in Japan, the culture, what the twins had been up to and then wound over to business. Maxie noticed that Akemi remained mostly silent as if content to make the men dominate the conversation.
She also noticed how the woman kept staring at her son, a mellow look of absolute love and adoration on her face.
It was after the housekeeper had served dessert that Kai turned to her, a look of mischief in his beautiful dark eyes. "It's an added bonus that my uncles are here for this."
Before she could respond, he drew out a black velvet box and opened it to reveal an exquisite square-cut red diamond that seemed to sparkle under the lights flowing from the candle. Taking it out of the box, he took her hand and slid it on her finger as she stared at the stone in absolute shock and admiration.
"What do you say darling?"
"What a magnificent ring!" Koji exclaimed.
"Maxie?"
Lifting her eyes from the ring, she gazed at him and nodded, a dazed expression on her face. "Yes, of course. What other answer could it possibly be?"
