Page 114 of Caper Crush
I walk back to Miju. The guy has his arm around her.
“Miju, can we talk a minute?” I ask.
“Now?” Miju asks.
The guy says, “Right now?”
I nod. Miju gets up from her seat and comes over with me to a corner in a dimly lit hallway near the bathroom.
“My roommate is a corporate litigator, and I told her your story,” I say. “She thinks you should call Officer Johnson immediately. Here, talk to her.” I hand Miju my phone.
Miju talks to Tessa, paling as she does. “Do I need a lawyer?” She listens intently and then reels off her number. “Okay, thanks.”
She hangs up the phone and gives it to me. “She’s going to ask some of her defender friends if they can represent me. She’ll call me back.” Miju swallows. “Thank you.”
We stop by Uncle Tony’s on the way back to my place and update them on everything that happened.
“I never liked that guy,” Takashi says.
“That pretentious, uptight jerk.” Uncle Tony jumps up and paces. “I think there’s one thing you haven’t updated me on.”
“What?” I ask.
“You two are dating.”
“Yes,” we both say at the same time.
Uncle Tony chuckles. “I told you if we warned them away from each other, they’d get together even quicker.” He sits back down next to Takashi.
“Are you kidding me?” I ask. “I thought you were serious. I tried really hard not to call William.”
“Is that why you didn’t call me?” William glances at me.
“Yes, I was being noble.” I hold his hand.
“And you missed her, right?” Uncle Tony asks.
“I did,” William says.
“That’s how I got Takashi,” Uncle Tony says proudly. “I pursued him very earnestly, and he said he didn’t think we suited …”
“I didn’t quite say that,” Takashi says.
“You did. I was devastated,” Tony says. “But I respected your wishes and made no more effort to contact you.”
“And then I missed you,” Takashi says.
Tony smiles. “And then you missed me.”
“And I know you hate being dictated to, William.” Takashi grins. “So as soon as I said you should stay away, I figured you’d do the opposite.”
“I hope that’s not my only appeal for you,” I say.
William’s thumb is rubbing circles in the palm of my hand. “Definitely not.”
“A toast to love.” Tony raises his glass.
We all drink.
