Chapter 22

The meeting went well. David's father made an appearance an hour after their presentation. Pearl doubted anyone was surprised. As everyone was leaving, Pearl walked out of the large conference room, right past Thomas and his partner in the merger. She kept her head down but couldn't prevent herself from hearing his nasty remark about her being David's "beck and call girl". She had enough. "Look, just because you live in your own sheltered, safe little perception of the world, doesn't make you correct or give you the right to treat people like you do. David is a good man. A stand up man. And it has nothing to do with your presence in his life. He turned out amazing because you weren't there. So thank you for being such a piece of shit so that I get to know and have in my life the incredible human that he is. Also, you would know about "beck and call girls" as you married someone younger than myself less than a year after your wife lost her battle with cancer. You should be ashamed of yourself. I know I'm ashamed of you. Also, kindly go fuck yourself."

And with that, Pearl walked away. David was standing on the other side of the door and heard it all. He walked out and looked his father right in the eyes. He said nothing. He shook his father's partner's hand and walked away. He made his way to the front lobby of the building where Pearl was waiting for him. "Oh hey, I was wondering where you went. Are we ready to go?" Pearl asked. He just looked at her. This unassuming woman, All five feet nothing of her, had just done more for him, stood up for him and showed more care for him than anyone ever had before. He knew, at that moment, how hopelessly in love with her he was.

"What's wrong?" She asked. "Nothing Pearl. Nothing at all. Let's get some lunch." They took a cab to the closest place they could find. Pearl was starving. David watched her inhale the biggest plate of sushi he had ever seen. He smiled and asked her to save him at least one piece. "Oh my god I'm so sorry. The meeting and all the nerves this morning must have worked up an appetite." "It's fine" David said laughing. "I'll order more"

They finished lunch and David asked if she wanted to walk around the city a little before they head back to the hotel. She said she'd like that and they spent the afternoon walking around, stopping into little shops, antiquing, seeing what was around. It was wonderful. As they walked along the waterfront, David stopped and looked at Pearl. "What?" She asked. "You've been freaking me out today with that look. Is everything really ok?" She asked. He said "No. I actually need to try something." "Well if it's more food, you're on your own. I'm surprised I walked around this much without dying today after all that sushi" she laughed. And he stopped and looked into her eyes. And then he took her face in his hands and he kissed her. It wasn't the urgent, hungry kisses like Rhys. It was soft. Tender. Wanting. It was really beautiful. He was trembling. She kissed him back and he nearly crushed her, putting his arms around her. It felt so safe. Like home. It turned her on just as much as Rhys and maybe more. That wasn't a good thing. She pulled away. "David" she said quietly. David quickly responded. "Im sorry. Wait. I don't want to ever lie to you. I'm not sorry. I wasn't sorry planning kissing you. I certainly wasn't sorry while I was kissing you. And I won't be sorry tomorrow thinking about kissing you." He was beautiful standing there in his Armani suit and ray bans. He could be a model if this does not work out for him, Pearl thought. "I'm not sorry either" she said. David nearly fell over. "It's just that you're my boss. This trip has already changed our relationship and I'm afraid that if we even think about taking this further, our careers could be affected. We've both worked so hard to get where we are." He knew she was right. He had money and could make it work if he had to. She didn't have that same luxury. It was selfish of him not to consider that. And he told her that. "I want you to know, that if something happened, I'd help you. I promise to always give you an amazing reference and I promise I'd help you out no matter what. This week, what you've done for me, who you are. I couldn't ever not help you, Pearl." They found a cab and made it back to their hotel room. The air was heavy and the tension between them was insurmountable.