Melted: One Shots

Four: Co-Conspirators--Yaya in the House

From Chapter Fifty-Five in Melted: "Cold Water"

At that moment, Max was interrupted by a voice he knew too well.

"I'm sorry, Yaya, that I'm late. Something came up at the office, and . . ." Tul stopped. "Max?"

Yaya looked between them, smiling. "You know each other?"

Max understood the situation immediately, especially since Tul blushed. "Yes," he said breaking eye contact with Tul and putting on a smile for Yaya.

"I know Tul very well. I've been studying Shilapath for my next book. I shadowed him and his team for almost a year. I'm actually meeting with a couple of them tonight for dinner."

"You are?" Tul asked, looking around. Then he saw Tor and Prin at a table with Ann and looked back at Max. "Yes, I remember now. Prin and Tor invited me, but I told them I had another engagement." Max unconsciously stiffened at the word, and Yaya looked at the two of them with increased interest.

"Actually, I was scheduled to have dinner with Tor, but when Ann talked about some issues she was having and Prin mentioned Tor might be able to help, I suggested that they join us for dinner" as part of my plot to bring Prin and Ann together for Tor's benefit Max was thinking. Tul, on the other hand, was thinking about Max being with Tor again.

"Anyway, I better be getting back to the table. I don't want to intrude," Max said, keeping his tone neutral. Tul hated that tone. He couldn't read anything in that tone. It hid Max from him.

Tul sat with Yaya in silence for a minute while she watched him carefully. Before she came to this dinner, she knew that she would have a good time, and Tul would understand her situation and not expect anything of her. But now she thought she might get more out of this dinner than that. She had appraised the situation quickly and made a guess based on her observation of Max and Tul and Tul's current state, and it made her think that Tul might be exactly what she needed and that perhaps they could help each other. She would wait and watch how the dinner went.

From her vantage point, Yaya could see the table where Max sat with some other people. She had seen the light in his eyes dim once he realized that the person she was having a marriage date with was Tul Pakorn, and she wasn't buying that their relationship was as simple as he stated, especially with the clear blush on Tul's face upon seeing him. Tul was looking at the menu with a cheerful look that seemed strained, and his eyes looked both sad and guilty.

The look eased somewhat as they chatted and caught up during dinner. Yaya knew Tul from university. He had been one of her juniors and though she had seen why he had the reputation for being the life of the party, she had also noticed that he was the one in his group that got everyone safely home and that he didn't put up with any of the rich kids who used their power to hurt others, especially women. He might have stayed out late, but she would also see him, sometimes hungover, at the library getting his work done the next day. She had stood up for him several times when he got in trouble more for his reputation than for what he really did, and they had become friends. Not like him and Tor and Prin but closer than acquaintances.

She, too, was tired of going on these dates, but she was pleased to see Tul again because at least she could trust him, and it would be great to catch up. She thought about the way he had looked at Max and wondered if this date wasn't going to be the answer to the missing piece to get free of her family.

***

Tul waited until they were nearly finished dinner before he asked what she knew he wanted to ask from the beginning.

"So, how do you know Max?"

"Oh, Maxi?" Tul flinched a bit, and Yaya smiled. She never called Max 'Maxi'; he hated it, but she wanted to see Tul's reaction. The flinch made her decide to be honest.