When they got home, Grace Li placed the box of cookies in the fridge. Aiden Thompson watched her as she moved around, feeling like it was time for a serious talk. In the past two weeks, they'd only seen each other twice, and it had been too long since they'd really talked about what was on their minds.
He walked up behind Grace Li and asked, "Grace, you got anything to drink?"
"We've got beer or soda."
"Beer sounds good." Aiden Thompson said, "It's been a while since we've just sat on the balcony and talked."
Grace Li grabbed two beers, and they sat together on the two-person chair on the balcony. From here, they could see the distant CBD skyline. The November evening had a bit of a chill to it, but with a couple of layers, it felt just right.
Aiden Thompson took a sip of his beer and said, "I've got some things to take care of at the company for a while, but whenever I've got some free time, I'll try to come by more."
Grace Li had looked into Silverstone Group and knew he had a lot on his plate. She said, "You do what you've got to do. If you come by during the week, I probably won't even have time to hang out anyway."
"I don't need you to keep me company," Aiden said with a smile. "I'm the one who wants to spend time with you. Whether it's keeping you company while you work late or just chatting, I'm happy to do it."
"But you running back and forth like this must be exhausting. It's fine if you come by when you're free on the weekends."
"But I'll miss you."
Grace Li smiled softly but didn't say anything, just quietly sipping her beer.
Aiden Thompson couldn't shake the feeling about Tom Wilson. He knew he was feeling a little jealous, but didn't want to cause trouble, so he asked, "Grace, have you ever met Tom Wilson's mom?"
"Yeah, once. It was a few days ago. I was at Hengyue Tech for a meeting with Tom, and his mom came by to bring some snacks. I had a few, too. I just mentioned that her cookies were really good, and I didn't think she'd remember."
Aiden Thompson took her hand in his, remembering the night when his parents found out about him and Grace. They'd expressed some concerns, but had also said they would respect his choice. It was a stark contrast to how Tom Wilson's mom had treated Grace with so much warmth.
He knew what he was afraid of, because deep down, he knew Tom Wilson was the kind of guy who could be a good match for marriage.
"Grace, what do I do? I'm jealous."
Grace Li, who had already gotten used to him saying he was jealous, replied, "So?"
Aiden Thompson looked at her and asked, "Isn't that being unreasonable?"
Grace Li laughed lightly and said, "At least you're self-aware."
"But isn't that just how it is when you like someone? You feel that way when someone else nice comes around them."
"Shouldn't I be the one feeling jealous?"
"How do you figure?"
"Well, you're the acting chairman of Silverstone Group now. I'm sure your secretary is attractive, and there are probably a ton of women at the company trying to catch your eye. Maybe even daughters of business partners are interested in you. I'm not jealous at all."
Aiden Thompson chuckled, "My secretary is my dad's secretary, she's been with him for over ten years, and her kid's in middle school now. As for the girls at the company, I don't know, but I don't really interact with them. As for the partners' daughters, none of them stand a chance against you, Grace."
Grace Li smirked, "So you're really that clean-cut?"
"It's not like I'm trying to be, I just know exactly what I want. Once I set my sights on something, I go for it. What happens along the way doesn't matter to me."
Hearing him say this, Grace Li should've been happy, but her emotions felt complicated. She asked, "Aiden, is your target me?"
"Of course, it always has been."
Grace Li asked again, "Have you thought about the future?"
Aiden Thompson placed her hand on his lap and said, "I've thought about it. I want to start a business with you, then get married. After that, we'll have kids, watch them grow up, and grow old together."
It was such a simple plan, but hearing it from Aiden for the first time made Grace Li's eyes sting with emotion.
"So, do your parents know? Do they approve?"
Aiden Thompson answered, "They're a bit concerned about our different backgrounds, but in the end, they'll respect my choice. If they got to know you, they'd probably like you just as much as I do."
Grace Li knew Aiden was trying to comfort her. She wasn't some naïve girl, so she said, "You know, after I found out who you really are at that party, do you know what I was thinking?"
"What were you thinking?"
"At that moment, I didn't blame you for hiding it from me. Because after being with you, if I wanted to know, I could've asked. I didn't, so I didn't have the right to complain. But my heart was really heavy, because I realized how much of a gap there was between us." Grace Li paused before continuing, "When I was younger, I loved watching those cheesy dramas where the rich, handsome guy falls for the regular girl. I watched them over and over and even dreamed of being that lucky girl. But as I got older and more aware of the real world, I realized how naïve that was. Two people from totally different backgrounds trying to be soulmates? That's a lot harder than it looks. The girl from a regular family has a tough time fitting into the guy's world, and even if she does, she might not be accepted by his family. That's why those shows never go into the messy details of their married life."
Aiden Thompson knew Grace Li was strong and confident, but sometimes she could feel insecure. He said, "Grace, you're wrong. You're not just some regular girl. You're amazing in every way. You're charming, and it's your charm that drew me to you. You're no less than anyone else. And we've been together for so long, living together too. You should know that we're a perfect match. In America, a lot of people overcome background differences and find happiness. We can too."
Grace Li tilted her head and looked at him. For a moment, she thought maybe Aiden was right.
Aiden Thompson raised his hand and pulled her into his embrace, saying, "Grace, stop overthinking."
Grace Li rested her head on his chest, enjoying the warmth of his arms around her. She said, "I think I'm pretty chill about it. I'll just take it one step at a time."
"One step at a time?"
"Yeah. If we can be together today, that's enough. If not, I won't force it."
Aiden Thompson didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He wasn't sure whether to feel happy about Grace Li's open-mindedness or sad.
But in his heart, he quietly made a decision. He would find a way to get both his parents to accept Grace Li.