When Grace Li received a call from Rex Thompson, her first reaction was surprise, and her second was wondering if he had discovered that she and Aiden Thompson had been meeting secretly.
She nervously greeted him, "Mr. Thompson, hey."
On the other end, Rex Thompson's voice was polite as he said, "Ms. Li, sorry to bug you so early. Is this a good time to talk?"
"Sure, go ahead," Grace replied, mentally preparing herself for the possibility of him bringing up her secret meetings with Aiden.
Rex said, "This weekend, my wife and I are planning a short trip to New York, but we're not sure which places are worth visiting. Since you're in New York, we were hoping you could show us around. Are you free this weekend?"
Grace was confused after hearing that. They were coming for a trip and wanted her to be their tour guide? This didn't seem like an ordinary request.
She had no idea what Rex's real game was. Was this just a vacation, or was he trying to get her to back off from Aiden?
But no matter the reason, Rex and Vera were Aiden's parents, and if she was serious about being with Aiden, she couldn't exactly refuse them. She decided to go along with it—after all, they were business partners of sorts.
Grace smiled and replied, "Mr. Thompson, I'm free this weekend. Do you have any places in mind, or should I just figure it out?"
Rex replied, "Nothing specific, just whatever you think is best."
"Got it," she responded.
Before hanging up, Rex made sure to add, "By the way, don't mention this to Aiden. This is a secret trip between his mother and me."
"Understood."
"Alright then, we'll be in touch."
"Okay."
After the call ended, Grace was still left wondering what Rex's real intentions were. Was something going on between Aiden and his parents? Should she follow Rex's instructions and keep it from Aiden, or tell him?
After thinking for a while, Grace remembered someone. Although Rex had told her not to tell Aiden, he hadn't said anything about talking to Vera.
The last time they met, they had a great conversation, and they had even added each other on Facebook Messenger. Vera had also sent Grace some work photos of Aiden.
Grace decided to text Vera: "Hey, Ms. Thompson, did you know your parents are coming to New York this weekend?"
Vera texted back: "Really? They didn't say anything to me."
Grace: "They just called me, said they're coming for a trip and want me to be their tour guide."
Vera: "Hahahahahaha!"
Seeing the endless "haha" messages, Grace couldn't help but laugh and responded: "Isn't that kind of weird?"
Vera: "Nah, not really. Just show them around, I guess."
Grace: "Do I need to prep anything for them? Or is there anything I should watch out for?"
Vera: "Nah, just treat them like you normally would."
Grace: "Got it."
Vera: "But my dad has heart disease, so we need to be careful. He could have a flare-up, so it's best to avoid anything too stressful. Also, his diet should be strictly controlled."
Grace: "Understood."
Vera: "Oh, and don't tell Aiden about this, at least not yet."
Grace: "Okay."
Both Rex and Vera had stressed not telling Aiden, which made Grace even more curious.
But even if Rex was trying to break them up, she wasn't too worried. Actually, her main concern was Rex's health. She just hoped his heart condition wouldn't act up.
It was Tuesday, and with just a few days until Saturday, Grace Li decided to brush up on her knowledge of heart disease care and emergency procedures.
Hengyue Medical had developed a health wristband that could monitor heart rate and vital signs. Tom Wilson had brought in two cardiology professors as consultants, one of whom Grace had met before. The professor was really easy to talk to and super approachable.
If she could get Rex Thompson to wear this wristband, she'd be able to keep an eye on his heart health at all times.
Thinking about it, she grabbed her phone to call Tom Wilson, but then she remembered the awkward moment from a few days ago when Tom had confessed his feelings for her. They were still in that uncomfortable phase.
But they couldn't stay like this forever.
Grace knew Tom well. He might feel hurt, but he'd never let that mess with their friendship.
After thinking it over for a moment, Grace called Tom, and he picked up right away.
Grace spoke first, "Tom, are you at the office?"
Tom's voice sounded casual and easy-going, "Yeah, what's up?"
"Well, I'm going to be hosting an elderly guest soon, and I'd like to give him a health wristband as a gift. Would you be able to give me a sample?"
"Of course, no problem."
"Thanks!"
"Don't mention it."
"So, when can I pick it up?"
"Come by later today. If you're giving it to an elder, I'll have someone find you a nice box for it."
"Great, thanks."
After hanging up, Grace felt relieved. Tom was still the same old Tom, and that was a huge relief.
When she picked up the wristband later, she was impressed. Tom made sure they put it in a fancy box with a little cushion to make it look like an expensive watch—perfect for a gift.
After work, she didn't stay late at the office. Instead, she met up with the cardiologist to ask about heart disease care and what she should be keeping in mind.
Later that evening, she had a casual phone call with Aiden Thompson. They chatted a little, and Grace found herself wanting to tell him about the call she got from Rex Thompson, but she kept stopping herself.
Since she could handle whatever came her way, she figured it was better not to tell Aiden just yet.
Afterward, she started working on her itinerary for the weekend. For an elderly couple, especially one with heart issues, what kind of places would be best to visit? It had to be somewhere with beautiful natural scenery or a rich cultural history.
The cherry blossoms in Central Park were in full bloom, so Grace made a note of that.
She also thought the Brooklyn Museum might be a hit with them. It was a popular spot, and she figured they'd enjoy it, so she wrote that down too.
By Saturday, she had several plans ready for them. She knew Rex Thompson was picky, so if he wasn't happy with the first one, she'd have a backup—and even a third option if needed.
If none of them worked out, well, they could figure it out on their own.
Rex and his wife didn't arrive in New York until 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. They showed up at the restaurant Grace had reserved for them—a high-end Michelin one-star place that served Italian food.
Italian food is usually lighter, making it a good choice for someone with heart issues.
Grace Li arrived early at the private dining room. When Rex and Mabel Thompson walked in, she greeted them with a calm and confident vibe, like she was hosting business guests.
She smiled and said, "Mr. Thompson, Mrs. Thompson, hello."
This was Mabel Thompson's first time meeting Grace Li, and she couldn't help but size her up. Grace Li looked even better than Mabel had expected. In her early thirties, she looked great—attractive, with a warm, approachable vibe, and a calm, friendly way of speaking.
Rex Thompson barely looked up and said, "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It's fine, I just got here too," Grace Li replied, making a gesture for them to sit. "Mr. Thompson, Mrs. Thompson, please have a seat."
The room had a square table that could seat six. Rex and Mabel sat on the left side, and Grace Li took the seat across from them.
Mabel looked at Grace Li and said, "We're just here to have some fun. Since we asked you to be our tour guide, feel free to keep it casual. No need to be too formal."
"Got it." Grace Li handed them the menu. "Mr. Thompson, Mrs. Thompson, take a look and let me know what you'd like."
Rex Thompson barely looked up and said, "You order. Whatever you pick, we'll go with."
"Any dietary restrictions?" Grace Li asked.
Rex replied, "My wife and I don't have any restrictions."
The waiter chimed in, "Our risotto is a signature dish. You should definitely try it."
Grace Li turned to the waiter. "Could you suggest some low-fat, low-sodium options? Those might be a better fit."
"Sure. How about our pan-seared cod? The ingredients are super fresh."
Cod is packed with nutrients and low in fat, which makes it great for people with heart issues.
Grace Li nodded. "Let's go for the pan-seared cod."
"And the tomato chicken meatballs are also a low-fat option."
Chicken is relatively low-fat, so that should be good for Mabel.
"Perfect, let's add that." Grace Li then asked, "Any soups you'd recommend?"
The waiter responded, "We have pumpkin soup, creamy spinach soup, and Italian vegetable soup today."
"I'll take the Italian vegetable soup, but could you make it a bit lighter, please?"
"Of course."
Grace Li continued, "Let's also have an asparagus shrimp salad and some Italian roasted vegetables. Let's start with those. And remember, keep the soups low oil, low salt."
"Got it."
After placing the order, Mabel looked at Grace Li and asked, "I can tell you're pretty picky about your choices. You must have done your homework."
Grace Li replied, "I did do a bit of research, but I'm not sure if these dishes will be to your taste."
Rex Thompson said, "I'm not picky. I'll eat anything."
Grace Li didn't believe he was truly that flexible. He probably just hadn't encountered anything he didn't like before.
Rex Thompson asked, "Have you decided where you'll take us this afternoon?"
Grace Li said, "The cherry blossoms in Central Park are in full bloom, but it'll be crowded over the weekend."
Rex Thompson responded, "It's crowded everywhere on weekends. Since you've planned it, let's go there."
"Sounds good."
The first dish to arrive was the Italian vegetable soup—one serving for each person. The soup looked light and fresh.
Next, the asparagus shrimp salad and tomato chicken meatballs came out. Grace Li took a moment to watch and noticed that both Rex and Mabel seemed happy with the food—they at least picked up their forks.