“You made him my spicy garlic bulgogi?” Gyeong grinned and squeezed her daughter’s arm. “No wonder he is so happy to be married to you. I don’t make it anymore because it gives me the heartburn, but that is my best, best recipe. You know I invented it. You couldn’t get bulgogi recipes off the internet back when I first had Byron and Dawn. And the Asian market was very far from where we lived in New Jersey. I had to shave my own meat and put together recipes for the Korean foods I loved as best I could, using ingredients from the white people’s store. But my spicy garlic bulgogi was always Dawn’s favorite. I used to try to make it at least once a week because she loved it so much.”

Dawn turned her wide-eyed stare on her mother. “Really? That’s why you made bulgogi so often? For me?”

Her mother shook her head at her. “Why do you think that was the only dish I would make every week? And I always let you have as much as you want, even after you started to gain so much weight. Of course, I made it for you!”

“I didn’t…” Dawn blinked rapidly. “I never stopped to consider that you were cooking it for me. I mean, you were always so weird about me eating too much. I never thought you’d actually make something I liked, just because I liked it.”

Her mother shrugged. “Well, that’s why I made it. And your father was right. Men over here don’t mind that you are a pork chop. Look at your very handsome and attentive husband, coming all the way down here to see about your silly old mother.”

Dawn cast Victor a troubled glance. “Yeah, look at him…”

She clearly didn’t feel as much ease with lying to her mother as she did with lying to Victor all those years ago. A new thought occurred to him. Perhaps, that was the real reason she hadn’t been in contact with her friends and family. She didn’t want to lie to them.

Victor wasn’t sure how to feel about that possibility as he poured himself another glass of water from the pitcher Dawn had brought to the table.

D-Liar. That was what he’d renamed her for so many years.

But now, for the first time, something inside of him was starting to wonder if that was entirely true.

Don’t, the voice of reason warned. Don’t go down that road. Trusting her. Falling for her. That will only lead to ruin.

The voice was right, as always. He pushed that thought from his head and drank his water.

* * *

Dawn’s mother went to take a nap after lunch. And Victor thought about checking into the hotel. It was a bit early, but they would most likely accommodate him.