by Vivien Chien
I nodded. “Yes, yes I do.”
“Well, you’re wrong again, Lana Lee.
“What I was going to say is—” He squeezed my hand, bent forward, and kissed my head. “—What I was going to say is…”
“Yeah?” My heart started to pound.
“I love you,” he whispered. “And don’t do that to me again or I’ll kill you myself.”
I felt tears forming in my eyes and tried to sniff them away. “I love you, too, Adam.”
He smiled and leaned in to kiss me.
We heard a loud cough in the background and I jumped.
We turned to see who it was and found my dad standing on the threshold with a goofy grin on his face. “There will be none of that mushy nonsense on my watch, folks.” My dad laughed as he stepped into the room.
“I told him not to ruin your moment,” Megan said from behind him.
My mom, sister, and grandmother followed behind, and everyone entered the room. The commotion quickly took over as my mom and grandmother doted on me and I began to feel claustrophobic. After about five minutes, my dad ushered everyone out of the room except for Adam. He patted his shoulder with approval before he left.
Alone again, I asked Adam, “How did you guys find us?”
“When I realized you weren’t back yet, I contacted Lydia, and she did some digging around. The first place we checked was Yvette’s house … when we saw that it was empty, Lydia remembered that you were still stuck on Bryce as a suspect. I knew right away that you’d go check him out. We got his address, found your car, and told the cops our story. Then we all came back around. I was already on my way to you when you called. How did you manage that anyway?”
“Long story,” I said.
“Well, either way, I’m just glad to have you back. But I think from now on, I’m going to have a tracker attached to you permanently.”
“For once, Adam, I agree with you. One hundred and ten percent.”
EPILOGUE
A few days later, the recent happenings began to feel as if they’d been part of an action film rather than real life. Because of all that had gone on, my mother had insisted I take a few days off to recuperate. I didn’t argue with her and spent a lot of time on my couch with Kikko in the crook of my knee. My mother and father took shifts handling the coverage at the restaurant … even Vanessa offered to help out.
Yvette Howard and Bryce Blackwell were safely behind bars, and so far neither one of them had spilled Donna’s secret. They hadn’t even mentioned that the whole thing had begun with blackmailing Brenda Choi. If Brenda Choi came forward for some reason, it could open a whole new can of worms. But I was guessing she didn’t want her name to be associated with any of this. So for the time being, all was safe, but I had a feeling that Donna’s secret would always be hanging over her head.
The past can be a tricky beast, and oftentimes we allow it to rear its ugly head too frequently in our present lives. For Donna, she was kinda stuck with it. The burden was passed down to her through her mother’s actions, and truly she would always need to keep one eye positioned over her shoulder.
I, thankfully, didn’t have to let that happen to me. Though the door had been closed on Warren and me a long time ago, there was a drafty window still open, letting in whispers of things that we’d left unsaid.
In my head, I knew that none of it mattered. It was over and I was happy now. I had moved on and was in a great relationship with a wonderful boyfriend who loved me. There was nothing left for me from my past.
But my heart still felt slighted. I needed to move past that feeling and obtain the closure I felt was missing. And that’s why I was currently sitting at a patio table at Fathead’s Brewery across from my ex-boyfriend. I’d been listening to him ramble on for ten minutes straight and could feel my blood begin to boil.
“… and she and I had just been together for so long, I didn’t know how to tell her that I’d found you, so I planned to break things off with her, but then the holidays came and, well, you know, that’s not the best time to end things with someone. She was fragile at the time and—”
“She was fragile at the time?” I said, my voice raising with each word. “She was fragile?”
“Well, yeah,” he replied sheepishly.
“What about my feelings?” I asked.
The couple seated to our right popped their heads up from their menus at the sound of my raised voice. Normally I’d care about that sort of thing. But today, I didn’t.
“Your feelings counted, too, but I knew you could handle it better. You’re much stronger than she is, Lana. It just wasn’t our time … I had to be with her longer to realize that I wanted you. Now … now we can be together.”
“Ha!” I yelled.
More people from around the patio turned to stare.
“Now we can be together?” I screeched.
A server came over. “Ma’am, is there a problem?”
“No, no problem,” I said sarcastically. “Just the fact that he’s a pompous ass!”
“Lana,” Warren said, smiling apologetically at the server. “Let’s go to the parking lot, okay?”
I stomped into the brewery and then all the way through it until I reached the back steps leading out into the parking lot. Warren had kept up with me and was standing directly behind me.
I whipped around and jabbed a finger into his chest. “Originally I planned to do this the mature way, but I’ve since changed my mind. You’re a jerk. A good-for-nothing, lying, cheating jerk.”
“Lana…”
“Shut up, I’m not done yelling at you yet,” I snapped. “You are the most thoughtless, moronic piece of garbage I have ever laid eyes on in my life and you wanna know what? I don’t want to be with you. I had no intention of ever getting back together with you. I didn’t consider it for even one minute. You’d have to be an even bigger idiot than I thought if you considered for a millisecond that I would take you back.”
“Then I don’t understand. Why did you come here today?” he asked, confusion spreading over his face.
“To tell you this,” I said, inhaling a deep breath. “You hurt me. Bad. Probably worse than anyone else in my life. But you know what? I found the upside of it all.
“I survived. I lived through it and found that I was stronger than I have ever thought I was. I’ve been through hell and back more times in recent months than I care to remember. But all it taught me is that you, Warren Matthews, were a blip on my radar. And now, now I say goodbye for the final time. Don’t ever try and find me again. Lose my phone number, forget I exist, and for the love of God, learn how to treat a damn woman right.”
He gawked at me, his mouth half open, unsure of what to say.
I smiled wide, flipped him off for good measure, and flounced off the steps in the direction of my car.
I drove with that same stupid grin on my face all the way to Price Investigations.
Meredith greeted me per usual and told me that Lydia was in her office. I gave a light knock before walking in.
“Well, if it isn’t Lana Lee.” Lydia beamed. “Come to bring me payment, I assume?”
“Yup,” I said, pulling Donna’s check out of my purse. “Sorry, I meant to be here earlier but I had some business to attend to.” I handed her the check.
“Not a problem. The bank’s still open.” She took the check from my hand and smiled even wider. “It’s been a pleasure, Lana,” she said, extending a hand.
I shook it. “Don’t be a stranger. Remember, I owe you a month’s worth of Chinese food.”
We said our goodbyes, and I walked out the door.
Eddie Price was coming in as I was walking out, and he stopped me before I could leave. “Lydia filled me in on your detective work, and I have to say, not too shabby for a rookie.”
“Thank you,” I replied.
“You know, if you ever consider taking this on professionally and getting licensed, I’d be willing to help you with all of that. I could add you to my staf
f. We could always use an extra set of hands around here.”
In the background, Meredith groaned.
For a split second, I entertained the idea and tried to imagine what my life would be like as a real PI. I could actually get paid for sticking my nose into other people’s business. I could right wrongs, solve mysteries, get closure for all those that needed it.
On the other hand, I thought about the paperwork, the long hours, stakeouts where peeing at your leisure may not be an option. The danger of snooping on the wrong person …
With a heavy sigh, I replied, “I think I’ll stick to managing my parents’ restaurant for the time being.”
“Fair enough.” He extended his hand.
I took it into my own, giving him a firm shake. A sly smile spread over my lips and I added, “But you never know what the future might bring.”
Read on for an excerpt from
Killer Kung Pao
The next Number One Noodle Shop Mystery by Vivien Chien
Available soon from St. Martin’s Paperbacks!
“Lana Lee, you’re the only person in this world that I know who actually “wants to dye their hair gray on purpose,” my sister, Anna May said, scrutinizing the hair photo I had been carrying around in my purse. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“First of all, it’s not just any gray,” I replied, grabbing the photo out of her hand. “It’s gunmetal gray. And second, of course, it’s a good idea. It’s gonna be my best hair yet.” I ran a hand through my pink peek-a-boo highlighted hair. The color was beginning to fade, and I was tired of keeping up with one of the weakest colors in the rainbow.
“I don’t know why you can’t just leave your hair alone. You’ve been on this bizarre hair-dying kick for a while now. Don’t you want to give it a rest before you damage your follicles any further?” Anna May, who was slightly older and much more reserved than me, tucked a lock of smooth, glossy black hair behind her ear, exposing a dainty pearl-drop earring. Her typical hair length was always just a little past her shoulders, except on the rare occasions when she broke out a curling iron.
Everything about her was classic. Her makeup was forever neutral and almost appeared nonexistent. Her nails were either cherry red or French manicured—never anything besides the traditional white tip. And her style of dress often reminded me of things you might find in Jackie O’s closet. But it worked for her, and begrudgingly I would agree that my sister was a beautiful woman.
However, I was the total opposite and refused to look anything like her. As previously mentioned, my hair is dyed random colors, lately more on the unnatural side. My nails are whatever color I feel fits my mood or the season, and my makeup … well, I own every color of eyeshadow that exists in the rainbow. As they say, variety is the spice of life.
I waved her concern away with the folded-up photo before stuffing it back into my purse. I wasn’t going to let her sensibilities rain on my parade. After all, it was my favorite time of day. Five P.M. on a Friday, and I was getting ready to leave work. My job? I’m the manager of my family’s Chinese restaurant, Ho-Lee Noodle House.
Was it my lifelong dream to end up working for my parents and to leave work smelling like sweet-and-sour sauce on a daily basis? No. But it was actually working out pretty well despite my original protests. Turns out that I like to be in charge of things. Even better, I’m good at it.
Anyways, like I said, it was the end of the work week, and after a long five days of managing the daily functions of the noodle shop and dealing with the public, I was thrilled for the weekend to begin. The next morning, I would be pampering myself at Asia Village’s salon, Asian Accents, and my stylist, Jasmine Ming, was equally excited to be dying my hair this stunning shade of gray.
You might be asking yourself, what’s Asia Village? Well, it’s an Asian shopping center located in the quaint suburb of Fairview Park, which—to give you some reference if you’re not familiar—is about twenty-five minutes away from downtown Cleveland. If it’s me driving though, I can make it in about seventeen. But don’t tell my boyfriend, he’s a cop.
The enclosed plaza has everything you could think of under one sky-lit roof. In one fell swoop, you can get your hair done, buy some books by your favorite authors, grocery shop, have dinner, update your cosmetic collection, enjoy a doughnut or three, and even sing some karaoke, if it tickled your fancy. I haven’t even mentioned the fact that you can also stock up on tea cakes, or find the perfect supplements and herbs to complement your new healthy lifestyle. After all, you might need something to counter all the doughy goodness you purchased from Shanghai Donuts.
Our family’s noodle shop has been at the plaza since before I was born, and I’d spent more time within these four walls than I’d care to admit.
Anna May had, in recent months, taken an internship at a prominent law firm in Cleveland, Andrews, Filbert, Childs and Associates, so her ability to help out at the restaurant had become extremely limited. But since our evening helper and resident teenage thorn in my side, Vanessa Wen, was currently out with the stomach flu, Anna May agreed to give up her Friday evening to help out. There’s nothing worse than a twelve-hour workday in my book.
“Seriously, Lana, how long are you going to maintain this lifestyle? You’re twenty-eight years old now, and before you know it, you’re going to be thirty and you don’t take care of yourself at all. Things don’t get easier as you age, trust me. You eat horribly, you don’t work out, and you’re not even trying to look like an adult.”
I swear that I tried to withhold my eye roll, but sometimes it just happens without me realizing it. This is what my sister is best at. Lecturing me. Even though she is a measly three years older than me, she acts like she’s about ten. And she has all this “worldly” wisdom to pass down to her incapable younger sister. Lucky me. “I don’t see what my hair has to do with any of this.”
“It’s a gateway, Lana. You’re not taking life seriously, and it’s showing in your hair.”
I gaped. “That is the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard in my life.”
“You refuse to grow up.” She folded her arms over her chest and lifted her chin. “I think this new rebellion says it all.”
“New rebellion?” I snorted. “Me dying my hair is not a rebellion. And I think I’m doing pretty well, considering. I mean, after all, I am running this restaurant. And doing a bang-up job, I might add.”
“Henry says—”
I held up a hand. “Henry says…? So, is your new love interest the reason why you’re giving me this lecture? Unbelievable!”
Anna May had recently started “casually dating” one of the partners at her fancy law firm, which I was pretty sure wasn’t the best idea, but did that stop her? Of course not. My sister often found justification in her own actions because she considered herself to be the most level-headed person on the planet.
She held her head even higher. “Henry says that personal presentation is everything. You are your own representative, Lana. Do you want people to view you as this immature young woman who constantly chooses to go against the grain of society?”
I started to dig into my purse for my car keys. She was just getting on top of her soap box, and I had plans to meet Adam for happy hour at the Zodiac, a local bar that my best friend and roommate, Megan Riley, bartended at. I didn’t want to give up any more of my personal time listening to this drivel.
Anna May had continued spouting at the mouth while I tuned her out. I heard something about how I would have never fit into the lifestyle I had previously hoped for myself. And maybe she was right. A year ago, I’d daydreamed of being a glamorous businesswoman with a corner office and enough high-powered suits to overflow a walk-in closet. But that fantasy had died the minute I walked out of my previous job. After all, you can only take your boss flinging papers in your face so many times before you have to say enough is enough.
“I’m going now,” I said, talking over her rant. “Adam is waiting for me at the Zodiac.”
“Oh, don’t even get me started on how you’re always wasting your time at that stupid bar.” Anna May uncrossed her arms and put her hands on her hips, mimicking our mother’s lecturing stance. “I hope you don’t have a drinking problem on top of everything else.”
I let out a deep groan and flung my purse over my shoulder. “Thanks for helping out tonight,” I said, unwilling to dignify her statement with a justification. “I’ll talk to you later. Call me if there’s an emergency.”
I started to walk out of the restaurant, dropping my usual shuffling steps and taking long strides that I normally reserved for high heels. I’d manage to keep my cool and not engage in a screaming match with my sister, as I’d been well known to do. And she said I wasn’t mature. Ha!
But my swagger was quickly ruined because just as I was about to exit the restaurant, Ian Sung, property manager of Asia Village, was walking in, and blocked my exit. Damn. So close to freedom.
“Lana.” Ian, who was impeccably dressed in a navy blue Italian suit and polished light brown dress shoes, gave me a once over. “Are you on your way out for the day? There’s something I wanted to discuss with you.”
“Can we walk and talk?” I asked him. “I’m running late for an appointment.”
Anna May snorted behind me.
Ian’s eyes shifted to my sister and he regarded her with a stiff smile.
He didn’t seem to like Anna May very much, but I had no idea why. I wish I could say the same for myself, but unfortunately Ian held a torch for a relationship between us that was never going to happen. It wasn’t that Ian’s a bad guy or anything, but there was something about him that I couldn’t quite put my finger on that rubbed me the wrong way. Despite my mother’s extreme interest in making him my boyfriend, I couldn’t view him in that light.
Ian nodded in agreement and held out his hand, signaling for me to lead the way.
I turned to glare at my sister one final time before leaving.
Once we were outside the restaurant, Ian cleared his throat, loosening the tie at his neck. “So, I was hoping to discuss the end-of-summer sidewalk sale with you. Of course, it will be a longer discussion than what we can have on the way to the plaza exit, so maybe we could get together on Monday morning to have a real conversation. Perhaps we could grab some coffee and breakfast at Shanghai Donuts?”