by Camy Tang
“No prob. I’m glad you found something.”
So was she. Strange how she had suddenly found the perfect apartment at the perfect price. She knew now God wasn’t her personal genie, but she had thanked Him and jumped on the place nonetheless.
“Did your parents get back from their vacation yet?”
“No.” Trish had almost had a heart attack herself. The fact they’d decided to go on a cruise had been enough to shock her — although it had also made a calming warmth settle in her chest to see them vacation together for the first time in years, to see them so happy in each other’s company. Then they’d called her last week to say they were extending their time in the Bahamas another two weeks.
“Kevin has a new girlfriend.”
“Wha-ha?”
“I saw them together at lunch. The tiniest Asian girl I’ve ever seen.”
How nice for him to rub in that she herself was getting larger. “Happy . . . for him.”
“Really?” He actually seemed concerned.
“Why . . . not?”
“You’ve seemed kind of down the past month. Not happy.”
He would be too, with his body gaining weight like a fiend, his hormones all out of whack, and his dating life down the toilet.
Oh, and Grandma was still not talking to her, although the sting of that had started to ease. Lex and Venus kept reminding her that being on Grandma’s Ignore List was a good thing. “Oh?”
“I know what’ll cheer you up.”
“Sushi?” Man, she missed it.
“No, no raw fish. Even I know that’s bad for pregnant women.” Spenser cleared his throat. “How about dinner with me?”
Trish ground to a halt, but her lungs heaved so much she couldn’t speak at first. She pierced him with a glare like a dagger. “You big . . .dork!”
He looked like he’d suddenly landed on the Planet of the Apes.
“What’s wrong?”
“All . . . month . . . nothing!” Not even a hint of interest. She’d finally gotten used to the idea that he’d never be interested. She didn’t want to get her hopes up again.
His eyes softened, and she had that feeling again that his gaze wrapped around her like a blanket. “I know. I was waiting.”
“For what?” As soon as she got her breath back, she was going to sock him one.
“I had to know how I felt about you.”
She stared at the grass. Her breath roared in her ears. Did this really mean what she thought it meant? “And?”
“I needed to know I liked you apart from the mess with Kazuo. I needed to know I’d be okay with the baby. I needed to know if this was serious, because I didn’t want you to be just another girlfriend.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
She hadn’t realized how close he stood until he clasped her upper arms, his thumbs working in gentle circles against her skin. Her breathing quickened. The musk of his cologne smelled stronger now in the sunlight. She saw the awareness in his eyes. The desire tensed the air between them and caused a delicious fluttering in her stomach.
This was Spenser. Hunky, annoying, growling, glowering, glaring, teasing Spenser. Touching her and making her insides feel molten and trembly.
His eyes burned with something she’d never seen in them before. “I’ve prayed about it, and I’m ready to start dating seriously.”
His face bent lower, and she closed her eyes as his breath caressed her cheek, feathering her ear. “I’d like to date you seriously, Trish.”
She felt his lips, warm and smooth, against her mouth. He pulled on her lower lip, floated a kiss at the corner, and then pressed his kiss full upon her, firm and purposeful. She kept her eyes closed, feeling his mouth follow along her jaw, before planting a soft kiss below her ear.
“Are you free tonight?” His whisper tickled her earlobe.
Her heart pounded as if she’d sprinted a mile. His hands pressed on her arms, his fingers circled in a mesmerizing motion against her skin. His mouth wooed her with soft kisses on her neck. She was intensely aware of his body as he leaned close to her, his accelerated breathing, the pulsing of his heartbeat.
This was Spenser, her friend. Who had mopped up her tears with his handkerchiefs, who knew about her past (very bad) love life, her erratic moods, her annoying quirks. Oh, and her unborn child. Who stood seducing her as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world.
And all she could do was croak, “Gaaa . . .”
He lifted his head and blinked at her. “Um . . . I guess I’ll take that as a yes.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to:
Wendy Lawton, my awesome agent, for your terrific advice and encouraging words.
Sue Brower, Karwyn Bursma, Karen Campbell, and the rest of the team at Zondervan for doing so much for this series.
Rachelle Gardner, my fabulous macro editor. Becky Shingle-decker, my stupendous developmental editor.
Aunty Gail and Mom for their info on the K-dramas.
My terrific critique team who got this puppy done in only a few days: Robin Caroll, Sharon Hinck, Pamela James, Ronie Kendig, Dineen Miller, Trisha Ontiveros, Heather Tipton, Cheryl Wyatt.
Kenta Akaogi (with help from Rena) for translating Kazuo’s painting title. David Kawaye for translating Marnie and her mother, even though he probably doesn’t remember doing it for me years ago.
Captain Caffeine, for the kick in the pants when I needed it, for washing dishes for me, and for not watching 24until I had the time to watch it with you.
GLOSSARY OF ASIAN WORDS (CAMY STYLE)
Baka — (bah-kah) (Japanese) (1) Stupid. (2) The nickname of your siblings/cousins/anyone particularly annoying whom you can’t run away from.
Char siu — (cha-sue) (Chinese) marinated and grilled pork. This is some of the yummiest stuff on the planet. It’s also this alarming radioactive red-pink color.
Chicken hekka — (heck-uh) a country-style Japanese dish that my grandma makes often when there are several family members gathered for dinner. It’s technically a stir-fry, but there’s so much stuff in it that it’s almost like a soupy stew.
Chicken katsu — (caught-sue) (Japanese) chicken breaded and deep fried, cut into fingers and served over rice with salty sweet tonkatsu sauce. See tonkatsu.
Hanaokolele — (ha-nah-oh-koh-lay-lay) Hawaiian for Nani-nani-boo- boo. Many modern Hawaiian terms have seeped into California Japanese American colloquialisms, and vice versa.
Inarizushi — (ee-nah-ree-zoo-shee) Also called cone sushi, this type of sushi is flavored rice packed into fried tofu pouches. The pouches are light brown color and look a bit like footballs when they’re stuffed. This is a really good appetizer.
Kagami mochi — (kah-gah-mee moh-chee) decoration (Japanese) This is a New Year’s decoration that people set out in various places in their homes just before New Year’s Day. It consists of two pieces of round mochi (they look like white hockey pucks) with a tangerine balanced on top. This is placed on a paper sheet (shihobeni) supposed to ward off fires. There are other things that some Japanese add to their kagami mochi, but these elements are the basic ones that I’m used to.
Katana — (kah-tah-nah) Japanese sword. I actually learned a little bit about sword strokes when I took martial arts, except I used a wooden sword, called a bokken (beau-ken). A real katana is way heavy and super dangerous. It’s meant to kill with a single stroke.
Kendo stick — (ken-dough) Kendo is Japanese fencing, but instead of a solid sword, opponents typically use a shinai (shee-nigh), which is a set of four long thin pieces of wood bound off at the bottom with leather. The shinai is not really a sword, nor is it technically a “stick,” but for lack of a good English word, I think that’s closest to what it is.
Konbu – (cone-boo) edible kelp. It’s the dark colored seaweed shreds or sheets in miso soup that you get at Japanese restaurants. It’s quite healthy for you. Since I’ve grown up with it, I think it tastes normal, but many people who eat it for the first time say it has a dist
inctive flavor. I usually tell them, “Then give me yours.” (Japanese)
Kubi ga nai Chikin – (coup bee guh-nigh chicken) literally, Headless Chicken. (Japanese)
Kuromame – (coup-row-mah-may) This is a cold red (azuki) bean and chestnut salad (sometimes it’s made with soybeans, but we always had it with red beans). It’s slightly sweet. Mom always says it’s good luck to eat it on New Year’s Day, but I’ve never been a fan of chestnuts. (Japanese)
Musubi – (moo-sue-bee) rice balls. Possibly some of the yummiest things to eat in a Japanese-style brown bag lunch. Traditionally, it’s just plain rice balls with nori seaweed wrapped around it, but the ladies at my church make it with a little salmon inside, or sometimes salty fish. Oh my gosh, their musubi is to die for. Hawaiian style is with a slab of fried Spam, which I think tastes great, but then again, I’ve grown up with it. (Japanese)
Noh – (no) Japanese musical drama. Noh masks are often collector’s items. The most familiar noh mask is the plain white mask, but there are also red demon masks that would fit in with Freddie Kruger’s wardrobe.
Obon – (oh-bone) Buddhist festival of the dead. Our local Buddhist temple (hongwanji) would throw their Obon Dance every year. It’s a fun festival, typically running from afternoon until evening. Obon dances are easy, repetitive steps and hand motions that people do while circling a short tower (called a yagura) with the musicians in a box on top. (Not all Obons have a yagura, but the dances in my home town always had a yagura.) The food is the best part of the Obon. Man, those Japanese people can cook. When I went to Obon dances on Hawaii’s North Shore, people would buy floating paper lanterns with candles inside. They’d light them and set them adrift on the beach, where the tide took them out in a twinkling line. The lanterns are supposed to guide the spirits of people’s ancestors. (Japanese)
Sashimi – (saw-shee-mee) raw sliced fish. It’s not as yucky as it sounds. When the fish is fresh, it’s refreshing and tasty. I guess since I’ve grown up with it, it’s nothing unusual to me. We always have sashimi as appetizers at family gatherings. (Japanese)
Shihobeni – (shee-hoe-ben-knee) see kagami mochi (Japanese)
Taiko – (tie-koh) Japanese drums. Taiko drum ensemble performances are way cool to watch. It’s a little bit of showmanship, not just the drumming. I enjoy the rhythms and cadences — it feels very Japanese, to me.
Tonkatsu – (tone-cut-sue) breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet, cut into fingers and served over rice with tonkatsu sauce drizzled over it.
Tonkatsu sauce is thick, dark colored, salty and sweet. I’ve heard it described as Japanese Worcestershire sauce, but it doesn’t taste much like regular Worcestershire sauce. I personally like katsu without the sauce, but I have relatives who pile it on. (Japanese)
Ume – (oo-may) Japanese pickled plum. The ume I had growing up was small, bright pink, and hecka sour. My mom likes dropping one in the green tea she drinks after dinner. Sometimes Grandma would make musubi rice balls with an ume in the middle of it, but I personally thought it ruined the rice ball. However, most of my relatives love ume. There’s even ume-flavored candy (significantly sweeter than actual ume) and ume tea.
Wasabi – (wah-sah-bee) Japanese horseradish. It’s a lot like those yellow Chinese mustards at Chinese restaurants, but without the pungent flavor. Wasabi has a very clean taste — it’s mostly just extremely hot. It’s meant to give a spicy kick to sashimi and sushi. You’re only supposed to use a small amount (like the size of a grain of rice) because it’s so hot, but my dad piles on so much when he eats sushi that he needs a big ole honkin’ marble-size glob.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Camy Tang is a loud Asian chick who writes loud Asian chick-lit. She grew up in Hawaii but now lives in San Jose, California, with her engineer husband and rambunctious poi-dog. In a previous life, she was a biologist researcher, but these days she is surgically attached to her computer, writing full-time. In her spare time, she is a staff worker for her church youth group, and she leads one of the worship teams for Sunday ser vice.
On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every Monday and Thursday, and she ponders frivolous things, like dumb dogs (namely hers), coffee-geek husbands (no resemblance to her own . . .), the writing journey, Asiana, and anything else that comes to mind. Visit her website at www.camytang.com.
Sushi for One?
Camy Tang
“Sushi for One? is an entertaining romp into the world of multi-culturalism. I loved learning the idiosyncrasies of Lex’s crazy family—which were completely universal. Enjoy!”
—Kristen Billerbeck, author of What a Girl Wants
“In Lex Sakai, Camy Tang gives us a funny, plucky, volleyball-playing heroine with way too many balls in the air. I defy anyone to start reading and not root for Lex all the way to the story’s romantic, super-satisfying end.”
—Trish Perry, author of The Guy I’m Not Dating
Lex Sakai’s family is big, nosy, and marriage-minded. When her cousin Mariko gets married, Lex will become the oldest single female cousin in the clan.
Lex has used her Bible study class on Ephesians to compile a huge list of traits for the perfect man. But the one man she keeps running into doesn’t seem to have a single quality on her list. It’s only when the always-in-control Lex starts to let God take over that all the pieces of this hilarious romance finally fall into place.
Softcover: 978-0-310-27398-1
Pick up a copy today at your favorite bookstore!
Read the first chapter of Single Sashimi, the third book in Camy Tang’s Sushi Series!
Venus Chau opened the door to her aunt’s house and almost fainted.
“What died?” She exhaled sharply, trying to get the foul air out of her body before it caused cancer or something.
Her cousin Jennifer entered the foyer with the look of an oni goblin about to eat someone. “She’s stinking up my kitchen.”
“Who?” Venus hesitated on the threshold, breathing clean night air before she had to close the door.
“My mother, who else?”
The ire in Jenn’s voice made Venus busy herself with kicking off her heels amongst the other shoes in the entryway. Hoo-boy, she’d never seen quiet Jenn this irate before. Then again, since Aunty Yuki had given her daughter rule over their kitchen when she’d started cooking in high school, Jenn rarely had to make way for another cook.
“What is she cooking? Beef intestines?”
Jenn flung her arms out. “Who knows? Something Trish is supposed to eat.”
“But we don’t have to eat it, right? Right?”
“I’d never become pregnant if I had to eat stuff like that.” Jenn whirled and stomped toward the kitchen.
Venus turned right into the living room where her very pregnant cousin Trish lounged on the sofa next to her boyfriend, Spenser. “Hey, guys.” Her gazed paused on their twined hands. It continued to amaze her that Spenser would date a woman pregnant with another man’s child. Maybe Venus shouldn’t be so cynical about the men she met. Here was at least one good guy.
“Venus!” The childish voice rang down the short hallway. She stepped back into the foyer to see Spenser’s son, Matthew, trotting down the carpet with hands reached out to her. He grabbed her at the knees, wrinkling her silk pants, but she didn’t mind. His shining face looking up at her — way up, since she was the tallest of the cousins — made her feel like she was the only reason he lived and breathed. “Psycho Bunny?” he pleaded.
She pretended to think about it. His hands shook her pants legs as if it would make her decide faster.
“Okay.”
He darted into the living room and plopped in front of the television, grabbing at the game controllers. The kid had it down pat — in less than a minute, the music for the Psycho Bunny video game plinked into the room.
Venus sank to the floor next to him.
“Jenn is totally freaking out.” Trish’s eyes had popped to the size of siu mai dumplings.
“What brought all this on
?” Venus picked up the other controller.
“Well, Aunty Yuki had a doctor’s appointment today — ”
“Is she doing okay?” Venus chose the Bunny Foo-Foo character for the game that was starting.
“Clean bill of health. Cancer’s gone, as far as they can tell.”
“So that’s why she’s taken over Jenn’s domain?”
Trish rubbed her back and winced. “She took one look at me and decided I needed something to help the baby along.”
Jenn huffed into the living room. “She’s going to make me ruin the roast chicken!”
Venus ignored her screeching tone. “Sit down. You’re not going to make her go any faster by hovering.” She and Matthew both jumped over the snake pit and landed in the hollow tree.
Jenn flung herself into an overstuffed chair and dumped her feet on the battered oak coffee table.
Venus turned to glance at the shoes piled by the door. No Nikes. Lex wasn’t here yet. “Where’s Lex?”
“Late. What’s new?” Jenn snapped.
“I thought Aiden was helping her get better about that.”
“He’s not a miracle worker.” Spenser said as he massaged Trish’s back.
“I have to leave early.” Venus stretched her silk stocking-clad feet, wriggling her toes. Her new stilettos looked great, but man they hurt her arches.
“Then you might not eat at all.” Jenn crossed her arms over her chest.
Venus speared her with a glance like a stainless steel kabob skewer. “Chill, okay Cujo?”
Jenn pouted and scrunched down further in the chair.
Venus ignored her and turned back to the game. Her inattention let Matthew pick up the treasure chest. “I have to work on a project.”
“For work?”
“No, for me.” Only Spiderweb, the achievement of her lifetime, a new tool that would propel her to the heights of video game development stardom. Which was why she’d kept it separate from her regular job-related things — she didn’t even use her company computer when she worked on it, only her personal laptop.