by Jennifer Yen
“Ta-da! Problem solved. Now tell me what I need to do.”
The buns take twice as long as they should to make, mostly because I keep gawking at my boyfriend. He certainly doesn’t help, spending a great deal of time flexing his muscles as he kneads the dough. By the time we’re done, I’m wound tighter than the elastic band holding my hair back. The devilish glint in his brown eyes only infuriates me more.
Well, two can play at this game.
“Will you help me deliver these buns to the booth?” I ask casually. “Mom wanted to go make sure my book is displayed properly.”
“Of course.”
I wrap each bun carefully in cellophane and lay them in the largest paper box we have. I then tape the top and side flaps and send him on his way. The minute his car pulls out of the plaza, I jump into action. I grab the clothes I brought from home and change before putting the finishing touches on my face using the makeup bag Jeannie left for me. My hair is the last step, and once I’m finished, I take a look at my reflection.
While trees are changing color in other parts of the country, it still feels like summer in Houston. The skin at my waist peeks out from beneath my blush lace crop top, and I’ve paired it with a pleated black skirt and my favorite white sneakers. I’ve also left my hair down this time, with rose gold bobby pins glinting off my black locks. Another layer of lip gloss later, I’m done.
I dash back into the kitchen to wait for James to pick me up. While I’m there, my phone goes off. It’s a text from Jeannie.
Good luck tonight! I’m sorry I couldn’t be there.
I smile. When Jeannie went back to New York, she decided to quit modeling and finally declared a major—psychology. She said she was inspired by what I said to her about being such a good listener. Even though she was super nervous to tell our parents, they had nothing but encouraging things to say.
Thanks, sis. Miss you.
I snap a quick picture of my outfit and send it to her.
Very nice! she texts back. Jeannie approved.
BTW, tell Brandon I said hi.
Brandon’s her new boyfriend. They met right after she moved into the new condo Ben’s mom found her.
Will do. Gotta run. Talk later!
Another text pops up right before I lock my phone. This one’s from Sarah.
Get your butt over here! We’re starving, and Edward’s dying to try those buns!
The bell over the front door jingles as James enters the shop. I send Sarah a quick reply and tuck my phone into my back pocket. Then I grab a cloth and pretend to clean.
“I’m back, L—”
He makes a choked sound. I glance up innocently, secretly reveling at the look on his face.
“Oh, good! I’m ready to go.”
I brush past him, purposely trailing my fingers lightly up his arm as I make my way to the door. I’m barely through the curtain before he twirls me around and tugs me against him. I fight the urge to sink into him.
“We’ve gotta go, James. It’s my big night, remember? Everyone’s probably waiting.”
“Liza.”
I’m the one ignoring him this time, counting the steps to freedom.
“Liza.”
I keep moving, even though the air crackles like the top of a bo luo bun. I reach for the door and dash out. His footsteps are no match for the pounding of my heart, but he catches up with me nonetheless. James doesn’t let me escape this time, spinning me to face him as he backs me against the car. I giggle as he reaches up to twirl a lock of my hair around his finger.
“Are you punishing me for earlier?”
I bat my lashes as I play with one of the buttons on his shirt.
“Actually, I figured since you’d rather be dating your phone, I’d find myself a new boyfriend.”
“Liza.”
James whispers my name and presses closer, the aroma of mangos and butter flooding my nostrils. I resist the temptation to inhale deeply.
“Do you know why I was on my phone today?”
I jut out my chin. “Do you know my knee is at the perfect angle to inflict bodily injury?”
James laughs and backs away, hands up in surrender.
“Okay, okay, fine, but before you do that . . .”
He unlocks the driver’s side door and reaches down to retrieve a blue-and-white Tiffany box.
“I was on my phone because I was checking to make sure this was delivered to Ben’s house.”
“You’re buying gifts for Ben now?”
He makes an exasperated sound. “Just open it.”
I purposely drag things out for another minute before reaching into the felt pouch. I pull out a silver charm bracelet with a miniature cupcake charm and a small Tiffany’s heart tag dangling from its links.
“Turn it around.”
I gasp when I see our initials engraved on the back. He helps me put it on and then smiles sweetly at me.
“Happy sixth-month anniversary.”
As touched as I am, I eye him suspiciously. “We’ve only officially been dating for five months.”
“I know, but it’s six months since I met you in the parking lot at Salvis. I knew that day I wanted to be with you.”
“How did you know?”
“Because you didn’t hide your feelings from me, even if it meant telling me I was a jerk. Almost everyone I’ve known has always agreed with everything I said and did. They didn’t really care about me. They only cared about my family’s money and the connections we had.”
I stare deep into his eyes, marveling at the once-hidden depths within them. To think I was so determined to paint him a villain I nearly overlooked all the pieces that didn’t fit.
Now, that would have been a recipe for disaster.
I shrug. “Well, I can’t make any promises when it comes to my mom, but I’m not interested in those things.”
“So you wouldn’t dump me if all I could do was bake?”
I grab hold of his collar and yank his head down for a kiss.
“Just as long as you remember I like things hot.”
As James’s fingers graze the bare skin at my waist, he whispers his answer against my lips.
“Now, that I could never forget.”
Acknowledgments
This is it.
This is really happening.
Growing up, being published was a dream I held close to my heart, one I rarely ever spoke of. After all, there was no room in life for the uncertainty that came with writing. I was the oldest in my family—the one expected to set the example for my younger brother and become successful so the sacrifices my parents made would not be in vain. So I wrote stories in secret, something I shared only with the anonymous readers whose enthusiasm for them encouraged me to continue.
In the meantime, I studied hard and eventually fulfilled my father’s dream of becoming a doctor. He was smart and dedicated enough, but like me, he was the oldest. His mother and brothers needed him, so he gave it up to start working to support them. I will never forget the pride in his eyes the day I walked the stage to receive my medical diploma. The smile on his face was the widest I’d ever seen.
Still, something was missing. I felt restless.
Then one day, a story idea burrowed into the crevices of my mind. I tried ignoring the whispers of characters begging for their stories to be told, turning a blind eye to the images of faraway worlds inviting me to visit. In the end, I couldn’t resist. Soon, my fingers were flying across the keyboard, the words flowing as fast as I could put them down.
That was the beginning, and now here we are.
As many other authors have said before, the road to publishing is not an easy one. It can be lonely and isolating, but I’ve been fortunate enough to be surrounded by some of the most amazing people in the world.
First, to my parents: You’ve always wanted the best for me, even if sometimes we didn’t agree on what that was. You taught me persistence, determination, and patience, but most of all, the importance of challenging yourself. 媽媽, 爸爸, 我非常感謝你們.
To Martin, Stephen, and Shetal. Your love and friendship helped me weather the worst of storms. You were the first to read my stories, and I started this journey because of you. I can’t thank you enough.
A Taste for Love wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for my wonderful critique partners. Cass, Pri, Alisha, Tana, Sabina, and Francesca—you all left a little piece of yourself in ATFL, and it’s so much better for it.
The MSS—a group of the most talented, passionate, and kind writer friends I could ever ask for. Your voices deserve to be heard, and the stories you tell will change the world. Let’s continue reaching for the stars together.
Jessica Watterson, my phenomenal agent, cheerleader, and champion. You believed when I doubted, and shined a spotlight on me when I wanted to hide in the shadows. I am forever grateful Thao brought us together, and I can’t wait for all the adventures we’ll go on next!
To my fabulous editor, Jess Harriton. Thank you for loving this little boba book and giving me the chance to share it with the world. I promise to tempt you with more yummy goodies in the future.
Of course, it takes a whole team of dedicated people to put books on a shelf. Special thanks to Krista Ahlberg, Marinda Valenti, Vanessa DeJesus, Felicity Vallence, Dana Li, and Theresa Evangelista for all your hard work, especially during such a challenging year.
A Taste for Love is not just a romance; it’s a love letter to a little Taiwanese girl who felt trapped between two worlds. It took a while, but she’s finally found where she belongs.
To my readers, I hope Liza’s story will inspire you. Life may give you a path to walk, but you can choose the destination. Dream big and believe in yourself. Be afraid, but do it anyway.
Last but not least, always make time for boba.
Courtesy of the author
JENNIFER YEN is a Taiwanese American author who lives with her adorable dog in Texas. She spends her days healing the hearts of others and her nights writing about love, family, and the power of acceptance. Jennifer believes in the magic of one’s imagination and hopes her stories will bring joy and inspiration to readers. If you find her wandering around aimlessly, please return her to the nearest milk tea shop.
You can connect with her on Twitter and Instagram @JenYenWrites, or check out her website at jenyenwrites.com.
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