Read Online Back to the Good Fortune Diner by Vicki Essex - Free Book Online
Authors: Vicki Essex
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you put in your preferences? ‘Must be a doctor or lawyer, must like Chinese food, must have wide birthing hips to produce sons’?”
“You’ve watched Mulan too many times.” But he had to admit Selena’s self-professed love for kung-fu movies and the profile photo of her standing on the Great Wall of China had caught his eye...as had her straight talk about wanting children.
“How many times have you two met in person?”
“Six.” He left out the fact that it had been only six times in one year. “She’s busy building her practice, so it’s hard to make time. She’s amazing and beautiful and I know Mom and Dad will approve.”
“Is she Chinese?”
The blunt question pulled him up short. “Why would that matter?”
“Remember when I was dating Jordan? Mom and Dad flipped when they found out he was white.”
“They flipped because he had tattoos on his neck and those disgusting hole things in his ears. And they found out about him on Facebook instead of from you.” Of course, Daniel had been the one to show them the photo and her relationship status. But he’d only done so because the guy was clearly unsuitable for his sister. “Besides, why do you care? You broke up with him two weeks later.”
“He owned his own auto body business and made three times as much as I did. But instead of taking that into consideration, Mom and Dad took one look at him and made a snap judgment. Did you know Mom actually called me and told me not to date gwai-los anymore?”
“That’s not going to happen with Selena,” he said fiercely. Daniel refused to believe his parents were that racist. “So what if she’s not Chinese? She’s everything they could ever want.”
“Are you even listening to yourself?” Tiffany laughed nervously. “She’s everything you could ever want, you mean. I sure hope that’s what you mean.”
“Of course it is,” he growled, his cheeks prickling with heat. “Not that any of this is your business. Selena and I are both ready for the next step in our lives. She wants kids, and so do I.”
“ You want kids, or Mom and Dad want grandkids?”
He’d had enough. “If you’re going to sit there and question my feelings all night, you can get out right now.”
Tiffany crossed her feet at the ankles and her arms over her chest. “I’m just being realistic. If you’re both ready for the next step, that’s great. I’m happy for you.” She had that infuriating matter-of-fact tone their mother sometimes used to convince someone to do something they didn’t want to. “But I hope you’ve thought about the future. For instance, is she going to live here, share a room with Poh-poh? ”
“Don’t be ridiculous. We’ll get a place of our own.”
“Uh-huh. So, are you planning to leave the restaurant business?”
“Of course...” He trailed off. He was going to say, “Of course not,” because what else was he going to do? He loved the diner, and his parents needed him. And one day, the Good Fortune would be his. Once Mom and Dad retired, he would renovate the dining room, redecorate, get new menus printed—he had grand plans for the place.
But what would Selena do? Work alongside him, waiting tables and taking orders over the phone? Pop out a few babies and raise them at home?
A slow, cold dread crept down his spine and puddled in his shoes. His sister went on ruthlessly. “Last I checked, the job market wasn’t so good. You might have a hard time getting an entry-level position at your age.” Tiffany pushed off the bed. As she headed out with her books, she said over her shoulder, “But I’m sure if you’re both ready for the next step, you’ll work it out, right?”
CHAPTER FIVE
T IFFANY WASN’T SURE the consignment shop would be open on a Sunday, but it had been the first opportunity she’d had to get away from her family without rousing suspicions. She’d told Poh-poh she was on her way to the Jamieson farm—which wasn’t a complete lie, since she
“You’ve watched Mulan too many times.” But he had to admit Selena’s self-professed love for kung-fu movies and the profile photo of her standing on the Great Wall of China had caught his eye...as had her straight talk about wanting children.
“How many times have you two met in person?”
“Six.” He left out the fact that it had been only six times in one year. “She’s busy building her practice, so it’s hard to make time. She’s amazing and beautiful and I know Mom and Dad will approve.”
“Is she Chinese?”
The blunt question pulled him up short. “Why would that matter?”
“Remember when I was dating Jordan? Mom and Dad flipped when they found out he was white.”
“They flipped because he had tattoos on his neck and those disgusting hole things in his ears. And they found out about him on Facebook instead of from you.” Of course, Daniel had been the one to show them the photo and her relationship status. But he’d only done so because the guy was clearly unsuitable for his sister. “Besides, why do you care? You broke up with him two weeks later.”
“He owned his own auto body business and made three times as much as I did. But instead of taking that into consideration, Mom and Dad took one look at him and made a snap judgment. Did you know Mom actually called me and told me not to date gwai-los anymore?”
“That’s not going to happen with Selena,” he said fiercely. Daniel refused to believe his parents were that racist. “So what if she’s not Chinese? She’s everything they could ever want.”
“Are you even listening to yourself?” Tiffany laughed nervously. “She’s everything you could ever want, you mean. I sure hope that’s what you mean.”
“Of course it is,” he growled, his cheeks prickling with heat. “Not that any of this is your business. Selena and I are both ready for the next step in our lives. She wants kids, and so do I.”
“ You want kids, or Mom and Dad want grandkids?”
He’d had enough. “If you’re going to sit there and question my feelings all night, you can get out right now.”
Tiffany crossed her feet at the ankles and her arms over her chest. “I’m just being realistic. If you’re both ready for the next step, that’s great. I’m happy for you.” She had that infuriating matter-of-fact tone their mother sometimes used to convince someone to do something they didn’t want to. “But I hope you’ve thought about the future. For instance, is she going to live here, share a room with Poh-poh? ”
“Don’t be ridiculous. We’ll get a place of our own.”
“Uh-huh. So, are you planning to leave the restaurant business?”
“Of course...” He trailed off. He was going to say, “Of course not,” because what else was he going to do? He loved the diner, and his parents needed him. And one day, the Good Fortune would be his. Once Mom and Dad retired, he would renovate the dining room, redecorate, get new menus printed—he had grand plans for the place.
But what would Selena do? Work alongside him, waiting tables and taking orders over the phone? Pop out a few babies and raise them at home?
A slow, cold dread crept down his spine and puddled in his shoes. His sister went on ruthlessly. “Last I checked, the job market wasn’t so good. You might have a hard time getting an entry-level position at your age.” Tiffany pushed off the bed. As she headed out with her books, she said over her shoulder, “But I’m sure if you’re both ready for the next step, you’ll work it out, right?”
CHAPTER FIVE
T IFFANY WASN’T SURE the consignment shop would be open on a Sunday, but it had been the first opportunity she’d had to get away from her family without rousing suspicions. She’d told Poh-poh she was on her way to the Jamieson farm—which wasn’t a complete lie, since she
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