we’ve got here.”
Linnea didn’t answer. She was glad to see the bounty of food but was still embarrassed when he mentioned having house help. What he didn’t understand was that she would be fortunate to find work as an
ayi
herself. A job as a housekeeper for a rich family would be a dream come true, because then she could make enough that her Ye Ye would no longer have to work.
Jet stopped pulling out boxes and looked at Linnea, his brow puckered together.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “You have a strange look on your face.”
Linnea laughed uncomfortably. She couldn’t help but see the huge difference in their lifestyles just with the array of food he’d brought. “I’m fine. But that’s a lot of food for just two people!”
“Oh, we’ll eat it. Don’t worry about that.” Jet began opening the top flaps of the food boxes, showing small pieces of watermelon, lumps of rice, loquats and even chunks of spicy pork. Linnea’s mouth watered at the feast before her. She picked up the box of spicy pork and inhaled. She had been eating only noodles for weeks now and she would never complain, but to see something different made her smile. Jet handed her a wooden set of chopsticks and they dug in.
“Okay, now let’s talk. How’s business?” he asked.
“It’s good.” She blushed. “Thank you so much for the loan, Jet. I’ve got everything I need and many of my old customers are coming to me now to see what I’m selling.”
“Well, see, it’s all about how you treat people. You made an impression on them and now they want you to succeed!”
Linnea smiled. “Yeah, and some of them still want me to fix their tires! But anyway, I should be able to pay you back really soon.” This was the first time she’d ever borrowed money and the burden of owing someone weighed heavily on her. She couldn’t wait to hand him the last of it and have it paid back in full.
Jet shook his head. “No, I told you that I don’t want you to make any payments until you’ve made a profit for at least six consecutive months. That was our deal. And it’s a good one.”
She lowered her eyes. “Good deal for me—not so much for you.”
“Good for me, too! I get to hang out with the prettiest designer in town. And you’ve given me something worthy to spend my money on for the first time in my life. Just think, you are helping me grow up and make adult decisions.” He winked at her.
They were in their own happy little world, and it was as if they were the only ones in the park as they laughed and ate until she felt she would pop. Each time she stopped putting food in her mouth, Jet would hand her another box to try. Finally she took the last sip of her yogurt drink and set it down.
“No more. Please.” She sighed and held her stomach.
“Me, too.” Jet flopped down on his back and pulled Linnea down to lie beside him.
“
Xie xie
, Jet. That was the best lunch I’ve had in a very long time.” She eyed the leftovers from the corner of her eye and felt a pang of guilt knowing her sisters would love to have just a morsel of what she had devoured. She wondered if he would offer her the leftovers.
“No thanks needed. You don’t eat enough. You’re too skinny,” he teased, grabbing her hand and tracing her slender fingers with his own.
She let him fill her up with the nonsense. What girl didn’t like to hear how skinny she was, after all? He finally stopped and they were quiet for a moment, enjoying the balmy day.
“Linnea, I want to ask you something.” Jet sat up and his face took on a serious expression.
She cringed. She still had not told him much about herself. She felt she had a better chance of keeping him if she remained mysterious. After all, who would want to date a girl whose own mother didn’t want to keep her? Now he was going to ask and she dreaded telling him the truth.
“What?” she asked hesitantly, avoiding meeting his eyes. Under his intense gaze she felt so exposed, as if he could
Linnea didn’t answer. She was glad to see the bounty of food but was still embarrassed when he mentioned having house help. What he didn’t understand was that she would be fortunate to find work as an
ayi
herself. A job as a housekeeper for a rich family would be a dream come true, because then she could make enough that her Ye Ye would no longer have to work.
Jet stopped pulling out boxes and looked at Linnea, his brow puckered together.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “You have a strange look on your face.”
Linnea laughed uncomfortably. She couldn’t help but see the huge difference in their lifestyles just with the array of food he’d brought. “I’m fine. But that’s a lot of food for just two people!”
“Oh, we’ll eat it. Don’t worry about that.” Jet began opening the top flaps of the food boxes, showing small pieces of watermelon, lumps of rice, loquats and even chunks of spicy pork. Linnea’s mouth watered at the feast before her. She picked up the box of spicy pork and inhaled. She had been eating only noodles for weeks now and she would never complain, but to see something different made her smile. Jet handed her a wooden set of chopsticks and they dug in.
“Okay, now let’s talk. How’s business?” he asked.
“It’s good.” She blushed. “Thank you so much for the loan, Jet. I’ve got everything I need and many of my old customers are coming to me now to see what I’m selling.”
“Well, see, it’s all about how you treat people. You made an impression on them and now they want you to succeed!”
Linnea smiled. “Yeah, and some of them still want me to fix their tires! But anyway, I should be able to pay you back really soon.” This was the first time she’d ever borrowed money and the burden of owing someone weighed heavily on her. She couldn’t wait to hand him the last of it and have it paid back in full.
Jet shook his head. “No, I told you that I don’t want you to make any payments until you’ve made a profit for at least six consecutive months. That was our deal. And it’s a good one.”
She lowered her eyes. “Good deal for me—not so much for you.”
“Good for me, too! I get to hang out with the prettiest designer in town. And you’ve given me something worthy to spend my money on for the first time in my life. Just think, you are helping me grow up and make adult decisions.” He winked at her.
They were in their own happy little world, and it was as if they were the only ones in the park as they laughed and ate until she felt she would pop. Each time she stopped putting food in her mouth, Jet would hand her another box to try. Finally she took the last sip of her yogurt drink and set it down.
“No more. Please.” She sighed and held her stomach.
“Me, too.” Jet flopped down on his back and pulled Linnea down to lie beside him.
“
Xie xie
, Jet. That was the best lunch I’ve had in a very long time.” She eyed the leftovers from the corner of her eye and felt a pang of guilt knowing her sisters would love to have just a morsel of what she had devoured. She wondered if he would offer her the leftovers.
“No thanks needed. You don’t eat enough. You’re too skinny,” he teased, grabbing her hand and tracing her slender fingers with his own.
She let him fill her up with the nonsense. What girl didn’t like to hear how skinny she was, after all? He finally stopped and they were quiet for a moment, enjoying the balmy day.
“Linnea, I want to ask you something.” Jet sat up and his face took on a serious expression.
She cringed. She still had not told him much about herself. She felt she had a better chance of keeping him if she remained mysterious. After all, who would want to date a girl whose own mother didn’t want to keep her? Now he was going to ask and she dreaded telling him the truth.
“What?” she asked hesitantly, avoiding meeting his eyes. Under his intense gaze she felt so exposed, as if he could
Similar Books
