by Liwen Y. Ho
Bucky chuckled, his loud laughter traveling from the next room. “My hearing aid must’ve been off those times, sweetheart, or maybe the battery’s old.”
“Old battery, my foot,” Nanna scoffed with a playful shake of her head. “It’s a good thing I love him.”
James grinned. “I hope to have something as special as you and Bucky have one day.”
“You will, James, you will. Anyone who cooks well, loves well. Take it from me, a wise old woman who taught you most everything you know about food.”
“You did, Nanna.” James smiled. “Thanks for the delicious meal and the pep talk, too.”
James left the Buchanans’ place feeling more full and hopeful than when he’d arrived. He now just needed to come up with a plan to make Lexi’s fortieth birthday memorable—and secure her heart before he left.
11
Lexi
Lexi’s jaw dropped as soon as she opened the door to her cabin early Sunday morning. She blinked quickly, not knowing if her sleep-deprived eyes were seeing things. Once … twice. After the third blink, and a loud sigh from the petite Asian woman standing on her porch, she swallowed hard. There was no denying reality. Her mother had shown up unannounced in Sage Valley.
“Ming Zhu! I have been standing out here in this heat for nearly a minute. This dust is terrible for my skin. Please let me in. I need to moisturize.”
“M-ma?” Lexi stuttered, closing the door behind her. It was never a good thing when her mom used her Chinese name. “What are you doing here?”
Mrs. Turner charged past Lexi, dragging a large suitcase in tow. Her black hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and her perfectly oval face wore a look of determination. “I am paying you a visit. It has come to my attention that you have been keeping secrets from me. I cannot believe that after all I have done for you, you would keep me in the dark like this.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ma. I don’t have any secrets.” Lexi crossed her arms over her pajama top as she followed her mother down the hall to the bathroom. She cringed, knowing the inevitable lecture she’d receive when her mother saw the changes she’d made to the decor since her last visit almost a year ago. “Uh, before you go in there, you should know—”
“Aiya!” Mrs. Turner exclaimed, clucking her tongue. “Why is the door open? And the toilet seat not closed? Where is the wind chime and blue rug I bought you? You are flushing away all the positive energy!”
“Ma, you know I don’t believe in feng shui.” Lexi rushed in after her mom, picked up some clothes from the floor, and tossed them into a straw hamper. She glanced around the small space, doing a mental inventory of anything else that needed tidying. “I wish you’d told me you were coming. I could’ve cleaned up.”
Her mother took a small bottle of lotion from her purse and applied a few dabs of the white cream around her eyes. “No positive energy, I tell you.”
“You could say that again,” Lexi murmured under her breath. It felt like her mother had sucked all the air, along with any good vibes, out of the bathroom.
“What did you say?”
“N-nothing.”
“Hmm.” Her mother’s reflection in the mirror flashed her a dubious look.
For someone who was only five feet tall, her mother had the uncanny ability to make everyone around her feel even smaller. Lexi straightened her posture, trying her best not to succumb to her insecurities. Her mother’s eerily calm yet intimidating tone made her feel like a girl in pigtails again. Only her father could ever make her mother smile. “How’s Daddy? Is he here, too?” she asked hopefully.
“Not this time. He is away on business, but he does send his love and congratulations.” She finished checking her appearance in the mirror and turned around to face Lexi. “When were you going to tell me you’re engaged?”
“I—what?! I’m engaged?” Lexi’s head spun with confusion. She quickly lowered her voice, remembering Charlie was still asleep in her room at the other end of the suite. “Who did you hear that from?”
“Tiffany. But the real question is why you didn’t tell me this news yourself?”
Lexi’s mouth grew dry. She barely knew how to answer before her mother continued speaking again.
“So, when do I get to meet this boy?” Leaning close, she lowered her voice as if divulging a secret. “From what Thomas said, he’s barely old enough to vote.”
“Ma, Thomas doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Lexi threw up her hands in frustration. “And why are you still keeping in touch with my ex-husband? And his new fiancée?”
“Thomas is family. Once a son, always a son.” She strode out of the bathroom, waited for Lexi to exit, and promptly shut the door. “Now tell me about this new son-in-law of mine, James. How old is he exactly?”
“He’s thirty, but he’s not your son-in-law.” Lexi’s stomach twisted as her mother entered her bedroom, opened her suitcase, and began unpacking. Her worst nightmare was coming true. “Um, how long are you planning on staying, Ma? Because my schedule’s packed with work and there won’t be much time for me to entertain you. I don’t want you to get bored,” she added sweetly.
Mrs. Turner dismissed her concern with a wave of her hand. “You don’t need to worry about me. I can entertain myself. I’m sure Charlie will be more than happy to play cards with me. I can also get to know your future husband. I hear he’s a chef. Perhaps I can teach him some Chinese dishes.”
Oh, this was getting out of hand—fast. It was time to set the record straight. Lexi took a deep breath and walked over to where her mother stood by the closet. “Ma, please sit down for a minute. I need to explain something to you.”
“All right.” Surprisingly, her mother made no qualms about the request and sat down on the full-sized bed at the center of the room. Mrs. Turner clutched the yellow sweater she was holding to her chest. A weary look crossed her usually stoic face. “I suppose I should rest a bit. I’m pretty worn down from flying all night. The doctor did warn me not to overdo it.”
“Doctor? I didn’t know you were seeing a doctor.” Concerned, Lexi rushed over to sit next to her mom. “What’s going on, Ma?”
“Heart palpitations. I’ve been having them for a few months now. Stress seems to trigger them. I came here hoping to relax. I didn’t want to be home alone without your father. You understand, don’t you, Alexandra?”
“Of course, Ma. You’re welcome to stay however long you like,” Lexi insisted, wondering if she’d regret her words. She usually couldn’t handle her mother in more than small doses, but given the circumstances, she decided to be gracious. “Do you want to take a nap? I need to go to work, but I’ll check in on you during my lunch break.”
“Yes, a nap sounds good. Thank you, dear.” Mrs. Turner gave her cheek a soft pat. “What was it you wanted to tell me?”
“Nothing much. It can wait.”
Her mother nodded as she took her shoes off and lay back on the bed. “Will you bring James by later? Meeting him will be like medicine for my heart. I’ve been so worried about you being all alone here in Texas. But now that you’re getting married, I don’t need to worry anymore.” Her mother’s eyes closed as she repeated sleepily, “No need to worry.”
Lexi pulled the blanket over her mother and watched her doze off. She released the breath she’d been holding then squeezed her eyes shut. What were the odds that this was all a dream? She opened one eye slowly, then the other. Nope, so not a dream. There was her mother snoring soundly, no doubt dreaming up wedding plans for her … and James! Oh, what a mess. Why hadn’t she come out and told her mother there was no engagement, much less a boyfriend? Because she was a good, obedient Chinese daughter, that’s why. A daughter who didn’t want to exacerbate her mother’s heart condition.
How was she going to get out of this situation?
Her first inclination was to go find James, but then what? Beg him to play her fiancé again? That’s how she had gotten into this mess in the first place. But what els
e could she do? Her mother’s health depended on this.
She quickly got dressed for work and left the cabin. Her boot-clad feet headed straight for the kitchen in search of her best friend.
When she arrived at the door of the mess hall, several ranchers tipped their hats to her in greeting as they exited the place. The aroma of maple syrup and bacon filled her nose as soon as she walked into the room.
There in the middle of one of the long empty tables sat James. He looked up in surprise when she entered then gestured for her to sit down beside him. “Grab a plate, Lex. There’s plenty of food left.”
Lexi bypassed the food table with its large aluminum trays of all her favorite breakfast foods. Had it been any other day, she would’ve piled her plate high with buttermilk biscuits and gravy, and fried chicken and waffles, but she had no appetite today. Instead, she took hesitant steps toward James, who looked especially handsome in a blue checkered shirt that matched his eyes. She sat down next to him. “I’m not really hungry right now. It’s been kind of a crazy morning.”
James winced. “I know that look. Your mom called, didn’t she?”
“I wish she had.” She sighed. “She did even better than that—or worse, depending on how you look at it.”
“She’s coming to visit you?” James guessed.
“Oh, it’s worse, much worse.” Lexi dropped her head into her hands. “She’s here, as in sleeping in my bed right this very minute.”
“Oh … that explains why you’re wearing your shirt inside out.”
“I am?” She glanced down at the flannel shirt she had thrown over a white tank top. Sure enough, the buttons running down the front were facing inward. “I sure am.”
“Here, let me.” James helped Lexi take the shirt off, turned the sleeves inside out, and handed it back to her. “So, what’s the occasion for the visit? To celebrate your birthday?”
Shaking her head, she pulled her shirt back on. “You’ll never guess why she decided to come.”
“I have no clue. Are you going to give me all the deets,” he asked with an amused smile, “or should I take a guess?”
Lexi swallowed hard. “She said she’s here to meet my fiancé.”
James’s face paled. “You’re engaged?”
“James, of course, I’m not engaged! But for some reason, Thomas and Tiffany told my mother we are.” As much as the thought of getting married again scared her, she had to admit it didn’t seem so bad once she said it loud. In fact, she rather liked the idea. James, however, couldn’t have been more on the opposite side of the fence.
He gawked, taking a moment to digest her words. “We—as in you and me?”
She frowned. She couldn’t miss the negative tone of his voice. It bordered on shock, maybe even disgust. Trying not to make the situation more awkward—or get her hopes up—she tamped down her excitement. “It’s ridiculous, isn’t it? They must have really bought our act.” The word act reminded her of James’s comment the other night, when he said he hadn’t been acting. They had never finished that conversation. As much as she wished to address it now, there were more pressing matters at hand. “And to top it all off, I just found out my mom has a heart condition.”
“A heart condition? That sounds serious.”
“It’s caused by stress. That’s why I don’t know what to do. If I tell her the truth, that we’re not really engaged, she might have an episode. But if I let her believe we are …” She scoffed softly. “I shouldn’t even be going there.”
James grew quiet, rubbing the back of his neck as he thought. The color in his face slowly returned, along with a sparkle that lit up his baby blues. “What if we resumed our pretend relationship? Only until your mom leaves? We can tell her our double date friends got it wrong, that we’re dating and not engaged. But that piece of news might be enough for her. We’ll let her see how happy you are—that’s all a mother wants for her child. Then when she goes home, life will go back to normal.”
Lexi’s eyes widened, her heart suddenly lighter. The gratitude bubbling up within her chest threatened to burst. She couldn’t help it when she threw her arms around James’s neck, surprising even herself with her reaction. “Thank you, James! This makes things so much easier. I was dreading the visit, but with this plan in place, it’s going to be more than bearable.”
“O-of course. I’m happy to help.”
Lexi’s body warmed as James’s large hands rested on the small of her back. Goosebumps rose along her arms to be so close to him. He smelled amazing, like a warm spring day mixed with all her favorite spices. His embrace, strong yet gentle, made her feel so at home, she wished she didn’t have to let go. She held on for an extra beat before pulling back. “Thank you, James. You’re such a good friend.”
His cheeks flushed at her compliment. He gave her his trademark smile, one side of his mouth curving up ever so slightly. “Friends don’t let friends suffer alone. I know you’d do the same for me.”
A flash of nostalgia went through her. She pulled her feet up onto the bench and hugged her knees to her chest. “Well, you’ve done more than your share to be there for me. Ever since I came to Sage Valley, you’ve made me feel at home. You nursed my ego after getting beat up by Elvis, you’ve made me countless bowls of chili to drown my sorrows in, and you’re always willing to listen without judgment.” She took a deep breath as the reality of the situation hit her. “I’m really going to miss you, James, when you go on tour.”
He placed a hand on hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m gonna miss you, too.”
Lexi blinked in surprise. Those were the most honest and forthright words she’d ever heard from his lips. “I think that’s the most sentimental thing I’ve ever heard you say, James Scott. It’s good to hear you speaking from your heart.”
He immediately blushed. “Well, I’m not really a man—”
“—of many words,” she finished for him. “I know. But I love every word you squeeze out of that sweet mouth of yours.” Her cheeks heated as well. She really shouldn’t be thinking about or even looking at his mouth again. That would only lead to thoughts of kiss— Lexi shook her head and quickly rose from her seat. “I’m heading to the store now. Meet you for dinner? I’ll bring my mom.”
James nodded. “It’s a date.”
Those three words bounced around Lexi’s head as she made her way out of the mess hall. Even though this was all a ruse, she was more than thrilled to be playing pretend with James again.
12
James
James swallowed uncomfortably under the watchful eye of the Asian woman sitting across the table from him. He shoved a bite of chicken fried steak into his mouth then stared down at his plate. If he wasn’t eating dinner in the mess hall, surrounded by a dozen other people, he might wonder if he was on exhibit at the museum. Because the way Lexi’s mother was looking him over, he sure felt like he was being studied.
“Isn’t this steak delicious, Ma? It’s James’s own recipe.” Lexi looked over at him and smiled.
“It’s not bad. A little too salty for my taste. But the mashed potatoes are decent.”
“Thanks?” James replied, a bit of uncertainty in his tone.
He never imagined meeting Lexi’s mother under these pretenses. But here they were, going through the motions of making small talk. At least Mrs. Turner wasn’t giving him the fifth degree. He could take her criticizing his cooking as long as she didn’t ask him any personal questions.
James wasn’t sure what to make of the older woman. At first glance, he thought she was as meek and harmless as a cat. Not the stray cats that roamed the ranch, but a small kitten that mewed. But looks were deceiving. Despite her small stature and delicate features, Mrs. Turner was more like a spunky mama tiger.
He’d never met anyone like her. Even Nanna’s straightforward ways paled in comparison. Even still, his own mama had taught him to be polite. Perhaps, all Lexi’s mom needed was some southern hospitality. “Lexi mentioned you enjoy cooking, Mr
s. Turner. What kind of dishes do you like to make?”
“Hot and sour soup. Peking duck. Honey walnut shrimp. I don’t suppose you’ve had any of those before?”
“No, I haven’t. But I have heard about the famous dumpling restaurant, Din Tai Fung. It was featured on a food blog I follow. I’d love to try their dumplings someday.”
Mrs. Turner pursed her lips, delight lighting up her eyes. “You want to try dumplings? No need to go all the way to Taiwan. I can make them for you. Mine are better.”
“I would be honored. Thank you.”
Lexi flashed him an impressed smile and mouthed, Wow.
His stomach did a funny flip to see such joy in her eyes. This was the reason why he’d offered to role-play with her again. He loved seeing her happy.
A part of him didn’t like lying to Lexi’s mom, but he reasoned it was for a good cause. And when it all came down to it, he wasn’t lying about his feelings for Lexi. He genuinely cared for her. If only he could speak as well as he cooked.
“Isn’t it fun that you and James share a love of food, Ma?”
Mrs. Turner shrugged nonchalantly. “It is normal to like food. But to make a living off cooking is another matter. Do you plan to work as a chef all your life, James?”
“I-I’m not sure,” he stammered honestly. “It’s something I’m good at and enjoy, so I’m considering it. I figure I still have a couple of years to decide. I also have a degree in business that I can always fall back on,” he added, hoping his mention of schooling would help his standing in Mrs. Turner’s eyes.
“You are handsome and smart?”
Was that a rhetorical question? James laughed awkwardly as he thought of a way to answer. “I don’t know about that …”
“He’s humble and kind, too.” Lexi’s voice held a note of admiration.
James’s shoulders relaxed as he returned Lexi’s smile. She always knew the right things to say. “Thanks.”
