Camy Tang - Sushi for One?

“Thanks.”

“I talked briefly with Krista. It’s pretty clear who we’re going to pick.” He lowered his voice even more, but his smile was like ethanol, making her burn brighter. “Lex, I’m looking forward to playing with you.”

Where else to celebrate besides Hot Pot Town Restaurant with her three cousins?

Unless one of them brought a guy who wasn’t a brother, a cousin, or even a close acquaintance.

Venus nudged Lex as Jennifer approached the restaurant from the parking lot with Mr. Gecko in tow – pale, buggy eyes, constantly licking his lips. “Who’s that?”

“Her boyfriend?”

“Jennifer looks like even she can’t stand him.” Trish stared hard at the two of them. “Look, she keeps moving away from him whenever he gets close.” Her phone rang. “Oh, it’s Kazuo. Hey, babe…” She wandered a few feet away.

Venus leaned close to Lex. “Did Trish explain why she ran away from you at church?”

“She said she never heard me call her.”

Venus eyed her with a How stupid do you think I am? look.

“Yeah, I don’t know if I believe her either.” Lex shook her head.

“That boyfriend is bad news.”

“Well then, you try talking to her. She avoids being alone with me.”

“Fine.” Venus was raring to go.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I found housing. I called one of the ladies from church. I heard her niece wanted to rent the extra room in her town house. Bedroom on the second floor, carport in the back. I’ll go look at it tomorrow.”

“That’s great.”

“Things are totally looking up for me.”

Jennifer joined them. “H-hey, guys.”

Gecko had sidled up to Venus, trying to give her a discreet look down. Venus backed up a step and unleashed her famous organ-shrinking glare. His eyes popped open, and he scurried closer to Jennifer like a Chihuahua.

“Who’s your friend, Jenn?” Lex didn’t want to call him Gecko all night, although Venus probably wouldn’t mind.

“Um… this is Hector.”

“Perfect.” Venus sneered at him.

“How’d you guys meet?” Lex planted a cool smile on her face.

“Oh… Actually, we just met tonight.”

Lex raised her eyebrows at Jenn.

“Well Lex, when you called, Grandma was at our house.”

Oh, no.

“And she asked me to invite Hector along.” Jenn cast a desperate glance at the restaurant doors. “Should we go in?”

Lex hooked her talons into Jennifer’s arm to hold her back as Hector followed Venus to the restaurant, trying to ogle her backside. Creep.

“Jenn, what’s the deal? Why didn’t you just tell Grandma no?”

“You try telling Grandma no.”

“Why’d you tell her you were going out with me? You know what she’s been up to.”

“Grandma’s been over at our house a lot lately. It’s wearing on me.”

Jenn snatched her arm away and marched into the restaurant.

Lex stood a moment, too surprised to move. Jenn never snapped at people.

She gestured to Trish, who went inside without her.

“Lex! Wait up!” She heard another voice.

Lex turned and saw her brother. “Richard, what are you doing here?” With yet another male friend?

He hustled up to her, while a dark-skinned guy followed at a slower pace. “Grandma told me you’d be here.”

Lex fought the urge to scream.

He ignored her, instead motioning to his friend. “This is Oliver.”

“Hi. Nice to meet you.” No way was Oliver one of Richard’s friends. They all tended to have the same slick charm, but Oliver seemed rather mild-mannered, like a tanned, Asian Clark Kent. “Bye, Richard.”

“Wait a minute, where are you going?”

“We’re having dinner.”

“I know. We’ll join you.”

Lex lowered her voice to a hiss. “I don’t remember asking you.”

Richard chucked her under the chin as he breezed past her toward the restaurant doors. “I’m your brother. I don’t need to be asked.”

Lex stormed after them.

Hot Pot Town looked more like a warehouse than a restaurant. A mish-mash of tables packed every open space, and they managed to find a cafeteria-style table near the food buffets. The waiter started their tabletop burner topped by a steel kettle of chicken broth – the “hot pot” – and took their drink orders.

Lex wandered to the refrigerated raw meats and selected chicken and beef, sliced so thin she could almost see her white plate through them. Each of them would cook their own selections in the broth at the table. She had moved to the marinated seafood when she realized Gecko followed her.

“So, you’re Lex?”

“Yeah.”

He didn’t get the message from her clipped tone. “I’m Hector.”

“I know.” And I don’t need to know anything more about you. Hmm, the marinated scallops or shrimp? She got a scoop of each.

Gecko hovered near her shoulder. She jerked away from his invasion of her personal space.

“So, Lex, what do you do?” Joviality so heartily false it sounded like a Barney movie.

She slammed him with a hard, direct glare. “Don’t even. I know Grandma told your mother – ”

“Aunt, actually.”

Lex shrugged and went back to the black bean sauce chicken.

“Well, then, since all the cards are on the table…” Gecko’s voice grew more forceful, less pleasant. “Let’s be honest here. I’d just like some game tickets.” Gecko smiled as if he’d said something intelligent.

“No.” Ohh, they had Chinese broccoli and bok choy.

“Aw, come on.” Slime coated his voice. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

“Since we’re being honest, Geck – Hector, I have to tell you that you’d be a pretty boring date.” Lex spooned some corn onto her plate.

“Who’s talking date? I can make it worth your while the other way. ”

His attempt at being subtle, she guessed. He’d make a lousy Yakuza. “You mean money?” She pitched her voice rather loud.

He sucked in his cheeks and flapped his hands at her. “Keep it down.”

“You mean money?” She said it even louder, if possible.

“Yes, yes, just shut up.”

She rescued a piece of fish before it rolled off the edge of her plate.

She had finished getting food for the hot pot. “The answer’s no.”

“I can pay as much as you want – ”

Lex turned toward their table, but Gecko stood in the way and laid a hand on her arm. She jolted away. “Listen, buddy, jailbait isn’t my first career choice.”

“Who’s to know?”

“What about the word ‘no’ do you not understand?”

“Oh, come on – ”

“Hey, Lex.”

She’d never been so glad to see Aiden. Yet again. “What are you doing here?”

Aiden lifted an eyebrow. “ ‘Why, hello, Aiden. How are you?’ ”

She smiled. “Hello, Aiden. How are you?”

“I’m fine. I’m here with my friend Spenser and his girlfriend.”

“I’m here to celebrate Wassamattayu tryouts.”

“Great! How’d they – ”

“Excuse me, Aiden, we’re having a conversation.” Gecko thrust his face in between them.

Aiden’s face became stone. “Sounded to me like you’d already finished.”

“Not by a long shot.”

“Excuse me?” Lex turned to Gecko and eyed his prominent Adam’s apple. A good hard blow right there would shut him up.

“Your grandma promised me those tickets.”

“Well, that’s just too bad.”

“I was counting on them.”

“Gee, you can count?”

Gecko’s bloodshot eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his skull. “Look, you – ”

Aiden’s whipcord figure slipped between them. “The lady said no.”