Red Thread of Fate by Lyn Liao Butler

Author:Lyn Liao Butler [Butler, Lyn Liao]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2022-02-08T00:00:00+00:00

28

Three Weeks before the Accident

JENNY HUNG UP the phone and wrote something in the appointment book she kept behind the counter. “Huang Tai Tai will be here at noon for a bikini wax, but I’m already booked for a manicure and pedicure. Can you take her? You’re the only one who can tolerate her when she starts cursing and screaming.”

Mia rose on her toes to peer out the front windows and didn’t answer. Jenny looked up and asked, “Are you listening to me?” When Mia still didn’t answer, Jenny turned to look behind her. “What are you looking at?”

“I’ll be right back.” Mia put down the cloth she was drying her hands with and slipped out the front door before Jenny could ask any more questions.

She crossed the street and stalked behind the truck parked at the curb. “What do you want, Kenny?”

He didn’t answer, just leaned against his truck and watched her. His co-worker, a young blond man with a sunny face, raised a hand in greeting. “Hey, Mia. Good to see you.”

“Hi, Joe.” Mia’s face broke into a smile. She’d always had a soft spot for Joe, who looked up to Kenny like an eager puppy and was always so friendly. “What are you two doing here?”

“We had a stop in this neighborhood and Kenny wanted to see if you were working.” Joe gave her a grin. “He’s still infatuated with you.”

“Unfortunately.” Mia rolled her eyes as Kenny shot death looks in Joe’s direction. She turned her back on Kenny and addressed Joe. “So what’s new with you?”

“Teresa and I just had a baby. A beautiful little girl named Hope.” Joe’s face shone with pride as he pulled up a picture on his phone to show Mia.

Mia admired the tiny baby before handing the phone back to Joe. “She’s so beautiful. Congratulations.” She turned to Kenny and placed her hands on her hips. “Why are you lurking in front of the nail salon?” she asked when he still didn’t speak.

He pushed himself off the truck and took a step toward her, causing a tingle of unease to run down her back. “Guess who I saw on the streets yesterday.”

Mia dropped her hands and rolled her eyes. Really? He was going to play guessing games with her? “Who?” She sighed in exasperation.

“Your cousin Tony. He was holding Angela’s hand.” Kenny’s voice lowered so that Joe couldn’t hear, and his eyes squinted into small slits. “Imagine my shock when I saw them together. They look so much alike. I don’t know why I never saw it before.” He took another step toward her, and Mia stepped backward, the tingle of unease turning into apprehension. “He’s her father, isn’t he?”

Oh, shit. Kenny had figured it out. Mia scrambled frantically to say something as her heart beat so loudly she could barely hear the traffic sounds on the street or the bad names Kenny was now calling her in English and Mandarin. She brought a hand up to her head, shaking it in the hopes of clearing the roaring that was filling her ears and making her feel faint.

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