Breathe In (Just Breathe, #1)(17)

“What are your plans for the rest of the day once the parade concludes?” inquires Nǎinai, testing the boundaries of Maggie’s new love interest.

She doesn’t ask if he speaks Mandarin. It’s assumed since he refers to China as back home.

“Nothing, really. Since we aren’t familiar with the celebrations here, we figured we just follow along with what others were doing. We aren’t here with any other family members currently,” Henry replies back in Mandarin to Nǎinai.

She’s very pleased that he speaks her native tongue. “Great! Then you, Blue Eyes here and your parents can join us for dinner,” Nǎinai insists.

Jared chuckles at Nǎinai, knowing who she is referring to by calling him Blue Eyes. M?qīn and F?qīn are pleased that Nǎinai has invited Henry, Joe and Henry’s parents and urges them to join us. They are clearly curious about Henry and his family.

Though she’s giddy from all of the excitement, I notice that Nǎinai is cold, so I take off my jacket to cover her.

“Thank you, Emma,” Nǎinai says gratefully.

I smile and nod.

“Now Blue Eyes can get a better look at you and your voluptuous body,” she adds, grinning.

I take a deep breath, shake my head and try not to roll my eyes at her. I know what she’s trying to do and I really hope that Joe doesn’t understand Mandarin.

Jared does not contain his laughter as he hugs me from behind to keep me warm.

“Not funny, Jared,” I scold him as I quickly look from him to Joe to catch Joe’s reaction.

Maybe I can find out if Joe knows Mandarin too since he is Henry’s best friend. He just looks at me and grins like he does each time our eyes meet.

“He doesn’t know what I’m saying, ” Nǎinai claims, slightly taunting me as she sees me studying Joe’s face. “Look at him. He’s been smiling the whole time and his face hasn’t changed. I could tell him you’re madly in love with him and want to have his babies and he’d just smile and nod.”

I look back at Joe to find his smile hasn’t changed — at least I don’t think it has. God, I hope he isn’t just being polite and really doesn’t understand her.

The music begins as the parade commences, interrupting Nǎinai’s goodhearted cajoling at my expense. We stand or sit watching, smiling and having a great time. After a while, Jade and Rey are running around our group playing and imitating the dancing that is taking place. Rey, who is only three, pretends that he is either a dragon or a lion. I’m not quite sure which. He’s chasing after his older sister Jade, who is six.

Jared snatches up Rey, which Rey loves. “Uncie Jay,” Rey shouts giggling. “Shoulders!”

Happy to fulfill Rey’s request, Jared hoists him up.

I shiver at the disappearance of his body heat. Suddenly, I feel warmth blanketing around me. Joe has placed his jacket around my shoulders. It smells sinfully delicious and feels cozy.


Turning my head to Joe I say, “Thank you.”

Joe leans into my right ear. “You’re welcome.” His warm breath is refreshing against my cheek. Our eyes meet again as he slowly pulls his face away.

“Looks like you have an admirer,” pokes Jared.

I ignore him other than bumping him with my hip.

Jade stays near her brother holding onto my waist. I can see it in her face that she wishes she could be held up like that too. She’s petite and I could easily holder her myself — I’ve done it before.

I offer to hold her, but Jade declines. “You look really pretty today, Emma,” she says. “Not that you never don’t look pretty. I just don’t . . . .”

“I can hold you up if you’d like,” Joe offers with a smile before Jade finishes her sentence.

Jade, though shy, immediately answers by moving over towards Joe, holding her arms up to him. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Nǎinai watching us.

“Look Emma, he’s even great with kids. My blessing of love and marriage has come to you early this year!”

“You’ve given me the same blessing the past two years Nǎinai,” I retort back in Mandarin. “And, it didn’t happen then.”

There is no way her blessing is coming true anytime soon if I have anything to do with it.

Nǎinai regards me and comments, “It will happen. I didn’t bless you with a husband and children in the past.”

My mouth opens as I’m about to rebut, but there’s a look in her eye that I’ve never seen before. A sense of unshakeable definitiveness. It’s a little creepy and I decide not to continue this conversation by closing my mouth.

At one point, Joe leans over to me and says something that is drowned out by all the music and noise. Since I can’t hear him, I’m forced to lean in to hear him better.

“What?” I say, shifting towards him.

His eyes widen and his smile opens more, showing some teeth as he repeats himself, “Did I miss the memo about wearing red today?”

Aware of what he’s trying to do, I choose not to be rude. “In the Chinese culture, red is considered good luck.”

I guess his best friend failed to inform him. I wonder if this is his first Chinese New Year.

Overhearing us, Jade leans down and asks if he’s ever celebrated New Year before.

“Yes . . .” he replies, “But, not a Chinese New Year.”