Page 27 of Horn in My Side
“That’s easy for you to say—your parents have always supported you.I bet your grandparents were harsh on them.”
“Yeah, they were.My dad’s parents especially.Their dream was for him to become a lawyer or doctor, but he wanted to runa business instead.Then he got engaged to a tree giant—oh man, they nearly disinherited him.But he loved my mom so much so he defied them again.And see, now he and my mom own one of Chicago’s biggest Asian grocery stores.Look, I’m sure your dad had good reasons to come here, but parents can’t impose their dreams on their children.”
Talking about parents always brought up that one thing Jasmine hated to think about.But ever since the possibility of losing everything she’d built in Dewberry Falls came about, she had no choice, really.Even talking to Mal about finding that place where she belonged brought it to the forefront.
She always thought that her father had come to America to give her a better life.That’s what he’d told her and what everyone assumed.While partly true, she knew the real reason, and this was the secret that loomed over her head, casting a cloud over their relationship.
It was just after her grandfather’s funeral, when she was about eight or nine years old.She was helping clean up the kitchen when she’d overheard her father and uncle arguing outside the door.
“You know why you weren’t chosen, Jed.”
“It’s not fair,” Jed had said.“It’s because of Jasmine, isn’t it?The Inheritance should have been passed to me.I showed the most aptitude for it.”
“It’s not her fault, you know, but Papa had no choice.”
Yes, they left for America for a better life, but Jasmine knew it was also because Jed couldn’t accept that he had lost what was rightfully his.
And he’d lost it because of her.
Or rather, because of what she wasnot.
“Jasmine, are you okay?”
“Uh, yeah.”She swallowed hard.“I think I made the soup too sour.”
“What are you talking ’bout?It’s perfect.Just like Dad’s.”He poured himself another bowl.“I can take home the leftovers, right?”
She chuckled, glad Kap was here to keep her company for tonight.“Of course you can.Now, did you solve that case with Mrs.Palmer’s missing ring?”
Kap groaned.“Oh, right.Turns out, her pet crow had taken it.”
“Really?”She, too, poured herself another bowl, burying thoughts of the past deep inside.“Tell me what happened.”
Chapter Eight
JASMINE
The next few days at Fantastic Tails were relatively quiet and normal for Jasmine.She arrived at work, went through her usual routine of checking on the animals, ordering stock, packing and sending out their online orders, preparing their subscription boxes, and of course, entertaining customers.In all that time, she hardly saw Mal at all.He continued to come in before she did in the morning and mostly stayed in the back office, emerging only to get lunch or leave for the day, usually an hour or two before she closed up.He would wave or nod to her, but didn’t speak, and there was a distinct impersonal coldness about him that she could perceive.
Jasmine supposed she should be grateful.He was no longer trying to tell her what to do or how to run the shop.Still, after their talk, a small part of her had hoped he would be more pleasant to be around.
Or that he would be more aroundher.
There was a moment, after he’d apologized and told her that he believed she could be successful, that she thought maybe he was going to lean down and—
Don’t be silly.
Mal was her boss and her landlord.He was only staying for a short while, then their business relationship would be over, and she would never see him again.
“Argh!”She tapped furiously on the “enter” key on the keyboard of the computer, but the program refused to load.“What the—oh.”
The pop-up on the screen flashed: “Authorization Code Required for Additional Orders.”Jasmine had been attempting to order more stock for the upcoming Founding Day Festival, but since it was over her usual amount, she needed Vrig’s code.
Or rather, Mal’s code.
She propped her hip against the counter and groaned.There was no getting around this one.She would have to go to him.
Jasmine ignored the sinking feeling in her stomach.She raked a hand through her loose locks, pushing her hair away from her face.She’d had a late start this morning and didn’t have time to blow dry it, so she’d left it down.After spending a minute searching for a rubber band in the drawer under the counter, she found none.With no other delaying tactics available, she decided to put on her big-girl pants and go to Mal.
