James Chan is infatuated with Joshua Wallace. However, he’s eight years older than Joshua, and his catering business has a standing contract with the company the other man works for. Joshua also doesn’t seem to reciprocate his feelings. The future of their professional relationship will be uncertain if he’s rejected.<br><br>Fortunately, he isn’t. They start slow and everything is fine initially, but cultural differences between them become obvious when James invites Joshua to his father’s seventieth birthday party, which is an important milestone in the Chinese culture.<br><br>Initially Joshua is excited about the gifts he’s preparing for James’s father, but things become awkward when he learns about the negative light in which his gifts may be perceived. Can they smooth things out? Or will their differences be too much in the end?

Destined

“Sorry, man. Our first date conversation is so depressing.”


Joshua laughed. “Oh, right. Well, let’s talk about something else then.”


Joshua snickered. “What should we get into next? Politics or business?”


“Neither,” James replied while chortling. “How about your friends?”


“Do they know you’re currently out on a date with me?”


Joshua nodded. “I have lunch with Justin, Vince, David, Javier, Calvin, and Keenan every day. We also meet up for drinks after work or hang out on the weekends sometimes.”


“I see. Did they say anything to you?”


Joshua smirked. “Are you worried about their opinions of you?”


“I know Justin. I have a feeling he will be all right with us. I don’t know about the rest of your friends, though.”


Joshua raised his left eyebrow at James. “You don’t remember David at all?”


James scratched his forehead and shook his head. “No. Have I met him before?”


Chapter 9