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

“Guys, what’s wrong? These are fantastic. Don’t you think?”


David was obviously about to say something, but Vincent beat him to it. “Uh, they’re fabulous. The ox on the towel is cool.”


Joshua smiled. “I know, right? James’s father was born in the year of the ox. I checked with James just to make sure.”


“That will make James’s father seventy-one years old.”


Joshua stared at Justin in confusion. “Dude, this is the year two-thousand and nineteen. Do the Math. James’s father will be seventy years old.”


“Chinese people usually add one year to their age,” Justin retorted.


“I informed you about that, Josh,” David reminded while running his hand over the towel and then the small box of handkerchiefs underneath it. “Out of curiosity, have you purchased anything else?”


Chapter 22