If We Were Perfect - Ana Huang Page 0,30

went to The Container Store without me? What type of spice jars did you buy? What do the labels look like?”

Sammy shot her an Are you kidding me? look.

“I was just asking,” she said defensively.

She was also well aware that he hadn’t touched what she’d said about New York. Judging by the way he returned to his meal, he wasn’t planning to.

Olivia felt curiously deflated. She didn’t want to discuss their breakup per se—talk about reopening an old wound—but a part of her had been relieved for the opportunity to discuss the real elephant in the room. The one that had sat between them, immovable and unforgettable, for eight long years.

Guess it’ll have to sit there longer, because she sure as hell wasn’t bringing New York up again.

“If you went shopping today, why don’t you have a shopping bag?” she asked.

Sammy dug into the green curry. “I left it in the car. I’ll grab it later.”

“Oh.” Olivia poked at her duck. “The next time you see your mom, can you tell her I apologize for, um...”

“Flashing your breasts?”

Among other things. Her breasts weren’t the only thing she’d flashed, though hearing the word “breasts” come out of Sammy’s mouth sent a spear of heat ricocheting through her insides.

“No need,” Sammy continued. “She knows you didn’t mean to do it. She told me so today.”

So that’s where he’d been all day! With his mom.

A strange relief fizzled through Olivia’s veins.

“It’s sweet you spent your Sunday with your mom.” She was half-teasing, half-serious. She wished she had that type of relationship with her mother, but if wishes were horses, yadda yadda.

Pink tinged Sammy’s cheekbones. “Yu family Sunday dim sum. It’s a tradition, though I missed the last few,” he said. “She made me promise to show up today.”

“Why?”

“Why else? To set me up with what she hoped would be her future daughter-in-law, who also happened to be my ex-girlfriend.” His mouth twisted into a grimace.

Olivia frowned. She was Sammy’s ex-girlfriend, and she sure as hell hadn’t been invited to dim sum. She could’ve used some egg tarts that morning, too.

Then it hit her that, duh, of course Sammy had had other girlfriends other than her. In fact, he was dating Jessica—

“Wait a minute!” She slammed her palms on the table. The takeout boxes trembled with shock. “Why’s your mom setting you up when you already have a girlfriend? Doesn’t she know about Jessica?”

Was it possible Sammy had kept Jessica a secret from his family? Maybe they didn’t want him dating anyone outside their culture, but three years was a helluva long time to keep such a secret.

The pink spread across Sammy’s face. “Jess and I are no longer dating,” he said cagily.

Olivia’s heart revved. “But I saw you together at Ishikawa.”

Sammy had been in high spirits all week—except for when he saw what she did to his spice rack—which meant they couldn’t have broken up since then. You don’t end a three-year relationship and walk around looking all hot and happy afterward.

“We were there as friends.” He’d composed himself and returned to wolfing down his curry. He continued between bites, “She and I broke up, uh, awhile ago.”

What’s “awhile”? Weeks? Months? Years?

He’d brought Jessica to Farrah’s wedding, so their breakup couldn’t have been that long ago.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Olivia demanded.

He looked at her like she was crazy. “Why would I tell you?”

She opened her mouth, then closed it. Why would he tell her? His love life had nothing to do with her. Until a week ago, they’d barely acknowledged each other when they were in the same room, much less update each other on their relationship statuses.

Olivia switched subjects. “So? Is your mom one step further to gaining a daughter-in-law?”

Sammy’s dark eyes glittered. “Fishing, Olivia?”

“You wish. Merely worried for the poor woman who might have to put up with your appalling organizational skills.”

“I have other talents that would make that a non-issue, as you well know,” he said silkily.

A host of unwanted erotic images invaded Olivia’s mind. Strong hands gripping her hips as he thrust into her from behind. Her legs wrapped around his waist as they fucked against a wall. Waves of bliss punctuated by throaty screams of pleasure.

Olivia’s body reacted instantly. Her nipples puckered, her thighs clenched, and moisture pooled between her legs, warm and honeyed.

She was so stunned by the unexpected onslaught of arousal that she couldn’t come up with a response.

“To answer your question, no, Lucy and I are not rekindling our relationship,” Sammy said. “We’re exes