Page 53 of Salty, Spiced, and a Little Bit Nice

Especially to un-fake a fake relationship.

CHAPTER 15A Birthday Revelation

Ever since I was young, my parents were never big on birthdays. I didn’t know if it was because they were always so busy working and building their empire, or because their deep-seated Asian frugality prevented them from cutting loose and celebrating.

Before I was diagnosed, birthdays were always “just another day,” as my mother liked to call it. They meant quick, subdued dinners at home, always featuring noodles of some kind, because it was supposed to signify a long, healthy life.

But after the diagnosis, it felt like birthdays—especially mine—ceased to exist. And slowly but surely, other children’s birthdays, too, because parties meant cakes, cookies, junk foods, and tons of sweet, sugary treats, which sometimes translated to persistent glucose level highs and sleepless nights trying to bring it down to an acceptable range. Every year, without fail, I’d get a nod and a curt “happy birthday” from my father, followed by a bulging angpao from my mother. No cakes, no birthday songs, no hugs or kisses.

Which was probably why I woke up this morning not evenrecalling that I turned twenty-nine today, only realizing it when I opened Naomi’s text, full of celebration emojis, and Eric’s not long after. Nothing from my parents—not that I was expecting one. It was a good thing nobody here knew about my birthday. Less fuss, and I could enjoy it quietly on my own tonight.

In lieu of my usual morning run, I decided to celebrate by testing a recipe I’d seen for chunky Oreo and white chocolate chip cookies, but with my own twists on it. The house was still dark when I went downstairs. Early morning when everything was calm and still were always my favorite time to bake. It gave me a chance to think and reflect, and the process of measuring things and methodically following instructions to create something always soothed me, setting me up in the right mood for the day.

Switching on the lights above the kitchen island, I turned on the stove and started melting some butter. I poured it into a mixing bowl, then added some monkfruit sweetener, an egg, a splash of vanilla extract, then whisked it until it became light and fluffy. And here was the twist I was planning: instead of Oreo and white chocolate, I was using matcha and dark chocolate as substitutes. The carbohydrate content in matcha was super low, so I wanted to experiment with different recipes using matcha powder, hoping to offer several items in that flavor at the bakery.

After adding some plain flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, and some matcha powder, I mixed them all to form a dough, then added some dark chocolate chips and several crushed matcha cookies into the mixture. Scooping up large chunks of the dough, I rolled them into plump balls, then arranged them on a cookie tray. I set the oven timer then went back upstairs for a quick shower.

When I bounded down the stairs fifteen minutes later, the sweet scents of the cookies filled the kitchen. Alec was already up, holding a steaming mug of coffee, and he was—damn it—wearing those tortoiseshell glasses again. Without warning, Kimand Jenna’s theory came to mind.Could they be right? That he’s only pretending to be interested in someone else?

I mumbled a “good morning” as I walked past him and took the cookies out to cool.

“You’ve had a busy morning.” Alec took a sip of his coffee. “That smells fantastic.”

“I’m testing a new recipe.” I went to find a mug, then busied myself with the tea bagwhile trying not to stare at him and those distracting glassesand concentrated on brewing my tea. “How would you like to be my unofficial, unpaid taste tester?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

“Matcha and dark chocolate chip cookies. Tell me what you think.”

Alec set his mug on the kitchen counter and took one, before tearing it into halves. The cookies turned out better than I’d expected. Perfect dark green color, with gooey dark chocolate oozing out of the center. I sipped my tea and watched nervously as he bit into one half.

“Wow.” His eyes widened. “Ellie. These are delicious.”

“Yeah?” Relieved, my face broke into a grin. “Not too much matcha? Or maybe more dark chocolate?”

“No. It’s perfect. I think you’ve ruined me for other cookies. Are you going to sell these in the bakery?”

“That’s the plan, yeah.”

“It’ll be a huge hit.” He swallowed the last piece in his hand, then reached for another one. “Hey, you got any plans for today?”

“I’m meeting Mike this morning, then I’ll be at the shop.”

“Mike?” Alec’s eyebrows hiked upward. “As in, Mike Chang, my mechanic?”

“Pretty sure he’s the only Mike we mutually know.” I drained my tea, then started plucking the rest of the cookies off the tray to store them in an airtight container.

His eyebrows plunged, forming a frown. “I should’ve warned you about him. Great with cars, but not with women.”

A tiny jab of thrill shot through me. Could he possibly be…jealous?

“Plus, I thought we agreed. Neither one of us could date other people for now.”

“I’m aware. But it’s not a real date. We’re just meeting for coffee.”

He scoffed. “Your definition of a date is clearly different from mine.”

“It’s only an hour of getting to know a new friend. Or networking, whatever you want to call it.” I placed the dirty cookie tray in the dishwasher. “That’s not violating our agreement. And anyway, aren’t you the one who told me you’re interested in someone else?”

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