I’d never told anyone about the diner, but since she shared about the dumpling shop, I felt compelled to reciprocate.
The kiss reallyhadfucked with my head.
“Two-dollar milkshakes? I would’ve been a dentist’s nightmare,” Vivian joked.
“Mine wasn’t my biggest fan either.”
The Moondust Diner still existed, but I wasn’t a kid anymore. My sweet tooth had faded, and I didn’t have time for trips down nostalgia lane.
We ate quietly for another minute before I said, “Things must have changed quite a bit after your father’s business took off.”
I could always use more intel on the Laus, and if anyone knew Francis well, it was his daughter.
At least, that was the reason I gave myself for not leaving even though I’d finished my food.
“That’s an understatement.” Vivian traced the rim of her coffee cup with her finger. “When I was fourteen, my mother sat me down for the talk. It wasn’t about sex; it was about expectations for who I should and could date. I was free to be with anyone I wantedas long asthey met certain criteria. That was also the day I found out I was expected to have an arranged marriage if I didn’t find anyone ‘suitable’ within a certain time.”
I’d suspected as much. New money families like the Laus typically tried to enhance their social status through marriage. Old money families did it too, but they were more subtle about it.
“I take it your parents weren’t fans of your exes.” If they were, Vivian and I wouldn’t be engaged.
“No.” A shadow passed over her face. “What about you? Any exes you thought about marrying?”
“I wasn’t interested in marriage.”
“Hmm. I’m not surprised.”
I slanted a glance at her. “Meaning?”
“Meaning you’re a control freak. You probably hated—andstillhate—the idea of someone coming in and upending your life. The more people in the household, the harder it is to control your surroundings.”
My shock must’ve been evident because Vivian laughed and gave me a half-teasing, half-smug smile.
“It’s pretty obvious in the way you run your household,” she said. “Plus, during meals, you’re anal about your foods not touching. You put the meat on the upper left side of your plate, vegetables on the upper right, and carbs and grains on the bottom. You did it at my parents’ house and on my first night at your place, before you left for Europe.”
She sipped her coffee, managing to look regal even while drinking from a paper cup. “Control freak,” she summarized.
Reluctant admiration swept through me. “Impressive.”
I’d been particular about my foods touching since I was a child. I didn’t know why; the sight and texture of mixed foods just made my skin crawl.
“It comes with the job,” Vivian said. “Event planning requires strong attention to detail, especially when you’re dealing with the types of clients I have.”
Rich. Entitled. Needy.
She didn’t need to say it for me to know what she meant.
“Why event planning instead of the family business?” I was genuinely curious.
Vivian shrugged. “I like jewelry as a consumer, but I have no interest in the corporate side of the business,” she said. “Running Lau Jewels wouldn’t be a creative endeavor. It would be about stockholders, financial reports, and a thousand other things I don’t care about. I hate numbers, and I’m not good at them. My sister Agnes is the one who likes that stuff. She’s the company’s head of sales and marketing, and when my father retires, she’ll take over as CEO.”
There won’t be a company left to take over after I’m done.
A small twist of unease tugged at my gut before I dismissed it.
Her father deserved what was coming to him. Vivian and her sister didn’t, but ruin and collateral damage went hand in hand. It was the cost of doing business.
“What about you? Did you ever want to do something else?” Vivian asked.