by Nia Arthurs
She took another moment to wallow but forced herself out of her defeated slump and moved to the oven to check on the brownies. They’d baked well, like obedient little puppies while the owner had been away.
At least one thing is working out today.
Sky slipped her hands into oven mitts and pulled the desserts out. The scent unfurled from the oven and filled the entire neighborhood. She knew the kids from the trade school nearby would be clamoring for a slice.
Good. Let them come.
Sky threw herself into work.
For once, she was grateful for the craziness. Being a one-man show of cook, washer, server, and cashier left no moment empty and though she normally hated skating around like a chicken without its head, the crowds served a perfect distraction.
By the time closing rolled around, she was exhausted. Happily so. The brownies had sold out; she had a special order for a birthday cake; and there were no customer complaints whatsoever.
After prepping her food for the next morning, Sky stretched her arms above her head and groaned. A glance at the clock said it was nine thirty-seven.
She flipped all the lights off and checked the dough in the fridge before slipping out of Sweet Treats and locking the door behind her.
A cool wind blew against her back. There was no moon, but the beams from the nearby gas station lit her way.
This area of Belize City was a ghost town at night. A lone, black plastic bag rolled down the street like a hay bale from those cheesy Western movies. Stars twinkled overhead, piercing through the hazy gray clouds that slipped in front of them. A dog howled.
It all felt rather tragic and empty.
So it suited her mood.
She was about to head home when she heard the sound of heels crunching against the loose stones on the street. A car door slammed shut and the footsteps strode nearer.
Sky froze.
A woman bounded over. She had a slim figure that was perfectly highlighted in an elegant black pantsuit. The pink shirt beneath it gave the rather bleak business attire a pop of color. Black hair that defied the wind fell straight down to her square shoulders.
Sky wondered what she was doing traipsing around Belize City alone at night.
The woman stepped closer and it was only then Sky spotted the features of her stunning face—high cheekbones, pink lips, and a pair of striking brown eyes that were narrow and deep-set.
The stranger stopped two feet away and surveyed her.
Sky brushed her shirt down in response. She was doused in flour and while she’d checked the mirror to make sure her face didn’t look like Frosty the Snowman’s, she was almost certain she hadn’t caught everything.
“Did you just close?” The woman asked with a hint of awe in her tone.
“No, we close at six.”
“I see.”
Sky tilted her head. “Can I… help you?”
“My name is Hanna Park.” The stylish woman offered her hand. “I left my business card with your employee earlier today.”
Sky stared at the woman’s pale hand. Manicured fingers. French tips. Dainty bangle sparkling over a slim wrist. Capable grip with a firm squeeze that immediately indicated her strength and fortitude.
Would she ever look as put-together, as powerful, and as in control as Hanna Park? This woman probably ate scum like Vince for breakfast. She’d never take on an employee she couldn’t afford. Giving money away to family? Ha. Hanna would probably die with her fingers clutched over her purse straps than shed a bill.
Sky shook the thoughts.
“You seem surprised.” Hanna observed.
“Jo must have forgotten to give me your card,” Sky said in a tired voice. Understandable. Her friend had been too worried that Sky would fall for Joon Gi’s plight.
Which was a legitimate concern since she had.
Sighing lightly, Sky added, “If you’d like a custom order of my pastries, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”
“Sky, can I call you Sky?” Hanna didn’t wait around to hear an answer. “I’m not here to purchase your food. I’m here to talk about your business. I’m—”
Sky raised a hand. “Business deals will also be heard tomorrow.”
“You don’t understand. I’m—”
“Going to change my life?” Her lips quirked. “I’ve heard that line before. Recently.” When Hanna’s mouth opened and closed like a hooked fish gasping for breath, Sky smiled at her. “I appreciate you coming all this way, but I’m pooped. Even if you offer me a million dollars right now, I’d reject it for some sleep. For your good and mine, let’s discuss whatever you want tomorrow.”
Hanna dumbly nodded.
“Great.” Sky waved and trotted down the sidewalk.
A moment later, a car’s purring engine powered to life. Hanna’s sleek black ride nosed close to the sidewalk. A mechanic whirr accompanied the sound of the window rolling down. Sky looked over and found Hanna coasting beside her.
She gaped. “What are you doing?”
“Giving you a ride.”
“I’m fine. Please”—she gestured to the street—“it’s dangerous. You should focus on where you’re going.”
“There’s no one out here.”
“Ms. Park—”
“You can call me Hanna.”
Sky darted a frightened look ahead. Hanna was going to kill someone if she kept that up.
To prevent any innocent pedestrians from hauling a curve and being plowed over because of her stubbornness, Sky dipped her head. “Fine. I’ll accept a ride.”
“Perfect.” Hanna grinned, revealing straight white teeth. She popped the door open and Sky slid inside.
The luxurious leather melted against her tired bones and an unwitting moan tumbled out of her lips. The car was like any other on the outside, but the interior had been pimped out and fitted with custom pieces of leather.
One day, I’ll make it and buy myself ten of these.
Hanna took note of her weary face. “Hard day?”
“You can say that.”
“You’re the baker and the owner, right? You must be on your feet for close to eight hours.”
“Try twelve. I wake up at four thirty and I’m in the kitchen by four forty-five. Things don’t stop until six. Even after I close, I stay back and prepare for the next day where it starts all over again.”
“Crazy.”
“Yeah.” Sky glanced out the window at the empty streets guarded by lampposts shedding bright orange light.
The car might as well be floating because she didn’t feel a single bump. The conversation was calm and light, forging a delicate camaraderie between her and the stunning Hanna Park.
Or maybe I’m just exhausted.
“I don’t wake up at four thirty, but I work from seven until two a.m. so I have an idea how grueling those long hours can be.” Hanna paused at a street corner. “Where do I go from here?”
Sky glanced up. “Oh, this is great. You can just let me out. I’ll walk the rest of the way.”
“It’s fine. I’ll take you.”
“No, you can stop here.” Sky pointed to a small house squashed between an Asian grocery store and a huge apartment building. “That one’s mine.”
Hanna looked over the steering wheel and murmured, “You live close by.”
“Thanks for the ride.” Sky’s hand went for the door handle.
“Sky.”
She paused and looked back. Hanna’s face was bathed in shadows but the light slashed right across her nose and sharp black eyes. They were narrowed, focused, determined. If she’d taken Hanna’s picture right then, that gaze would have pierced through the photograph.
“Whatever you’re going through, it’ll get better.”
“What?”
“Being a business woman is tough, isn’t it? You run around, holding things together while the world judges you for not having a husband or a child.” She ducked her head and chuckled. “Or perhaps that’s just me.”
Sky’s gaze fell. “No, I can totally relate.”
“I’m rooting for you.” Hanna’s eyes sparkled and she threw a fisted arm in the air.
The move was so relatable, so human, that Sky was temporarily taken aback.
“Girl power,” Hanna said with a cheeky grin.
“Uh, yeah.” Sky pumped her own fist in nervous agreement. “Girl power.”
“Good night, Sky. Call me. When you have the time, we can set up a meeting.”
“Sure.” Sky closed the door and waved.
Hanna drove off, her engine purring into the night until it hauled a curve and faded from sight.
She remained on the sidewalk, admiration growing by the second. Hanna’s encouragement left an imprint on her heart and suddenly, she felt like running back to the store and making a special cookie recipe or taking a course on marketing.
Girl power.
She smiled to herself. It was the second spontaneous encounter she’d had today. First with Joon Gi and now with Hanna.
Sky believed that everything happened for a reason.
What exactly could those reasons be?
6
JOON GI’S temper had flared when he stormed out of Sweet Treats six hours ago. A few minutes of pacing, some cursing and a general bash against Vince and Sky commenced.
Then his fury ran out of gas and common sense stormed in, berating him for losing it over what—Sky had rightly pointed out—was none of his business.
And it wasn’t.
Joon Gi didn’t want any part or parcel of Sky’s personal affairs. His reaction back at the store had been out-of-character—a response fed from shock that Vince would be that arrogant and Sky would be that soft.
Even then, he shouldn’t have butted in.
And normally, he didn’t.
He wasn’t the nosy, kumbaya-and-world peace type. Charity donations for the tax benefits and the flattering press releases had been the extent of his dedication to the greater good.
Now his mom? She was the type that liked to get her hands dirty. And not just for the good press. Organizing toy drives, feeding the homeless on Sunday mornings, and picking up trash along the San Pedro coast was a hobby.
Even when the cameras were pointed away from her, she took pride in doing her part.
Dad had too. Bless him.
But that gene skipped a generation entirely.
His mother had never quite imparted the benefits of getting involved to her children. His father eventually gave up on trying to drag him out of the house to visit orphanages and his little brother soon followed his example.
Joon Gi wasn’t a bad guy; he was just… practical. He knew a smile and a kind word couldn’t feed a man, couldn’t fix bad habits, couldn’t provide for a family. All it did was make a heart flutter for a few seconds.
Lasting change required power, not good intentions. And nothing got the attention of people in authority like a few dollar bills.
That’s exactly the kind of thinking that got you arrested, Joon.
He sighed and strode to the bus stop.
Point was, he was over Sky and her ridiculous agreement with Vince. Whether his new boss burned her place down or threw her brownies over the street like confetti, he’d stay the hell out of it.
As he took a seat beneath the shed, an image of Sky—plump lips parted and eyebrows flying high as he clutched her wrist flashed through his mind. A strange tension coiled around his heart.
Did he regret holding her back?
No.
The memory of her in his arms returned to him. The touch of her hair as it flung against his neck. Her scent—of vanilla and chocolate chip cookies. Her dainty brown wrists.
She was soft to the touch, softer than he’d expected. He stared at his hands and closed his fingers into fists, struggling to wipe the moment from his brain.
Instead, more sensations cropped into his mind as if his body had been shoring up the feelings and waiting for a prime moment to unleash it all.
Sky’s bright brown eyes. Her thin dreads—a style he never thought he’d find attractive but did. Her nose. Her lips. Her neck.
A groan tore out of his lips. Idiot. Maybe it would be best if he didn’t return to Sweet Treats today. Wherever this curiosity about Sky was coming from, he’d need to regroup so it was gone by tomorrow.
The guttural sound of the bus’s engine dragged his mind away from Sky. Fifteen minutes later, he hopped off in a quiet suburban neighborhood.
The wind blew fiercely from direction of the Caribbean Sea that flowed a few blocks away. Birds twittered overhead. The hibiscus bushes that sprouted in the neighboring lawns waved.
Joon Gi strode to the end of the street and turned left. A quaint brick building met his eye. The sign mounted in the grass declared ‘Ho and Banner Law Firm’.
After pressing the buzzer, he waited on the front stoop. The lock clicked and he pulled the door, stepping inside with a tired sigh. Joon spotted a receptionist’s desk with no receptionist and a wall of cabinets.
He dragged his gaze to the doorway on the right. A slim man with short black hair, slanted eyes a little too far apart, a wide nose and pink lips frowned back at him.
Tyler Ho.
His best friend since high school.
Though Joon was sure Tyler was starting to regret ever meeting back in Mr. Musa’s class.
He grinned. “Morning.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Is that your way of saying you’re happy to see me?”
Tyler’s narrow eyes darted left and right before he lunged forward, grabbed Joon Gi’s arm and hauled him into the office. The room was medium-sized and painted a light green. Tyler’s law degrees from the University of the West Indies were framed on the wall along with pictures of his family.
“What’s with all the secrecy?” A mischievous smile flirted with Joon lips. “You still haven’t told your partner about us?”
Tyler threw a finger up. “Would you stop doing that?”
“Doing what?”
“Saying things that way? People will get the wrong idea.”
Joon Gi muffled his laughter with a hand and tried to nod soberly. Messing with Tyler was task that he took very seriously and he didn’t plan on stopping.
Ever.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Tyler scolded. “What if word gets around that…?”
“That you’re helping the disgraced son of Eric Kim? Everyone knows you’re my lawyer. Who else would have been able to spring me out of prison after just a week?” He plopped into the green sofa pushed against the wall.
Tyler strode to his desk and sat behind it. “You’re in a mood. How’d your talk with Hanna go?”
He shrugged. “About as good as expected.”
“She chewed you up, didn’t she?”
“She tried.” Joon Gi smirked. “It’s a good thing I can see right through her.”
“What does that mean?”
“Hanna responds to two things.” He spread a peace sign. “Power and confidence. Any man who’s rattled by her is immediately dismissed.”
“Really?” Tyler stroked his chin.
“I learned a lot from working with her,” Joon Gi said thoughtfully.
“Working with her? You mean when you two were dating and engaged?”
“Exactly.”
Tyler snorted. “You’re something else.”
“Not everyone’s looking for a fairytale like you, man.” Joon Gi sighed. “All I wanted was a woman who’d understand when I had to work late. Someone who could discuss the stock market with me and fill in on business meetings when I couldn’t make it.”
“So you wanted a business partner.”
“I wanted a wife. A business partner would take too much of the profits.”
Tyler rubbed the back of his neck. “Stop talking. The more you talk, the more I turn to Hanna’s side.”
“You think I’m bad? You haven’t met Sun Gi.” Joon’s lips curled in disdain. “My broth
er is cut-throat. He’s been that way since he came back from studying. It’s like he’s out to prove something to Dad when he’s already dead.”
“Speaking of your parents,” Tyler nodded, “I talked to your mom today.”
“When?”
“She called from Korea early this morning.”
“Was something wrong?”
“I think she’s worried about you. She was nervous. A little chatty. She was plying me with questions. I think she suspects that I’m harboring you at my place.”
Joon Gi shook his head. “Mom’s a better investigator than the police. If she was sniffing around, it’s because she was looking for evidence. She already knows the answer.” He narrowed his eyes. “I bet you caved.”
“It wasn’t intentional.”
“Of course not.”
“You haven’t heard from her since before you got arrested. Don’t you miss your mother?”
“Mom’s better off if I keep my distance. She’s probably having a hard time over there because of her disgraced son.” Joon moved on, uncomfortable with the topic. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. As long as she doesn’t tell your folks I’m crashing at your place. I don’t want you getting ostracized because you’re harboring an ex-con.”
“You barely spent a week in jail.”
“Thanks to you,” Joon Gi jerked his chin forward. “But seven days is still too long. Just ask your halmoni.”
Tyler stripped out of his blazer and folded it neatly over the back of the chair. “My grandmother hates everyone. You’re not an exception.”
Joon Gi laughed and pictured Tyler’s grandmother. The matriarch of the family, Mrs. Ho, held the reins of power in a tight-fisted grip. Everyone—including her children and their families—were within her control.
Joon Gi threw his arm over his forehead. “Even though I didn’t convince Hanna to break the engagement to Sun Gi, it wasn’t a total waste.”
“What do you mean?”
“I got a job.” Joon Gi sat up and winced. “Although I might have gotten myself fired today.”
“Slow down a bit.” His friend blinked. “You got hired and fired already?”
“I know right.”
Tyler’s eye twitched.
“If you were a baker with a struggling business, what would make you give your stock away for free?” Joon Gi asked.
