by Nia Arthurs
Sun Gi was living in paradise, but the sunset did little to calm him.
Bo Young’s heels tacked closer. “I remember when you were about eight years old. Every time your dad brought you to the office, you’d speed over to that chair. You were so small your feet would just dangle over the edge.”
“I remember,” he croaked.
“Your dad would drop whatever he was doing and pretend to be a client so you could play the boss.”
Sun Gi squared his shoulders and steeled himself against the emotions that memory unlocked. “You feeling particularly nostalgic today?”
“Look at you now. Your feet can touch the floor,” she mumbled.
“But Dad’s not here anymore.” Sun Gi felt the familiar pain in his chest. “And I’m still pretending to be a boss.”
“He’d be proud of you, you know.” Bo Young’s voice was quiet, gentle. “You took the foundations he left and multiplied it.”
“But something tells me it still wouldn’t be enough.”
“Sun Gi—” Bo Young swallowed. “This rage inside you, it’s painful to watch. You have nothing to prove. Not to me. Not to your brother.”
“Dad died before I could do what I wanted.” He turned his head sideways so he could look at her from the corner of his eye. “I’ll never be able to prove myself.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“Really?” Sun Gi snorted. “Think about it. Even after the mess Joon Gi made, even after his bankruptcy and the arrest and the shame he brought to our family, Dad would call him the better man.”
“This isn’t about your brother.”
“Of course not. It’s about me.”
She shook her head sadly. “You don’t listen.”
“One of my many flaws.”
“What will it take for you to be satisfied? You were there at Eric’s deathbed, not Joon Gi. You were the one who held your father’s hand and took care of him.”
“Then why’d he keep begging for Joon, huh?” Sun Gi’s fingers clamped into fists. They trembled. Went pale. “Why did he cry out in his sleep for my brother? Why did I have to hear, every single day, that nothing would be right until Joon Gi was there?”
“I don’t know.”
Silence filled the room.
He heard Bo Young shuffling her feet and a moment later, she spoke. “I’ll go through the list of candidates again.”
“Thank you.” His voice was hoarse. The sound of it grated his ears. He hated these moments. When he felt pathetic. Like a worm. Here he was, in the penthouse, but he might as well be crawling on his belly in the dirt.
The click of Bo Young’s heels faded as she turned and stalked outside, locking the door behind her.
Sun Gi ran his thumb over his bottom lip and glared at the window. The sun was sinking even further below the trees and the brilliant display of light looked like something out of a fantasy.
Memories of his father in his deathbed pranced before him. Black eyes. Wispy white hair. Flaring nostrils. Skin so pale and translucent he could see through the skin.
Eric Kim had cried before he passed away. He wept because it was his good-for-nothing second son instead of Joon Gi who was there at the end.
Enough.
Sun Gi straightened and ran a hand down his face. He had work to do and even if Dad wasn’t around anymore, the money in his bank account provided some consolation—shallow as it may be.
The door opened.
Heels clicked against the tile.
A sudden bout of remorse forced him to turn the chair around, eyes downcast. “Bo Young, I shouldn’t have snapped at you like—” He glanced up. Instead of his secretary, he was staring at Hanna. “What are you doing here?”
“Did you snap at Bo Young?” A corner of Hanna’s lips tilted up in a smirk. She draped herself into the sofa and ran her fingernails along the arms of the chair. “That’s unlike you. You worship that woman. If she wasn’t happily married, I’d be jealous.”
“What do you want?” He growled. “The dinner with your parents isn’t until next week.”
“Can’t a woman drop in to visit her fiancé? Or are you just not excited to see me?”
“Now isn’t a good time, Hanna.” Sun Gi rose and strode to the door. Pulling it wide, he yelled, “Bo Young-shi, can you send me the ad copy you posted online? I want to make some tweaks.”
“Got it!”
He spun and found Hanna right behind him. The scent of her perfume filled the air, expensive but cloying. He raked her face with his gaze. Pale skin. Black eyes. High cheekbones.
“You need something?”
“Just you.” She fluttered her eyelashes.
Sun Gi put his hand on her shoulder and drove Hanna against the wall. She gasped when her body made impact and looked up at him. Since she was tall, she didn’t have to tilt her chin far.
“What are you doing?”
He lowered his head and angled his lips over hers. “Isn’t this what you wanted? For us to act like a real couple?”
“I meant in public and in front of my parents.” She shoved him in the chest and slipped away.
“My bad.” He arched an eyebrow and watched as two pink circles burned into her cheeks.
Hanna was all spikes and leather, so he enjoyed throwing her off her game, but what was with the blushing?
She cleared her throat. “What ad did you post online?”
“For a secretary.”
“Not having any luck?”
“You have no idea.”
Hanna fumbled with the hem of her shirt. “Well… I can help you out.”
“Don’t you have your own job?” He waved her away. “Isn’t there another cute, struggling bakery you need to sabotage and acquire?”
Hanna gritted her teeth. “Tyler acted on his own last year. I had no part of the attack on Sky’s shop. The health inspectors, the bad reviews—it was all him.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Working together is a good idea. It’s what Joon Gi and I did back when we were engaged. This is a business arrangement anyway.”
Sun Gi returned to his chair. “No.”
“Why?” Hanna rolled her eyes. “It worked out for me and Joon.”
He stiffened.
“It’s just until you find a decent replacement.” Hanna ambled toward him and stuck out a hand. “What do you say? Partners?”
Sun Gi reached out but, instead of grabbing her hand, he pushed it down to her side.
Hanna gawked.
Jaw firming, he gave her a cold stare. “You must have misunderstood. I am not my brother. If that’s the arrangement you had in mind, you’ll be disappointed.”
“Sun Gi…”
“I’m busy.” Powering on his laptop, he yelled at the open door, “Bo Young, could you see my lovely fiancée out?”
Hanna’s nostrils flared. “I should have known you’d be like this. Just mentioning Joon sets you off, doesn’t it? You’re too predictable, Sun Gi.”
Bo Young stuck her head through the door. “Sir?”
Sun Gi gestured blindly, his focus on his computer. He could feel Hanna’s death glare but didn’t bother acknowledging it.
“It’s okay,” Hanna snapped. “I’ll see myself out.”
“Tell your parents I said hi,” Sun Gi murmured.
All he heard was the door slamming in response.
6
Jo wrung her hands together as she stepped into the hallway outside Sweet Treats’ kitchen.
The past few days, she’d been searching for vacancies and going to interviews, but no one had called her back yet. Jo started to tout her résumé with her everywhere in the hopes that she’d find the perfect job at any moment.
“Keep pacing like that and you’ll wear out the floor,” Sky said.
Jo startled and whirled around.
Sky was gorgeous, as usual, in a white tank, print skirt and a pair of cute wedge sandals. Hoop earrings dangled from her ears and her curls looked thick a
nd moisturized.
Jo whistled. “Dang, girl. What’s the occasion?”
“You see it too, right?” Joon Gi entered the corridor, filling it up with his enigmatic presence. Sky’s boyfriend was tall and striking with perfectly coifed hair and a pair of onyx eyes that seemed to sear through a person’s soul.
Last year, Jo and Joon Gi started off on rocky footing. All she’d known about him was what she’d heard on the news. After getting to know the stoic businessman and especially after watching how committed he was to Sky, she’d lightened up.
A lot.
“See what?” Sky smirked.
“I think she’s dressing up intentionally,” Joon whisper-shouted. “So I don’t move out.”
Sky batted her thick black eyelashes. “Are you accusing me of manipulating you?”
“Whatever your intentions, you look bomb.” Jo nodded in approval.
“Thank you, but I actually have a reason for the outfit. I want to make a good impression on someone. You know?” Sky waved her hand. “Less klutzy baker and more sophisticated business owner.”
“Why?” Joon scrunched his nose.
Jo smiled at the sight. Sky always did that when she was confused.
Looked like her boss was rubbing off on her boyfriend.
Sky cleared her throat. “Now that you’re both here, I have an announcement.”
Joon Gi went pale. “Babe, you’re not… pregnant are you?”
“No.” Sky laughed. “But there is someone very important that I want you both to meet.” Sky checked her watch. “She should be arriving soon.”
The color returned to Joon’s face.
Sky frowned at him. “Why were you so scared? Don’t you want to have kids with me?”
He caressed her arm and murmured softly, “You know I’d have a baby with you tonight, but I want to get my business in order first.”
“I know.” Sky kissed him.
Jo heard the sucking noises and pretended to gag. “Get a room.”
Sky rolled her eyes but kindly cut their embrace short. Joon wiped the lipstick stain that had embedded itself on his already pink lips. Sky giggled and helped to wipe off the swatch of brown makeup that had transferred to his cheek.
Jo silently approved. Even though Joon Gi was a little rough around the edges, he complimented Sky perfectly. She needed help to keep from falling for every sob story.
Though technically, one of those sob stories turned out to be the love of her life so… there was that.
Jo wished them the best. Given she was also a product of an Asian and black love, she had a bias toward that particular interracial pairing.
A phone chirped.
Sky’s brown eyes dropped to the device in her hand. A brilliant smile lit her pretty face and she bounced on the balls of her feet. “She’s here!”
“Who?” Jo asked.
“Come on!” Sky dragged Joon into the front of the store; Jo close on their heels.
Sky released Joon’s hand and unlocked the front door, throwing her arm around a slender woman with skin as glossy and dark as obsidian. She had small eyes, a slim nose, plump lips and the most regal bearing Jo had ever seen.
Stunning.
Yet, when she shuffled in behind Sky, she seemed to make herself as small as possible.
Jo blinked, struggling to understand why the strange woman was acting like they were all mobsters out to beat her into the ground for missing rent.
“Come on,” Sky coaxed. “Introduce yourself.”
The girl shook her head.
Sky tried to nudge her ahead. Jo saw the whites of the girl’s eyes as they widened and filled with pure, genuine fear. She bucked, a frightened horse refusing to be led forward.
“It’s okay,” Sky murmured like a seasoned vet to a wounded animal.
“Uh… babe?” Joon observed their exchange keenly. “What’s going on?”
Sky flashed her doe eyes. Jo recognized that expression. Sky had gone and fallen for another sad story. She could smell it.
“This is Jewel. She’s our first official full-time worker here at Sweet Treats.” Sky gestured to the girl with a flourish.
Jo’s fingers crinkled in her résumé’s cover. “What?”
Joon caught her eye. He seemed as confused as she, though his trepidation was short-lived. Eventually, his expression softened and he dipped his head at Jewel. “Hello.”
Jewel bit on her bottom lip and nodded, a barely discernible move.
“Sky,” Jo blinked, “I didn’t know you were looking for a full-time worker.” Or I would have applied. “Did you advertise without telling me?”
“No, nothing like that.” Sky waved her hands. “I was out a few days ago buying ingredients at the market and Jewel was there with her little brother selling fudge. I bought one and immediately went back to ask who’d made them. When I heard she did and she was looking for a job, I knew she belonged here.”
“How… great.” Jo swallowed, trying to hide her disappointment. Scrounging up a smile, she bobbed her head in welcome. “It’s nice to meet you, Jewel.”
Thanks for stealing my job.
Unaware of her dark thoughts, Sky clapped her hands. “Let’s get this morning started!”
7
Sun Gi shuffled closer to the counters in Sweet Treats. He studied the décor. Cream, orange and pink walls. Large display counters filled with Belizean breakfast favorites like fried jacks, johnny cakes, and croissants.
His phone chirped.
A glance down revealed his fiancée’s picture. The ache in his head grew more intense as he raked his gaze over Hanna’s straight hair and shrewd black eyes.
With a swipe of his thumb, he rejected the call.
A few seconds later, he got a notification.
New message.
Deciding to delay the inevitable, he ignored the little banner and clicked his phone off.
His mind wandered back to early this morning. He’d had another dream about the mystery girl. It was the second time in a row this week.
Sun Gi couldn’t get her voice out of his head. She’d woven a spell on him and he was getting desperate trying to find her so she could break it.
None of his efforts had been fruitful.
Last week, Sun Gi spoke to Stacie about the singer, but she just shrugged and pointed him to the bar manager.
The manager turned out to be Carrie Lockwood, the woman who’d accepted his business card that night and promised to call him. She hadn’t and, when he left the bar that day, he got a feeling that she never would.
Short of barging into the bar and forcibly asking for the security tapes, Sun Gi was at a total loss.
That girl.
Who the hell was she?
Sun Gi knew that his obsession was insane. He’d never been brought to his knees by a woman before and he didn’t want to start now.
Maybe I need a vacation.
Out on a beach somewhere. San Pedro? Caye Caulker? Or better yet, sailing on his yacht, nothing but Caribbean Sea and blue horizon for miles.
Sun Gi could almost feel the breeze fluttering his black hair; the sun warming his back; the call of seagulls fanning overhead.
Another chirp rang from the phone. This time, a message from his secretary.
BO YOUNG: Where are you? The meeting starts in fifteen minutes.
Sun Gi glanced ahead. The line snaking in front of the display was going at a snail’s pace. He tapped his foot against the orange tiles and struggled with giving up and leaving.
Even as the thought crossed his mind, he knew he wouldn’t act on it.
First he’d get what he came for.
Sun Gi held his breath when his gaze landed on Sky.
He watched as she bent over to grab a stuffed jack from the counter with an iron prong. The pastry rolled around, evading her reach. She laughed, brown eyes flashing with good humor.
After a few moments of trying, she got the stuffed jacks into a plastic bag and handed it over to someone, a smi
le lighting her beautiful face.
When Sky smiled, the world shifted. Her big brown eyes sparkled with laughter, joy and warmth. God had put the sun in her eyes. There was no other way to explain it.
With her curly hair brushed back into a short ponytail, he could peruse every inch of her brown skin. The smooth forehead. The bunched cheeks. The plump lips.
Man, I could stare at her all day.
His phone buzzed again.
He dragged his gaze away from Sky to read the banner on the screen.
Another message from Hanna.
He shoved the phone back into his pocket, his gaze automatically finding its way back to Sky.
There were many reasons why he shouldn’t feel the way he did.
Well, more like two. Two reasons. Huge reasons.
The first was, obviously, his engagement.
And then there was the tiny issue of his brother.
Namely, Sky was Joon Gi’s girlfriend.
Sun Gi knew his hyung adored Sky. Eagerly. Foolishly. To the point that he didn’t bother hiding it. Sun Gi stood no chance with Sky, but that fact had done nothing to curb his interest.
“Next!” Sky gestured to the man in front of the line.
Their eyes met.
Her smile beamed straight through him, cutting past his chest.
Sun Gi had studied biology and chemistry all through high school and junior college. He knew that love, infatuation, lust—they were all just hormones reacting, neurochemical pathways randomly firing off at will.
But then Sky looked at him.
“Next,” a voice said in the background.
Sun Gi was too busy admiring Sky to notice. When someone nudged him in the back, he glanced over and found a woman with a baby on her hip and a toddler at her side, scowling at him.
“You’re next, mister,” she growled.
Well, someone hasn’t gotten her coffee today.
Sun Gi forlornly trotted to Jo’s side of the counter.
Jo’s brown eyes were like his, narrowed and slightly tilted down at the corners. She had light brown skin and long, curly hair. Today, she wore a plain blue T-shirt and loose khakis.