“Please don’t tell me that’s your lunch,” Angie said with a disapproving glance at the bag of Sour Patch Kids.
Megan popped another piece into her mouth and chewed, swallowing down a wave of nausea. “Of course not. It’s three o’clock. Who eats lunch at three?”
Now that she was nearing the second trimester of her pregnancy, her morning sickness—which was actually all-freaking-day sickness—was finally beginning to let up. She was able to tolerate a few spoons of soup for lunch, then she washed it down with half a can of Coke because water still tasted disgusting. It was better than living solely off Sour Patch Kids and candied ginger like she had for the last couple of months.
“I worry about you. You’ve lost weight,” her older sister fretted.
Megan smiled. She loved being fussed over by her unni. A part of her couldn’t wait to tell her sisters about being pregnant so they could fuss their big ol’ hearts out. But another part of her didn’t want to worry them, because she planned on raising the baby on her own.
An image of the beautiful stranger flashed through her mind, but she pushed it aside. That was all he was. A stranger. Besides, it wasn’t like she had any way of contacting him to let him know that she was pregnant. This baby was hers and hers alone.
She breathed to stop the now-familiar panic from taking hold. Having something all her own didn’t feel like a sparkling treasure anymore. But she could do this—she had to for her baby. My baby. She remembered her performance at the Tipsy Dahlia—how amazing it felt to stand on her own. The thought reinforced her spine with steely confidence. I can do this.
“Especially since you didn’t have any spare weight to lose in the first place,” Chloe added. “It wouldn’t be as big a deal if I dropped a few pounds.”
Angie tsked. “You’re lovely just as you are.”
“I know.” Her younger sister smiled, with her eyes twinkling. She really was very lovely. “I’m just saying Megan needs to start eating better.”
“All right. Stop ganging up on me.” Megan rolled her eyes. Even before she got pregnant, her sisters had been on her case about her candy addiction. “I’ll eat real food. Satisfied?”
“Yes.” Angie nodded. “Ready to get to work?”
“Let’s do this,” Chloe said, lifting her viola to her chin. “We haven’t played this piece in months. It’s going to need some work.”
Megan and her sisters practiced three times a week in a room they rented at the local community college. With the new season fast approaching, they would need to rehearse even more often. The new season. She was going to start showing soon. She couldn’t help but wonder if her pregnancy would affect her career in any way. Many of the Chamber Music Society’s patrons were quite conservative. Would they frown upon her single-mom status?
And she would have to miss some performances because the baby was due before the end of the season. The Hana Trio wouldn’t be a trio without her... She would worry about that when the time came but she couldn’t put off telling her sisters much longer.
The rehearsal was a welcome distraction from her cluttered thoughts. Playing with her sisters—even when they were practicing the same few bars over and over again—always made her happy. The music seemed to chase away the lingering morning sickness. By the end of practice, she felt better than she had in months.
“Yup,” Megan said while putting away her violin, “this piece definitely needs more work.”
“But I think we made good progress today,” Angie pointed out.
“Agreed.” Chloe stood from her chair and shouldered her viola case. “We’ll have it perfected by opening night.”
After hugging each of her sisters much longer than necessary, Megan walked out to her car and ventured onto the congested freeway for her drive home. Describing rush hour in Los Angeles as heavy traffic was a gross understatement. Traffic implied that there was some movement. No, the freeways felt more like a giant parking lot. Her playlist was the only thing that kept Megan sane through her commute.
While she was a classically trained musician, her playlist consisted mostly of rock and heavy metal. She sincerely believed that her love of that genre made her a better musician, especially with so much classical influence in heavy metal. And it definitely helped her interpret her rock violin pieces more authentically. Not that she had performed at any more clubs since that first night. A wistful sigh escaped her.
It hadn’t been possible for her to perform her electric violin with her unrelenting morning sickness. But even before that, she didn’t go out of her way to book another gig. She might or might not have been avoiding another chance encounter with him. She didn’t know what the etiquette of a one-night stand was, but sneaking out of the hotel room in the cover of darkness seemed like a dick move—a dick move she had pulled.
How could she have known that his last name or a phone number would’ve come in handy a few weeks later when she peed on a stick or two? Fine, five. She peed on five sticks. Regardless, she’d made a decision—mostly out of panic and mortification, but it was still her decision to run away—and now she had to live with the rather significant consequence of raising a child on her own.
But her decision to become a mother at this point in her life was not a consequence but a choice. She lived in a state where abortions were legal so she had the freedom to make that important, personal choice for herself. It infuriated her that she felt grateful for it—that there was a very real threat that such a basic human right could be taken away from her...from every person who could become pregnant. She blew out a long, frustrated breath.
Megan survived her drive home and parked in the garage with a deep sigh. The moment she opened the door leading into the house, the aroma of a Korean feast assailed her nostrils—soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil—and she didn’t hate it. In fact, her stomach growled raucously and her mouth watered because everything smelled...delicious. Did this mean her morning sickness was over?
In her excitement over the prospect of eating a proper meal, it slipped her mind that her dad had mentioned having a business associate over for dinner. So when she barged into the living room, she was doubly shocked to discover a stranger sitting on the sectional with her dad—not just any stranger but her stranger.
What in the ever-loving hell?
The stranger shot to his feet, his expression a mixture of shock, anger and a hint of something she couldn’t identify. Then everything was wiped clean and replaced by polite indifference, making her doubt whether any of the emotions were ever there.
“Ah, Megan. You’re home,” her dad said, turning to face her. She scrambled to close her gaping mouth but couldn’t hide her bewilderment in time. Grooves of concern formed over the bridge of his nose. “Did you forget we were having a dinner guest?”
“Yes...we’re so busy preparing for the new season,” she managed. How is this happening? “Please forgive me.”
“I’m Daniel Pak.” Their guest walked up to her and extended his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
So they were going to pretend to be complete strangers... That was probably a good call on his part. He couldn’t exactly say, “Hey, didn’t we sleep together a few months ago?” in front of her dad. God, she was unravelling.
“Megan Han.” She plastered on a fake smile by sheer force of will and gave him a firm handshake. The jolt of electricity that shot down her spine was hard to ignore and only added to her panic. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Daniel held on to her hand for a second too long and she wondered what that meant. Was he happy to see her again? Or was it a warning not to tell her dad anything? Right. If she could guess what the man was thinking by an extra second of hand shaking then she was in the wrong profession. She felt hysterical laughter bubble in her throat.
“Daniel is—” her dad began.
“I’m going to see if Mrs. Chung needs any help with dinner,” Megan practically shouted over him and rushed out of the living room.
In a daze, she climbed the stairs to her room. Who the hell was he? How did he know her dad? Oh God. Do I have to tell him about the baby? She closed her bedroom door and leaned back against it. She didn’t know what to do.
Her fist clenched around the handle of her violin case, reminding her she needed to put it away. After taking a deep breath, she pushed off the door and set her violin down beside her music stand. Hiding in her room wouldn’t solve anything. If she wanted answers, she had to go back downstairs and join her dad and their guest for dinner. Then she could decide how she felt about this chance encounter—their second one.
She walked into her closet and clicked on the light. Both her dad and Daniel were wearing dress shirts and slacks, so she was a bit underdressed in her leggings and oversize T-shirt. She changed into a pale blue blouse and pulled a black pencil skirt off the hanger. But when she stepped into it and lifted it over her hips, she could barely close the zipper halfway up.
“Shit,” she muttered.
Even though she’d lost weight over the last couple months, a soft bump pushed insistently from her lower stomach. Soon, none of her clothes would fit her. But her frustration quickly morphed into a tenderness that still surprised her. She placed her hand over her stomach and smiled down at her changing body. How could she love someone she hadn’t even met yet?
Her smile faltered and a frisson of nerves ran through her. The baby’s father was waiting downstairs for her...and she had to tell him about the baby. How would he react to the news? She shook her head before any disastrous scenarios could take root in her mind. It didn’t matter. He had a right to know. With calm resolve, she changed into a cream shift dress and headed for the kitchen.
“Hi, Mrs. Chung,” Megan said, her eyes going round at the sight of all the delectable food. Mrs. Chung had been her family’s housekeeper for as long as she could remember. With both her sisters out of the house—Chloe had decided to live on campus while she finished her master’s—and her dad working long hours, Megan would’ve been lonely if it hadn’t been for Mrs. Chung. “Do you need any help?”
“No, I’m fine. Thank you for asking, my dear,” she said, placing bite-size pieces of egg-battered cod on the frying pan. “I just need to finish frying up this last batch of jeon.”
Megan snagged one of the fish jeon resting in a wicker platter and popped it in her mouth. Her eyes slid shut at the savory, umami goodness. “Mmm.”
“Do you have your appetite back?” Mrs. Chung’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “You’ve hardly eaten the last couple months.”
“Yeah, um, it’s just been too hot this summer,” Megan said, avoiding her eyes. She would have to tell everyone eventually—starting with Daniel tonight—but first, she was going to fortify herself with some food. She popped another piece of fish in her mouth while she schooled her features. “I guess I have more of an appetite now that it’s finally cooling down. I should, um, set the table.”
When everything was ready, her dad took a seat at the head of the table. Megan studiously avoided staring at Daniel as they sat down across from each other on either side of her dad. The dinner was more relaxed and casual than the slightly stuffy business affairs her dad occasionally held at their home. The two men shared a rapport that would’ve piqued her curiosity if she wasn’t so preoccupied with her own predicament.
Unable to stop herself, she glanced at Daniel from under her lashes. Her dad didn’t invite just anyone over for dinner at their house. They had to be of some significance to Jigu Corporation. Who was he? What was his relationship to her dad? Her eyes narrowed as a sudden thought occurred to her. Had he known she was Minsung Han’s daughter when he approached her that night? What game was he playing at?
In all fairness, Daniel wasn’t playing any games with her at the dinner table. He certainly didn’t send any secret, significant glances her way. He paid her just enough attention not to be impolite but he didn’t seem the least bit interested in her. She covered her huff of annoyance by stuffing some bulgogi in her mouth. What did she care about capturing his interest? She had bigger things to worry about. But her eyes kept straying toward him—the darn man was as gorgeous as he’d been the night she’d first met him.
“Daniel joined Jigu Corporation as the new Chief Financial Officer a few months back,” her dad addressed her.
She froze with her hand over the japchae, and the slippery vermicelli noodles slid straight off her chopsticks. You’ve got to be kidding me. Her one-night stand worked for her dad? It would’ve been bad enough if he was some business associate in town for a few days. But him being a long-term fixture at her dad’s company made things so much worse. Her pregnancy could wreak havoc on the situation if she didn’t tread carefully.
How had someone so young become the CFO anyway? He couldn’t be more than a couple years older than her. Then again, she was a twenty-seven-year-old who constantly got carded when ordering drinks. Maybe he just looked younger than he was. Even so, he couldn’t be older than thirty.
“Oh?” She hid her surprise and resumed transferring the noodles to her plate. “The same CFO who didn’t show up at our last concert?”
“My apologies,” Daniel interjected smoothly. “I got detained with an urgent matter at work. By the time I got to the concert hall, the performance had already ended.”
“That’s a shame,” she murmured.
“Yes,” he said with a slight arch of his eyebrow, “but I was fortunate enough to catch another performance that evening, which I quite enjoyed.”
“Is that so?” She fell miles short of cool indifference as her cheeks flushed with pleasure. She cleared her throat and looked down at her plate. “I didn’t even realize the CFO position was open.”
“I begged Jerry to hold off his retirement until we found someone perfect for the job.” Her dad raised his glass to the young CFO with a playful wink. “He sure was glad when Daniel came along.”
Megan’s eyes widened despite herself. Perfect? Her dad held himself and others to ridiculously high standards. She’d never heard him describe anyone or anything as perfect before.
“I’m hardly perfect, Mr. Han,” Daniel said with a hint of a smile.
“Don’t sell yourself short. You’ve more than proven your competence during your time at the East Coast office. You single-handedly revamped the business development department in one year. That’s no small feat. Jigu needs that kind of passion and vision at the executive level,” her dad said, clapping Daniel on the shoulder. “Besides, the board of directors wouldn’t have approved your appointment if they didn’t believe you were qualified.”
She couldn’t believe the bromance vibes she was getting. She stared at her dad, but he busied himself piling more food onto his plate, urging their guest to do the same.
“Thank you. I appreciate your faith in me.” Daniel regarded her dad with undisguised respect. “But we have to remember that not everyone was thrilled about my appointment as the new CFO.”
“Don’t worry about that.” Her dad waved aside the younger man’s concern. “You’ll win them over soon enough.”
What in the world was going on? It was hard enough figuring out what it meant to have Daniel back in her life. But now she had to contend with the fact that he and her dad had a close connection that she knew nothing about. Megan had a sinking feeling that things were about to get much more complicated.
Daniel tasted nothing as he methodically shoveled food into his mouth, chewed and swallowed. He nodded and chuckled along with Mr. Han’s anecdotes without really hearing him. He was too busy feeling Megan sitting across from him, with every molecule in his body. Once everything sank in, he knew he’d be more concerned with the fact that she was Minsung Han’s daughter—that he’d slept with the CEO’s daughter—but for now, he couldn’t stop his heart from racing with the thrill of being in the same room as her.
A headache was building up in his temples from all the effort it took to keep his eyes off her. But if he looked at her, he might not be able to hold back the longing and frustration he’d been suppressing for the last three months. She’d probably hoped to never see him again when she snuck out of the hotel room that night. He had convinced himself that he had no problem with that. At least he thought he had. But with her only a few feet away from him, he wasn’t so sure anymore.
Daniel finally allowed himself to steal a glimpse of her as they moved from the dining room back to the living room. She was even more beautiful than he’d remembered. Her silky black hair fell past her shoulders and her face was clear of makeup other than the rosy sheen of her lips. She looked thinner, though. His eyebrows drew together.
After a dessert of sliced apples, pears and tea, Mr. Han made a show of yawning loudly. “This old man needs to turn in for the night...”
Daniel got to his feet. “I should head out.”
“Why are you in such a hurry to get back to your empty condo?” The older man placed a hand on his shoulder. “You two should chat a while longer. As they say, the night is still young.”
Daniel lowered himself back onto the sofa and glanced at Megan. She gaped at Mr. Han as though she was wondering who the hell he was and what he’d done with her father.
“Appa...” she began.
“Keep him company and get to know him a little,” Mr. Han cajoled with a wide smile. “He’s part of the Jigu family now.”
All Mr. Han needed to do was give them an exaggerated wink to make it any more obvious that he was playing matchmaker. Daniel was touched that he would trust one of his daughters to him. And he felt horrible that he had betrayed his trust even before it was given to him. Minsung Han was his mentor and his friend. What would he think if he knew that Daniel had had a one-night stand with Megan?
“Good night.” With a wave over his shoulder, Mr. Han walked out of the living room, leaving the two of them alone.
“Do you have any idea what that was all about?” Megan turned to Daniel in a huff.
“No clue.” He leaned back on the couch and crossed his arms over his chest. “Now, I have a question for you.”
She opened her mouth, then closed it. After staring intently at her lap for a few seconds, she met his gaze. “Not here. There’s a café nearby. I’ll meet you at the door in two minutes.”
He watched her leave the room, unable to stop himself from taking in the sway of her hips and the soft curve of her calves. He couldn’t deny that he still wanted her, but she was off-limits now. Getting involved with the CEO’s daughter was asking for trouble, especially when he was only good for a casual fling. Experience told him that women didn’t stick around, so it was better to not give them any permanence in his life. He swiped a hand down his face and headed for the front door. She joined him shortly with a purse hooked on her arm.
“Do you want to drive together?” she asked, stepping out the door he held open for her. “It’s not far. I’ll grab a rideshare back home after we chat.”
“Sure,” he said. She quirked an eyebrow at him as though she knew he had every intention of bringing her home himself.
They arrived at the small café after a short, silent drive—she’d seemed lost in thought and he’d kept his eyes on the road. After ordering their drinks at the counter, they sat at a corner table which allowed them some privacy.
“Okay.” Megan wrapped her hands around her mug as though she needed comfort. “Ask me.”
“Why did you leave without a word that night?” He allowed his expression to betray no more than mild curiosity even though he was holding his breath, waiting for her answer.
“I, um—” she ran her fingertip around the rim of her mug “—kind of freaked out.”
“Freaked out?” he repeated slowly, his eyebrow arching in bewilderment.
“I’ve never done something like that,” she said. When his eyes widened, she clicked her tongue. “Not sex. I’ve had sex before...although I had no idea that sex could be like that. But that’s not the point.”
How could he notice how adorable she was at a time like this? He overcompensated for the smile he was fighting by drawing his lips down into a grim line.
“The point is I’ve never had sex with a complete stranger before,” she continued. “I didn’t even know your last name...”
“Do you usually deal with novel situations by running away?” He didn’t like the hint of bitterness in his tone. What was wrong with him? They’d slept together once. He had no claim on her. But as much as he hated to admit it, it stung that she’d been ready to never see him again.
“Judge all you want, but I do not make a habit of running away from my problems,” she said, tilting her chin up. “My turn. Did you know who I was when we met that night?”
“What? Know you how?” Then he realized what she was asking and his eyes narrowed with a flash of anger. “Are you implying that I deliberately approached you because you’re Minsung Han’s daughter?”
“To be honest, I see no reason for you to have done that,” she stated matter-of-factly. “I have to believe that this is just a bizarre, unfortunate coincidence.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. He agreed that it was bizarre, but he wasn’t sure if it was unfortunate. Even if one night was all he got with her, he didn’t regret it.
“Damn it. I offended you.” She sighed, her shoulders drooping. “It really doesn’t help me to offend you right now. I just needed to make sure you didn’t have any nefarious, alternative motives for sleeping with me that night—other than lust. Because I’m fine with lust.”
“I’m glad you approve of lust.” A corner of his lips twitched against his volition. “But why do you need to rule out...what was it?...nefarious, alternative motives?”
“Because I have something to tell you and I can’t have you using the information against me or my father.”
He paused with his mug halfway to his lips. “What do you have to tell me?”
“I’m pregnant,” she said.
His mug slammed back on the table, sloshing hot coffee on his hand, but Daniel didn’t feel a thing as her words sank in and his world tilted.
I’m going to be a father.