“Come on, Vince. Pick up. Pick up.” Sky chewed her thumbnail and bounced her foot against the vinyl floor.
“The number you are dialing is not answering…”
Sky hurled the phone away. The soft and feminine recording that whispered in her ear a minute ago floated into silence. She whirled around, breathing hard through her nose and exchanged her thumb for her bottom lip.
Her thoughts raced too fast for her to grab a hold of one and keep steady. She had to get to Vince, had to calm him down before he did something stupid.
Hauling her phone close again, Sky typed out a message.
SKY: Don’t be offended. You’re welcome at the store anytime.
She stared at the text and hit the DELETE button until the tiny characters disappeared and bled into white.
That sounded far too desperate. Things were bad enough in the past when Vince terrorized her and she grudgingly gave in to it. Sending that text would give him even more power and his demands would double. Sky was already at a disadvantage. She couldn’t dig the hole deeper.
Groaning into her hands, she flew into a nearby chair and buried her head on the counter. The front of the store was silent. The first slap of the door had signaled Vince’s exit. The second was probably Joon Gi’s.
Sky couldn’t believe he’d stepped in like that. What exactly was his game plan here?
It only took a couple brain cells to figure out that Joon Gi, as pleasant as he looked on the outside, was up to something. Did he think she’d fall into his arms if he waltzed into her bakery and acted like an Asian Prince Charming?
This wasn’t some romance novel. In real life, people had bad intentions, selfish priorities, and double lives all held together by thinly veiled smiles and a few good deeds smattered in to hide their rotting stench.
Yeah, she had a problem saying no. Which frequently exposed her to the truth of human nature.
Humans were all instinctively evil.
She’d only known Joon Gi a couple hours, but the principle still applied. They weren’t lovers, friends, or even acquaintances by any stretch of the word. He had no right to care, no right to intervene.
“Okay, enough fuming,” she murmured to herself and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Get yourself together and get back to work, Sky.”
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?