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 brother 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.
“What?”
“No matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t make any sense.”
“What language are you speaking because it doesn’t sound like English or Korean?”
Joon Gi chuckled and leaned his head back. “I broke my own rule today.” He ran a hand through his hair and admitted, “I got involved.”
“With Hanna?”
“With my boss.”
“It’s a she?”
Joon Gi nodded.
“She pretty? Prettier than Hanna?”
He shrugged. “I wasn’t looking at her like that. She’s just… different.” He pictured Sky’s warm brown skin, cocoa eyes and neat dreads. “She’s confusing.”
“You like her?”
“What?” Joon Gi almost bolted out of the sofa. “No, it’s not like that.”
“If she’s as pretty as Hanna, I can forgive you for getting distracted.”
“You’re an idiot.” Joon Gi chuckled.
Tyler cleared his throat. “Don’t get offended, bro, but what kind of business would take you in after… everything?”
“It’s a bakery.”
Tyler’s jaw dropped.
“Owned by a Belizean,” Joon Gi added.
Tyler licked his lips. “A Chinese Belizean?”
“Nope.”
“Taiwanese?”
“Nope.”
“Filipino?”
“Nope. She’s black.”
“Black. Fully black?” Tyler raised his arm. “No Asian?”
“No.”
“Is it that bad? You couldn’t find anyone you knew who could use your skill?”
“I tried, but the rumors have done their damage. You know how unforgiving our community is. It’ll be the same if I go to the other Asian companies in the districts. My name is ruined. No successful business will want to work with me.”
Tyler huffed. “This city is ruthless, man. I wish I could help you more, but—”
“It’s fine. Letting me use your guestroom is a huge assist already. I’ll figure the rest out. Don’t worry about it.”
“Cool.” Tyler bobbed his head. “You want some Ramen?”
As his friend strode into the law firm’s kitchen to set the pot on the stove, Joon Gi flung himself back into the chair and stared at the ceiling. Talking to Tyler had reminded him of how lucky he was to have scored that job at Sweet Treats.
He just hoped that Sky would forget about what happened today and take him back tomorrow.