Joon Gi woke with a start. He shot off his makeshift bed, mouth arching in a silent roar of pain as his stiff shoulder and back muscles punished him for his choice of mattress. The chairs beneath him wiggled, legs scraping the floor as they skidded back.
Joon rubbed his eyes and glared at the sunlight that still managed to creep past the shaded glass in the café.
What time was it?
He swung his legs and arched his hand out toward the table, feeling around with his eyes half-closed until it landed on a hard surface. Scraping his phone into his hand, he peeked at the screen and gasped.
Was it that late already?
He scrambled to his feet, fully awake. His eyes skittered to the front door that was still, blessedly, shut.
“Idiot,” he mumbled. Normally, he was out of Sky’s bakery by four in the morning. Something must have gone wrong with his watch because it was now after eleven.
Joon slipped his shoes on and tore the blanket he’d stolen from Tyler’s place off the chairs. After rearranging the table, he checked to make sure that he had left no evidence of his stay.
It had been three days since he’d been sneaking into La Case De Sweet Treats. Yelp review 1.5 for the crappy beds. He used the key she’d conveniently left for him, moving in every night after Sky left and running out before she came back in the morning.
Sky still had no idea.
And he’d like to keep it that way.
Stifling a yawn with his hand, Joon chanced another look at his phone screen and froze. The date paraded before his eyes.
Sunday.
He almost laughed.
It was the weekend. He didn’t have to rush. Sky wouldn’t be here until tomorrow. Relieved, he stretched the kinks out of his back and took his time strolling to the broom closet. Nestled behind the boxes of old paper plates and buckets was his duffel bag.
Oh how the mighty have fallen.
A few months ago, Joon Gi had the cash to stay in the most expensive hotels in Belize. Now, he was sneaking around in a tiny bakery with his duffel bag in one hand and a half-used bar of soap he’d found in the bathroom with the other.
He had no other choice.
After Halmoni discovered him at Tyler’s place, she set her foot down and threatened to evict her grandson if she found Joon hanging around again. Tyler was willing to take him back on the down low, but Joon didn’t want to put his friend in that position.
Staying with Sun Gi wasn’t an option either.
Sweet Treats was his last and only resort.
At least the building had a working shower. He had to be grateful for the small things or he’d go crazy.
Lately, his fire had been sputtering out. Doubts crept into his mind, whispering, taunting him, urging him to give up. Depression hunkered outside the door of his heart, eager to drag him down. Joon was fighting those demons with everything he had.
He’d found the rock bottom below rock bottom, but he wasn’t ready to throw in the towel yet.
With a deep breath, Joon Gi flicked through the clothes in his duffel and selected a new pair of boxers, jeans and a T-shirt. He locked the door behind him and stripped down, setting the shower to warm.
The water was cool against his back and he stood under the spout for a long minute, letting the drops batter his skin. Since sleeping on the chairs in Sweet Treats, Joon had found a new appreciation for proper bedding.
The floor would probably be gentler.
He ran thick fingers through his hair and the limp strands flopped right back into his eyes. A hand on the wall, he bent his head and thought of where he would go from here.
There was no way he could live in Sweet Treats long term. Even if Sky never caught on to him, it would sting his pride to make this a habit. He needed money and, because of his agreement, he couldn’t expect any from Sky until next month.
Damn.
He shouldn’t have agreed to work here for free.
But how else would you have earned her trust?
Good point.
He sighed and turned the water off. Grabbing the towel hanging off the hook outside the stall, he wrapped it around his torso and staggered out of the bath.
The mirror was foggy.
Joon Gi swiped his heel over it and stared at his reflection in the clear glass. His pale skin clashed against his black hair and dark brown eyes. He looked like a regular guy. Reputation intact. Business thriving. Love life on fire.
Ha.
Appearances were deceiving.
He got dressed with a heavy heart and brushed his teeth. After cleaning up after himself, Joon returned to the main room and packed his duffel. He stuffed the used clothes into a plastic bag and noted the dirty to clean clothes ratio was extremely imbalanced.
He’d have to make a trip to Tyler’s place to borrow the washing machine.
His phone rang.
Joon reached to answer it when a shadow appeared over his shoulder. He spun and found Sky entering the café.
Their eyes met.
Her eyebrows crinkled in confusion.
His shoulders stiffened with guilt.
The phone went silent.
Sky gaped. “Joon Gi? What are you doing here?”
The phone chirped again.
Joon looked down at the screen.
Tyler’s name appeared.
“Uh,” he swiped his thumb over the device as his thoughts raced, “you’re here.”
“Yeah.” She dragged the word out. “But why are you here?” Her eyes darted to the towel slung over his shoulder and his wet hair that was dripping onto the sleeves of his shirt. “Did you just take a shower?”
The phone went silent again.
A terse hush swept through the room, heightening the tension.
He couldn’t lie his way out of this.
Sky’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. She stepped closer and it felt like the walls thundered. “Joon Gi, are you secretly living in the bakery?”
He yanked the towel off his neck. “I didn’t plan on staying long. It was just until I figured something else out.”
Sky’s shocked expression melted away. From this distance, he couldn’t read her eyes well, but from that intense stare he figured things were about to get serious in…
Three…
Two…
“Are you crazy? This is illegal! You can’t just break into someone’s store and sleep on their furniture without their permission!”
“I know. I’m sorry. I got kicked out of my friend’s place a few days ago and I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
Sky huffed and rubbed her temple. “What happened to your friend?”
“His grandmother caught me at his place and made a huge fuss—”
She rammed her fists into her hips.
Joon Gi avoided her fuming gaze. “Point is, Tyler’s place is no longer an option for me.”
“How long have you been staying here?”
“Since Wednesday.”
He hadn’t thought it possible but her eyes popped even further out of her face. There was no way he could miss the crackle of flames in her gaze now.
I’m so dead.
Joon’s mind scrambled for a solution. How could he get himself out of this? If Sky went to the police, it was game over. They’d lock him up. Forget about revenge or slinking back to Korea with his tail tucked between his legs.
Should he threaten her?
Cajole her?
At one point in time, he would have flirted with her, but since getting to know Sky, he didn’t want to play with her like that. Not for a situation like this when he was clearly in the wrong.
The silence stretched.
Peaked.
He squirmed, waiting for the slim woman to decide his fate.
When her brown eyes found his face again, Joon was surprised to find that they were softening even though the glint in their depths remained firm. He wiped his hands on the back of his pants, casting his gaze to the floor.
What was going on here?
Why wasn’t she saying something?
Sky spun on her heels. It was then that Joon noticed she was dressed up. Her hair was scooped back into a bun, allowing his gaze to peruse the planes of her face and the length of her delicate neck. Her cottony blouse and skirt flared as she turned.
When Joon didn’t move, she flung a look over her shoulder. “Follow me.”
He strode forward, his footsteps thudding with the click of her heels like a buss drum harmonizing with a metronome.
Thud. Thud.
Click.
Thud. Thud.
Click.
Sky stopped and looked at him again. “Bring your things.”
He wrapped his fingers around the straps of his duffel and hustled behind her. She stormed through the kitchen, headed for the side door and stepped through it. The door banged shut in his face.
He stopped short.
Understanding dawned.
She must have slipped in from the side. That’s why I didn’t hear her.
Joon pushed his hand out and thrust the door open.
He had no idea where they were going but steeled himself for the worst. Whether it was the police station or an abandoned alley, he’d just shut his mouth and take it.
Fingers twining in her skirt to prevent the wind from lifting the folds of cloth and exposing her prim brown legs, Sky marched down the sidewalk.
He followed without a word.
They kept going for another two minutes before stopping in front of a narrow house crammed between two buildings. The lawn was protected by a stretch of wire fencing that seemed laughably over-done for the patch of grass in front of the porch.
Sunlight danced over the red zinc roof and the inviting plants curling out of earthen pots that hung from the verandah.
Sky’s heels clicked together.
Joon stopped a couple feet away, observing, quiet.
She jutted a hand out. “This is my place.”
Did she want him to wait in there while she called the cops or something?
Nostrils flaring, she grunted, “You can stay here.”
He coughed. “What?”
“You need a place to stay, right?” She flung her arms toward the house as if trying to tear them off by force. “I’ve got a room. There’s a small office with a cot. It’s not much but it will do for now until you find somewhere else.”
Realization dawned.
Joon Gi shook his head. “No, I don’t want to put you out—”
Sky lurched over, grabbed his duffel bag and strode past the gate.
Joon watched the woman stalking over the grass and strained to wrap his brain around her kindness. When she’d caught him in the café, Sky looked seconds away from busting his chops with the nearest weapon and flinging him behind bars.
So what was this?
Uncomfortable, Joon Gi followed her into the house. He resisted the urge to take his shoes off at the door since it was a habit.
Sky didn’t seem bothered by his hesitation. She plunked his duffel in the middle of her living room and faced him, arms folded over her chest.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“I don’t have a choice,” she said through gritted teeth. “If I don’t do this, I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
Joon Gi stared at her, unsure of what she meant.
“Sleeping in the shop isn’t a good look for Sweet Treats. This is better for business.”
“For business?”
She nodded sharply.
“It won’t be for long,” he promised.
“Whatever.” Sky gave him a long, lingering glare and strutted outside, slapping the door closed behind her.
He stood in the wake of her exit, his mind buzzing with thoughts that were soaring too fast for him to get a lock on.
Sky was a soft-touch. He’d known that from the moment he first saw her, but this? It didn’t make any sense.
He shouldn’t stay.
Instead of turning for the door, Joon Gi grabbed his duffel and perused the cream-colored walls. “Where did she say that office was?”