“So how many interviews do I have left this week?” Jihae asked in Korean to June, her right-hand woman and a trusted friend.
They were sitting side by side on Jihae’s office sofa and having a much-needed cup of coffee.
“You’ll be interviewing Colin Song from CS Productions today, and Green Grass Productions on Friday,” June said.
Jihae’s heart immediately switched into high gear at the mention of Colin Song’s name. It turned out the handsome producer and his production company were a good fit for Rotelle Entertainment. Even so, she was hesitant about approaching him because of her obvious attraction to him. But before she could decide what to do, CS Productions had applied for the partnership of their own accord.
She still couldn’t help but feel conflicted about the whole thing. CS Productions was a strong candidate. But...why did the man have to be so unreasonably attractive? Just don’t be biased one way or another. Looks had no bearing on a business decision.
“Just two more to go?” Jihae yawned behind her hand to hide her sudden flush. “Thank goodness.”
“You’re pushing yourself too hard,” June said, eyeing her with concern. “Even for you.”
“I know. I know.” She rolled her eyes then affectionately bumped shoulders with her friend. “It’s just that I’ve been dreaming of this for so long, and we’re finally here in the States, living it. It’s hard not to be excited.”
“Sure. Fine. Be excited. Just slow down a little. You could still be excited working eight to nine hours a day instead of eleven to twelve.”
“Maybe you’re right.” Jihae noticed for the first time that June had dark circles under her eyes that even her flawless makeup couldn’t hide. “Oh, my goodness. You’ve been working those hours with me all this time. How thoughtless of me. I’m so sorry, friend.”
“Don’t worry about it. You weren’t asking me to do anything you weren’t doing yourself. I say that’s fair.”
“Let’s cut back to a sane eight hours a day once the interviews are finished.”
“Promise?” June stuck out her pinkie, and Jihae shook it with hers.
With their coffee break over, they went back to work like proper workaholics. Her team had sifted through stacks of proposals and narrowed it down to ten production companies to interview. A few were lackluster and some were promising, and now Jihae was down to her last two interviews.
Her earlier glimpse of him on TV had given her mixed feelings about Colin Song, but she wasn’t about to judge him based on a snippet of entertainment news. She would do her utmost to be completely fair. Maybe he wouldn’t be as handsome in person. Yes. He was probably just very photogenic and looked like any other man in real life.
Her phone rang and brought her wayward thoughts to a halt.
“Yup.”
“Mr. Colin Song is here to see you,” June said.
“Thanks. Please send him in.”
“He’s level-ten yummy,” her friend whispered almost inaudibly.
“Stop that,” she said, fighting a laugh.
Jihae hurriedly replaced the receiver in its cradle and wiped the goofy grin off her face. She walked around her desk with her professional half smile on, ready to greet her guest when he came in.
Her office door opened and all the oxygen was sucked out of the room. Colin Song in the flesh. The video clip hadn’t done him justice. He took long strides into the office and stood in front of her before she could get a proper breath in. He wore a sharp suit in a perfect shade of gray with a white dress shirt that showed off his athletic physique. His shoulders were so broad, she wondered if he had all his suits custom-made. She should’ve said hello about three seconds ago, but he was so beautiful she forgot how to speak.
Oddly, he, too, stood transfixed in front of her, his mouth slightly agape. Oh, bloody hell. She must seem completely bonkers staring at him like a goldfish of little brain. She shook herself out of whatever spell held her hostage and extended her hand.
“Mr. Song, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
His big, warm hand enveloped hers, making her mind go stark white. Then her knees turned to gelatin when he said in a smooth, deep voice, “The pleasure’s all mine.”
“I’m Jihae Park. I work here,” she offered helpfully. God. When he uttered the word pleasure, it sounded like it was dipped in copious amounts of butter. So decadent.
“Yes,” he said with laughter twinkling in his eyes. “I’m well aware of that.”
“Well...yes.” Jihae gave herself a mental forehead slap, and forced herself to focus on business. It was her comfort zone. She had to stop acting so weird. “Please have a seat.”
“Thank you.”
He folded his long form onto a sofa, and watched her with quiet eyes as Jihae picked a seat across from him. The coffee table between them created a much-needed barrier for her brain to function somewhat normally.
“I was impressed by CS Productions’s proposal. It was articulate, and it got straight to the point without flowery, superfluous posturing. I appreciated that. And I quite enjoyed reading Best Placed Bets. It was endearingly funny, romantic and heartfelt,” she said, relieved that she sounded sufficiently professional. “But I want to hear more about your vision for the story.”
“Everything aside, I want this film to be a funny, uplifting rom-com that makes the audience giddy—the kind of movie where everyone walking out of the theater has a spring in their step,” he began with a smile that exponentially increased his attractiveness. “I’m also excited about the Korean-American main characters, and the cultural elements they bring to the story. I believe the Asian-American audience will be able to relate to the quirks and humor in those scenes.”
Before Jihae could respond, her cell phone trilled from her desk. She shot up from her perch and hurried to turn off her phone. When she reclaimed her seat, her cheeks were burning. “I’m so sorry for the interruption. I must’ve forgotten to put my cell on silent.”
“It’s not a problem. We’ve all done that.”
“Thank you.” She paused to gather her thoughts. “To continue with our discussion, there have been Korean films, including Rotelle Entertainment’s, that have been released in the US. So seeing Asian actors as leading characters isn’t as rare as it used to be.”
“Those films are stunning works featuring Korean culture, but what we want is to represent Korean-Americans as Americans, not as foreigners who live in this country. Films set in Korea obviously don’t accomplish that goal.”
“I see your point,” she said, nodding slowly.
The passion in his words created a spark of excitement inside her. She would need to research and think further on the issue, but she would love to be part of the movement Colin envisioned.
“This film could add the Asian-American voice to the majority’s dialogue. Our journey, the same but different, is part of American life, too. It’s like this—the French mirepoix and the Creole holy trinity are only one ingredient apart. Both of them have onions and carrots, but the mirepoix has celeries and the holy trinity has red bell peppers. They are more similar than different, and the difference isn’t a bad thing. They’re equally good,” Colin said, his hands punctuating his words. She liked his analogy, which she readily understood thanks to her many cooking certificates. “I don’t know where that analogy came from, but I’m going with it.”
She laughed. “No, it makes complete sense.”
“Best Placed Bets could be a film that takes America one step closer to acceptance without being heavy-handed and didactic. Nobody wants to be lectured, but I believe everyone wants to understand. This film has the potential to be a dynamic, pivotal work in the industry. And with Rotelle Entertainment’s influence and resources, the change could be far-reaching.”
Colin Song’s energy and intelligence made her pulse pick up speed. His dark eyes glowed with intensity, and he sat forward in his seat, bringing his gorgeous face closer to hers. He had lovely, faint laugh lines in the corners of his eyes. He was someone who laughed often, and suddenly she wanted to hear what his laugh sounded like.
She wished she knew some funny jokes. Wait. Full stop. She was acting like a tween with a hard crush—thoroughly awkward and dorky. Even her palms were sweaty. This was blooming ridiculous. She surreptitiously wiped her hands on her pants as she leaned forward to show that she was listening with great interest.
When he shifted in his seat, a waft of his cologne drifted her way, and her eyes nearly fluttered shut. Fresh and woodsy, like he’d hiked through the woods to come to the meeting. It took Herculean effort to keep her eyes from drifting to the muscular thighs that filled his slacks.
Oh, Lord. Her mind did not just go there. Her body was already warm and hypersensitive from his proximity. She had to rein in her attraction. Jihae’s reputation was built on her unshakeable professionalism and acute business sense. Lusting after the head of a partner company could tarnish that reputation. Without the respect she garnered, performing her job as well as she had been would become impossible.
Moreover, if this attraction led to...something, her father could take the one thing that helped her survive his scorn and her lonely existence—Rotelle Entertainment. Her work was everything to her. She couldn’t forget that. Ever. As long as there was a chance of them working together, Colin Song was off-limits.
“Thank you, Mr. Song,” she said in a cool, level voice despite her unsteady breathing, and rose to her feet.
“Thank you for your time, Ms. Park.” He extended his hand and she put hers inside it, trying and failing to feel indifferent to his touch.
She released a soft wavering sigh, and his eyes shot to her lips and lingered. Bloody hell. This attraction might go both ways. A secret part of her rejoiced at the realization, but the sane part of her shivered with apprehension. It doubled her temptation to test out their attraction, but she wasn’t a mindless body. She was the vice president of Rotelle Entertainment.
“I’ll be in touch in the next couple days,” she said, gently withdrawing her hand.
“That sounds perfect. I look forward to hearing from you.” He released her hand and blinked rapidly as though he was trying to get his bearings. Could he tell how attracted she was to him?
With a curt nod, he walked out of her office. As soon as the door closed, Jihae plopped back down on the chair she’d been occupying and pulled her shirttail out of her slacks and flapped it rapidly. What in the world just happened to her? She had never been so attracted to someone at first sight. It was a crazy, instant chemical reaction, and she could swear he’d felt it, too.
She shot up to her feet and paced the floor. The temptation to explore these newfound feelings was overwhelming, but her willpower had to be greater. Jihae was excited about what CS Productions brought to the table, and she was very much interested in working on Best Placed Bets. But did she have the discipline to make certain that she wouldn’t act on her attraction?
Partnering with CS Productions would provide a great opportunity for Rotelle Entertainment’s venture into Hollywood. Partnering with Colin Song could mean trouble for her. Big trouble.
Colin was back at CS Productions but he wasn’t getting any work done. His mind was too busy replaying his meeting with Jihae Park. He dragged his hands through his hair and leaned back in his chair.
Her beauty had taken him by surprise. He had no business thinking it, but it was undeniable...she was beautiful. He couldn’t breathe for the first few seconds in her presence. Her hair had been pulled into a low knot, revealing her long, graceful neckline. Her fair, heart-shaped face looked like cool porcelain, with an expression to match—placid and aloof. Dressed in an all-white pantsuit, she’d seemed almost celestial. Like the elves in The Lord of the Rings.
When she spoke with a sexy-as-hell British accent in a warm, husky voice, his libido had spiked like it had been hit with a shot of adrenaline. If that hadn’t been enough to throw him off, there was the matter of her shoes. She’d worn a pair of nude, patent-leather stilettos—he was a sucker for women in gravity-defying heels—with rock studs imbedded in a T shape over her feet. It was edgy and hot. Were her shoes—so different from the rest of her—a glimpse into her true personality? And...he was analyzing her shoes.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” He wearily wiped a hand down his face.
It was all Colin had been able to do to focus on the meeting. But Jihae had conducted the interview with frank professionalism and respect, listening to what he had to say with genuine interest. What had stunned him the most about her was her embarrassment and regret at having her cell phone ring during the interview. The blush on her cheeks couldn’t have been feigned, and she’d apologized profusely. That didn’t seem like something an entitled, self-absorbed woman would do.
Colin was confused and enthralled by Jihae Park. Dislike and suspicion were the only emotions he’d felt toward her before the meeting, but his first impression of Jihae Park now warred with what he’d assumed her to be. If he didn’t know about the espionage, he would’ve seen her as a colleague he could respect and come to like. Since they might end up working together, having some professional respect for her wasn’t all bad, but it made spying on her even more distasteful.
In all honesty, his plan to spy on her had never been pleasant. The idea of sneaking around and gleaning information from someone through subterfuge made him mildly nauseous. Besides, he had no idea how to go about gathering intel or even what kind of information would help rekindle Hansol’s investigation against Rotelle. All he had to fuel his plan was his loyalty to his family, and his desire to do what was right by them.
Was he willing to put the film in jeopardy for his family? This partnership would be a huge step forward for CS Productions, and it would open up many more doors in the future. Opportunities like this didn’t come along often, and Colin wanted to make the most of it. He wasn’t about to unnecessarily risk the partnership if it could be helped.
But if he found concrete evidence of Rotelle Corporation’s involvement in the espionage against Hansol, he would have to inform his family. He would do everything in his power to minimize the risk of being exposed and see the project to its conclusion, but he would always choose his family in the end. Even over the film. He just hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
A knock sounded on his door, and he smoothed the frown off his face. “Come in.”
“Am I interrupting something?” Ethan asked, poking his head in.
“Not at all.” Colin sat up straighter in his chair, giving himself a mental shake. “What can I do for you?”
“I think we might be able to sweeten the deal even more for Rotelle Entertainment.”
His stomach lurched with excitement and dread. “I’m all ears.”
Colin was excited for CS Productions, but the thought of being another step closer to spying on Jihae Park started a throbbing pain behind his eyes. He just hoped his inconvenient attraction to her wouldn’t cloud his judgment in this precarious situation. One thing was for certain: under no circumstances could he act on his attraction her.
They would be business associates and any other relationship between them would be unprofessional. It could adversely impact the partnership and stifle the film’s potential. That alone should be enough to nip any interest he had in her. Moreover, she was an enemy of the Song family. He shouldn’t be swayed based on a single meeting with her. It wasn’t worth the complications.
“You know the screenwriter Charity Banning, who wrote the screenplay for Never Again Maybe?”
“Of course I know her. She’s immensely talented and her comic timing is perfection. Are you telling me that we have her?”
“Sort of.” Ethan adjusted his red-framed glasses when Colin cocked an eyebrow. “She’s very interested in Best Placed Bets, but after her success with Never Again Maybe, her pay rate should reflect that. It would be a stretch to hire her on our budget, but a partnership with Rotelle Entertainment should make things like budgets a nonissue.”
“Charity Banning would be a fantastic choice.” But Colin wasn’t sure if Charity Banning would be a big draw for Jihae Park. She might not have even seen Never Again Maybe yet. “Is the movie still playing somewhere?”
Ethan quickly typed into his phone and looked back up in five seconds flat. “Most of the mainstream theaters pulled it last week, but the Shadow Cinema in Santa Monica is still playing it a couple times a day.”
“That should work. Thanks, Ethan.” An idea formed in Colin’s mind. It was bad for his sanity, but good for CS Productions. “Good job getting Charity Banning’s interest in Best Placed Bets.”
“You’re welcome,” Ethan said with a beaming smile, and returned to his desk.
Colin pulled up Shadow Cinema’s website on his computer and purchased two tickets for an evening showing.
His hand hovered over the phone for several seconds. Then, with an impatient flick of his head to get his overgrown hair off his forehead, he snatched up his phone. He listened to the dial tone for two deep breaths, then punched in Rotelle Entertainment’s office number.
“Rotelle Entertainment,” said the singsong voice of Jihae Park’s assistant. “How may I assist you?”
“Ms. Park, please. This is Colin Song.”
“Hold, please.”
Colin caught himself fidgeting in his seat and stopped himself. He was not some awkward teenager asking a girl out on a date.
“This is Jihae Park.”
Her sultry voice hit him in the gut, and he was momentarily out of breath. “Hello, Ms. Park. This is Colin Song and I have news that might interest you.”
“Do go on. Please.” He grinned when he heard the curiosity in her voice.
“We found the perfect screenwriter for Best Placed Bets, and she’s interested in working with CS Productions.”
“Oh? What’s her most well-known work?”
“Never Again Maybe. It’s a recent release, just fading from the big screens.”
“Never Again Maybe?” Jihae’s laughter, pitched slightly higher than her speaking voice, rang across the line and raised every hair on his arms. She sounded so carefree and young in that moment. “I love that title. So adamant then...not so much. But I’m afraid I’ve never heard of or seen the movie.”
“That’s not surprising since you have so many films to keep track of in multiple countries. I assure you it’s great, but you don’t have to take my word for it. I found a theater still playing it, and have taken the liberty of getting us tickets for tomorrow night at eight twenty.”
“For us? At the theater?” She sounded stunned, and Colin frowned. Did she think he was asking her out on a date? It couldn’t be.
“CS Productions would like to persuade Rotelle Entertainment to work with us. I believe seeing Never Again Maybe will convince you that a perfect story with the perfect screenplay could be ours if you say yes to the partnership.”
“Let me have the name of the theater and I’ll meet you there at eight o’clock sharp.” Her voice was poised and professional once more. “Will that work for you, Mr. Song?”
“Absolutely. It’s the Shadow Cinema in Santa Monica. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.”
Colin hung up his phone and placed his face in his hands. He could barely handle a phone call with her without getting hot and bothered. How was he going to keep it together sitting beside her in the dark?
By remembering what a coldhearted, vengeful woman she was.
Jihae Park had planted a corporate spy in Hansol and endangered their partnership with Vivotex, a multibillion-dollar venture. Not only that, but she’d also chosen a spy who had been Natalie’s college boyfriend to cast the blame on her, and put Garrett’s marriage in jeopardy. How could Colin forget what Jihae had nearly done to his cousin and Natalie? What she had almost accomplished with Hansol Corporation?
No, he could never forget that. Not only would he not forget it, but he would also get this partnership any way he could and get hard, cold evidence of Rotelle Corporation’s culpability in the Hansol affair. Somehow. That was what tomorrow night was about—making sure CS Productions secured the partnership for its future and finding justice for his family. He wasn’t in any way motivated by his attraction to her.
His argument was so convincing, he almost had himself for a second.