Page 18 of Stay With Me

“I’m curious, what made you apply to Perk Up? It’s quite different than your previous roles.” This question is important. I don’t want to be a temporary stop in someone’s career journey.

“I’m not ready to retire, but I’m ready to slow down. When I searched Perk Up, the reviews were excellent.” She pauses, shrugging her shoulder. “At some point you just want a great place to work. Also my daughter is moving to Thistle Creek. She got hired at the high school teaching English, and this is close but not ‘in her hair’ close.”

Laughing, I nod. “True.”

We chat for a bit longer as I expand on what my goals are, and I’m impressed with her engagement in the conversation.

“Well, I don’t have anything else I need for now. Do you have any questions for me?” Tucking her info into the file I made, I already know I’m going to offer her the job.

Mary smiles, asking, “I know you have a month from now listed as a start date, but if I’m the successful candidate, would it be possible to start sooner?”

I grin in response. “I’m sure we can work something out.”

We say goodbye and I lock up.

“Oh, thank goodness.” Relief fills me as I clean up and start prepping for tomorrow. It doesn’t take long and I’m amazed at how much quicker things seem to go now that I’m not dreading going home.

When I walk in the door the house is quiet, so I rush upstairs to freshen up and get ready for the picnic at the gazebo. It’s a bit random for a Thursday evening, but it’s not uncommon for the town to have some impromptu events.

Throwing on a pair of shorts and a flowy tank top, I forgo drying my hair when I hear Young Jae talking to Kimchi. Instead, I quickly throw it in a braid and head downstairs.

Kimchi is sitting on her hind quarters as Young Jae offers her a treat. He’s talking to her in Korean. “Yeppoyo.” Lips twitching, I listen to him coo about how pretty she is, telling her she’s the best dog.

“You are the prettiest dog, Kimchi. He’s not lying.” I smile when Young Jae jumps, looking a little embarrassed.

“She is.” He tosses her the treat before washing his hands and grabbing a small cooler. “I packed some drinks, just in case.”

“Shall we walk?” The gazebo is a quick ten-minute walk from Young Jae’s, the trail behind his house leading to the lake.

He nods and we head out. “How was your last interview?”

“It was phenomenal. I’m going to offer her the job tomorrow and see when she wants to start. She asked if that was flexible.” I gush about the ideas we tossed around and how she wants to be closer to her daughter.

He smiles as I finish. “She sounds perfect. I’m so happy for you.” He gently bumps me. “Once she’s all trained up, what are you going to do with your free time?”

Scrunching my nose, I think. I don’t remember the last time I had a lot of free time. My “free” time is always carefully planned. “Honestly, I have no idea. I should probably find a hobby.”

The sun filters through the trees, and the trail is quiet except for some birds tweeting and the sound of our footsteps. Soon we should be able to see the lake through the trees as we close in on the gazebo. It’s in a quiet grove of trees just off the lake, leading to a secluded part of the beach.

The town doesn’t advertise the space, leaving it primarily for resident use. It’s a well-kept secret in the midst of a large and complex trail system.

“You used to enjoy riding. You could always start that again.” He suggests, his deep voice low. His arm brushes against mine, making me aware of how closely we’re walking together. He’s so attentive to me and what I say, genuinely interested in my life. My heart is having a hard time not crossing the line from friendship to more, but the idea of ruining our friendship hurts more than ignoring how everything with him feels right. Easy.

I shrug. “Possibly. I like the idea of not planning it right now. Plus I need to onboard Mary, build the menu, and all that.”

We round the bend in the trail, the trees clearing a little as the gazebo comes into view. There is no one there, but there are flickering lights inside.

“What’s going on?” My brows pinch together as we close the distance.

Lanterns with candles, blankets spread out, a vase with flowers, and an epic picnic spread fill the center of the gazebo. It looks nothing like a town picnic but more like a date.

“Are you sure this is a town event?” I don’t step foot inside, not wanting to ruin someone’s hard planning. Peering around us, I don’t see or hear anyone.

Young Jae shakes his head. “No, Hank told me that there’s a picnic at the gazebo and that we should come…”

We look at each other and then at the sight before us.

Laughing, I creep closer and see even more details. Champagne. Chocolate covered strawberries.

---