Page 46 of Mother Parker
Hope.
“Right, it’s time to go, Kimchis. I’ve got so much work to do today.”—I didn’t really. It was business as usual, i.e., no business—“Catch you on the flipside.”
I ended the live stream, wolfed down my kimchi rice, and changed into my outfit for today before going downstairs with my lukewarm cup in hand.
As I turned the corner, a shadow crossed my vision before I almost collided with the hot mountain that went by the name of Parker.
“God!” I said, some of the tea spilling over my hand as I clutched my chest. “I need to put a bell around you. You’re like a cat.”
Parker’s brows did what Parker’s brows do, and he scoffed.
“You knew I was here,” he said.
“Well, yeah. I also know the world is round, but it still shocks me when I hear a Flatearther talk. Your point?”
He rolled his eyes and glanced down at my wet hand.
“Are you okay? Did you get burned?”
He grabbed my hand and rubbed the liquid off my skin, turning it side to side with half-slitted eyes. My heart leaped in my chest and my stomach clenched as I tried desperately to remember how to breathe again.
Oh, did I get burned?
I’m starting to, and I’m afraid of the damage.
“Um, no, it’s okay. My tea's gone cold,” I answered, and even though my head tried to pull my hand away, my heart wouldn’t let my limb cooperate.
So since I found it impossible to function like a normal human being, I just glanced around, trying to distract myself from the imaginary ants crawling up my arm.
The counter was already prepped and the flowers in the table vases had been changed. The silverware from last night had been polished and the tea urns looked turned on.
Like I’m starting to get.
“You went to the flower market,” I said, taking half a step back and finally able to draw my hand away from his touch.
I found my senses again, although they felt lacking after being in his hold.
“Ah, yeah, I noticed the flowers were dying yesterday, so I thought I’d stop by and get some new ones. Why? Did I get the wrong ones?”
I gaped and stared at him.
That was probably the longest sentence he’d uttered in my presence, and it felt like a milestone in our relationship.
Nope. Not relationship. Partnership.
Damn it, Hwan. Get it together.
“Oh no. Of course not,” I said and took a closer look. Each vase had a blush-colored Japanese anemone and a piece of baby’s breath, adding a cozy fall vibe to the whole café. “It’s lovely. You’ve got good taste. And don’t forget to put the receipt in the register and take out what you spent.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said dismissively, looking at the floor.
I set my cup down and walked to the register.
“I may be a lot of things, Parker, but a greedy, slimy bastard I am not. You already work more hours than I can afford to pay you. I’m not letting you waste that money on my shop. It’s a business expense anyway.”
I took out three twenty-dollar bills and reached out to hand them to him. He looked at them as if I was trying to give him a thorny rose.
“Don’t make me shove these in your pocket,” I warned him.
