Page 55 of Mother Parker
His eyes danced around the shop, never settling on a focal point. He appeared frazzled. Terrified probably. Of course he was. I’d almost kissed him.
What the hell were you thinking, idiot?
I hadn’t. It was…it was like my brain had stopped working. And I’d gone and fucked up. I’d terrified the poor man, and now he would fire me.
Obviously, I was only working for him to keep him protected, but still. Working at Bubble Bubble had been the highlight of my days since I moved to Mayberry Holm.
“Yes, I think the unit is fine. It’s just the cable,” Hwan said. “I had an electrician check it already.”
After what seemed like years, I managed to take a breath, and Hwan glanced at me. Then as if he couldn’t even look me in the eyes anymore, he turned away and walked to the back of the shop, going left down the hallway that led to his apartment and leaving me alone to pick up my shame from the floor.
I fucked up.
I always fucked up no matter what.
Why did people even put up with me anymore? Nothing I did was ever good or good enough. I was a walking disaster. A ticking time bomb full of shit.
Motherfucker, Parker. You’re a motherfucker.
THIRTEEN
HWAN
“We could pick up the product tomorrow, but I’m afraid we won’t be able to replace it until next week,” the person on the phone said, although I was only half listening.
Had that really happened? Had Parker almost kissed me?
I didn’t know what it looked like all the way from up there where he was, but from where I’d been standing, it’d looked a lot like leaning in for a kiss.
And no, not a kiss on the cheek or a fatherly forehead smack. He’d been going right for the lips.
The lips!
I needed to sit down.
“Mr. Kim? Are you still there?”
I closed my mouth and took a deep breath, nodding.
“Mr. Kim?” the representative on the phone repeated.
“Um, yeah. Yeah. Sorry. I’m here. What was that?”
“I have a slot open next Thursday. Would that work for you?”
“So you’re telling me I have to go a week without the refrigerating unit? I have a business to run. It’s okay. I’ll just get the electrician to change the wiring,” I said.
“I’m afraid if you do that, Mr. Kim, your product won’t be covered by our insurance any…”
I thanked the person on the phone and ended the call as I slid down my apartment door.
Who cared about broken parts and insurance when my brain was melting?
He’d been so close. So damn close that his manly musk still lingered in my nostrils and those dark eyes had practically burned my corneas. I’d probably need glasses for the rest of my life.
Okay, yeah, that was dramatic, but…but…
Parker almost kissed me!
