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Before she gets a chance to answer, my phone pings several times in succession, like a lot of calls and texts are coming through.
“Somebody wants to talk to you badly,” she chuckles while she tries to peer at my phone screen.
“Nosy,” I say before glancing down at my cell. There’s a column of notifications for text messages and calls—all from Rafe. A smile slides across my face as I tap the call button and put the phone to my ear.
“It’s about damn time. What were you doing that you couldn’t answer your phone?” Panic is clear in Rafe’s voice. “I thought something happened.”
“Sorry. The reception in the hospital is terrible. Is everything alright?” I ask, stepping away from my sister, so I can have a bit more privacy.
“No—I mean yes, but your father did it again,” he utters, a hint of ire in his voice.
“What did he do?”
“We made it. We’re in Korea, I mean. And your father made a room reservation for us at a hostel near the club. A hostel! Doesn’t matter anyway, we found a hotel to accommodate us. How’s your grandmother?”
I close my eyes for a moment, attempting to calm my irritation. “She’s doing good. She has to stay for a few more days in the hospital though.”
“Who did what?” my sister whispers.
“Who’s that?” Rafe growls.
“My sister, He Sook.”
“Who is that?” she asks, smiles and then adds, “Your boyfriend?”
“Really?” I say to her. “How old are you? And no, he’s not my boyfriend. What do you think we are, in high school?”
“Let me talk to her,” Rafe says with a chuckle. “And we are too boyfriends.”
“No. Where are you?” I am totally avoiding his last comment.
“Hotel is called Ryse. We’re in the executive suite. And Lyric?” Rafe’s voice lowers into a throaty whisper. A shiver of desire skates along my skin and the urgency to see him is calling to me.
“What?” I whisper back, my attention cast down to the ground.
“Come now. I need to see you.”
“Okay. But it’s going to be an hour or so. I want to say goodbye to my grandmother first and make sure she’s good before I leave.”
“Give her a kiss on the cheek for me.”
“I will.”
“See you soon.” Rafe hangs up and I’m suddenly confronted by my sister, whose eyes are wide and round like saucers.
“You love him.” He Sook nearly shouts this.
“Shhh.” The last person I want to hear that is my father, so I quickly look around before I answer. “No?” I say with hesitancy. Am I in love with Rafe D’Angelo?
“You are. I saw it all over your face when you were talking with him. Does Father know?”
“Certainly not, and he’s not going to find out either.”
“What about Halmeoni? I bet she knows—you tell her everything.”
“Now you sound jealous. And no, I don’t tell her everything,” I lie. Because I did, when I was young. No matter how big or small, I confided in Halmeoni. She was the first one who knew I liked boys.
“And what does Eun say about this?”
