Page 59

“No, babes. He’s staring at you.”

I didn’t try to pretend that I didn’t feel the thrill that went through me. The urge I had to grin, or the way my toes curled in my shoes, but I did at least pretend outwardly that I was chill about it.

“You okay?” Becka’s eyes seemed to search my face, and not feeling entirely sober enough to mask whatever she might find, I pushed my chair back.

“Yeah,” I replied. “Just need some water. I’m going to get a bottle from the bar. Want one?” I asked Becka.

But she’d been pulled into conversation with the person next to her, and she waved a hand in my direction, which I decided to interpret as a no.

I stood up and smoothed down my dress, looking over to the other table as casually as I could, but his seat was empty. I couldn’t pretend I wasn’t disappointed.

The walk over to the bar made me realise I was a little more buzzed than I’d planned to get. Not drunk. Definitely not drunk, but enough that my steps required my full attention. On the plus side, I couldn’t feel any pain from my shoes. You win some, you lose some.

The bar was unattended when I arrived, so I leaned my hip against the edge and waited. I didn’t mind. It felt nice to stretch my legs after sitting for so long. I was so invested in rotating my ankles and pointing my toes that I didn’t hear when someone came up behind me, but I felt his presence at my back immediately.

“Kaiya,” he murmured, and I could hear the smirk in his voice. “Are you drunk?”

“Hm. That depends.” I leaned my elbows on the bar and looked over my shoulder.

His gaze was dark as he looked down at me. He didn’t even try to disguise the expression on his face. There was absolutely nothing neutral about it. I flipped my hair over my shoulder and let my eyes trail up the length of his body.

“On?” His voice was a low rumble, his eyes narrowed, assessing.

“Do I have to be at work tomorrow?” I raised my eyebrows, smirking.

Jihoon turned his head and barked out a laugh that made me grin as the tension of a moment ago dissipated.

“No, Kaiya,” he said, shaking his head. “No work for you tomorrow. Day off.”

I looked away as warmth bloomed in my chest, and while a grin was fine, it felt too exposing to show him whatever expression I might not be able to keep off my face at the way his laugh made me feel.

“Good,” I said nonchalantly, “because I have plans tomorrow while you guys are doing the interview.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and seemed to relax. “Oh?”

I nodded. “I’m helping Becka move out.”

I looked up in time to see his eyebrows raise.

“She’s moving?”

“Leaving LA,” I said with a sad smile.

He nodded, but his expression was wistful. “Is it weird that I don’t like to think of you not having a connection to LA anymore? To not have that apartment to go back to?”

I blinked in surprise. I’d had this exact thought several times since finding out Becka had quit and had to move. It felt like a period in my life that I had taken as a constant was over.

“I feel the same way,” I sighed. “But the memories are still here.”

Silence settled between us and I felt no urgency to fill it as I met his eyes. He looked at me and it seemed like our surroundings dimmed. The chatter from the seating area faded and the music was less distinct. It could have been my wine buzz, or it could have been him. Likely it was both. Both made me feel unsteady. Warm, fuzzy.

I shook my head to try and clear it.

“Do you want to come and see the roof garden with me?”

My breath stuttered for a second and I had to lean against the bar as my eyes squeezed shut at the sudden overwhelming sense of deja vu.

“Kaiya?”