I sip on my drink, intently watching Jae fold dumplings in intricate patterns I could only ever paint.
“Who taught you how to do these ones?” I ask, pointing to something that looks like a flower.
“YouTube,” Jae barks out a laugh.
“Really? Not an old, family secret?”
“Maybe starting now it will be.” Jae winks. “What kind of shoes are you wearing? Are they non-slip?”
I bring a foot up to show him my sandals. “I don’t think so?”
“Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I promise.’
We carefully walk into the kitchen, where Jae has a bubbling fryer already popping with oil. He carefully drops about half the dumplings into the vat and then walks me over to the stove.
“I’m going to pan fry these. They’ll be crispy on the bottom but soft on the top, yeah?” He looks at me for approval.
“Sounds good to me.” I smile. “Fried anything sounds good to me, if I’m being honest.”
Jae goes back and forth between the fryer and the pan, like the true line cook he is, while I stand behind the large commercial kitchen style island counter in front of the stoves. He banished me there after he turned the stoves on, for fear I might set myself on fire.
He gives me two large pearlescent white plates and directs me over to a refrigerator where there’s an already dressed cranberry arugula salad waiting. I use a massive pair of tongs to place heaps of salad onto each plate.
This date just feels like hanging out. And I’m glad for it. I don’t think I could handle the pressure of a real date. Getting dressed up. Going to a fancy restaurant. Having to talk about myself. Deciding who pays. Having something to do with my hands has taken my mind off my anxiety about the fact I’m on a date.
Maybe it’s on purpose. And if it is, Jae sure has good intuition. I try not to psych myself out as he places perfectly fried dumplings on each plate. We each take one and make our way back to the dining room. Jae takes a pitcher from behind the bar and refreshes our drinks without me even asking.
When he sits down opposite me, I ask, “Food is kinda how you show love, isn’t it?”
I thought he would falter at my use oflovebut he doesn’t hesitate, not even for a minute.
“Yeah. It kinda is.” We do acheerswith our dumplings instead of our drinks.
“What’s your favorite dish to make?” I ask, violating Jae’s rule on not talking with your mouth full.
“Dumplings.” Jae grins through a stuffed mouth. “Even though they’re not on my usual menu.”
We eat and chat and I feel at peace. This is the kind of date I was meant for.I’m not worried about what happened with Ethan or Rishi. I feel like Jae knows me so well already. There’sno crowded, bustling restaurant. There’s no pressure to get to know him in ninety minutes or less.
It’s just two friends, and some fried dumplings. What more could a girl want?
“Are we friends?” I ask when we’ve finished eating.
“Of course,” Jae answers. “Why wouldn’t we be?”
“Because of what happened.” My totally sudden kiss and then running away like some kind of freak. And the phone sex.
“I’m always your friend, Riley,” Jae tells me, shifting in his chair from across the table. “I’m your friend first. That hasn’t changed.”
“I don’t want that to change. You’ve been a good friend to me.”
“Then it won’t change.” Jae looks disappointed for a brief moment, but his face changes quickly when he realizes I’ve noticed. I want to be more than just friends. But I don’t want to lose him entirely in the process. “Unless you want it to,” Jae adds at the last second.
“No, I always want you to be my friend,” I reassure him. “Do you want to come back to my apartment? To see Lily?” I stall.
“I’d be remiss not to,” Jae smiles. “Help me clean up first.” I blow out the candles while Jae closes the kitchen. I wait for him by the door, and when he reaches me, he takes my hand in his. Jae’s palm is undeniably soft and the way his fingers curl around mine makes my heart pound.
