“Anywho, if it’s Tae, you’re gonna need more than thirty minutes. You’ll need an hour for the coffee date and then another half hour to come back down from the high of spending time with him,” she said, clicking around on her computer. “I’m on it, boss. Your schedule is my bitch.”
“Annette, I’m sure thirty minutes will be enough.”
“Not even close,” Annette said, not looking up from her screen, biting her lower lip. She was determined.
Julia shook her head, went into her office, and got back to work.
“Is it a good time for a break?”
Julia looked up and smiled. Tae was standing in her office doorway... leaning.
She swallowed... hard.
Julia always thought of Tae as the lanky preteen boy following her around the neighborhood. When had he gotten so tall? And so... hot?
He was in a fitted black T-shirt and well-worn jeans, leaving little to the imagination.
“Why are you here so early?” she asked, pulling herself away from staring.
“Um, I thought we said two o’clock?” Tae looked down at his phone with furrowed brow and then back up at Julia.
“Yeah, but...” Julia hadn’t even picked her head up from work all day. She hadn’t had lunch. Usually, Annette brought her...
“Annette?”
“Yes, Ms. Song. You called?” Julia had never seen Annette react so quickly. AndMs. Song? Who was she kidding? Annette tried to stand next to Tae... in the doorway... at the same time. It was a tight fit, much to Annette’s clear pleasure.
Julia and Annette locked eyes. This was it. A stare-down.
Step out of the doorway, Julia’s gaze requested.
I don’t want to step into your office when you’re busy, Annette’s glare responded.
Why didn’t you tell me when it was noon, like you usually do?Julia’s squint asked.
Oh, did I forget your lunch? So sorry, Annette’s very-not-sorry smize said back.
“Tae, you’ll have to excuse Ms. Song. She’s quite surly when she’s hangry. She completely missed lunch today. Do make sure to feed her while you’re out,” Annette said, patting Tae’s arm a few too many times.
“Oh, sure, of course. Jules, if you have time—”
“She does. I made sure to clear her entire afternoon when she told me she wanted to spend time with you.”
Tae smiled at Annette, and Julia swore Annette fluttered her eyelashes back at Tae.
For a married woman with six kids, she still knew how to lay it on thick, apparently.
“Well, then. C’mon, Jules. Let’s go get you fed.”
Tae led the way to a small café a couple blocks from Julia’s office. After two years of being in this neighborhood, she’d rarely ventured out and had Annette order lunch in most of the time. It was gorgeous outside, warm but not hot, cloudless skies a bright and clear blue. Southern California at its finest.
They walked into the small but tastefully decorated café. Reclaimed wood on the walls with plants hanging and polished concrete floors gave it theLA coolvibe. And the smells coming from the open concept kitchen made Julia immediately want to come here all the time. That was, if they had something the notoriously picky Julia actually wanted to eat on the menu.
“Have you been here before?” Tae asked.
“No, I’ve never seen this place.”
“It’s vegan. But not LA-vegan,” he added.
