Tae.
Julia patted her cheeks with her palms, trying to get circulation and some color back.Wake up, Julia. You’re not going on a date with Tae. You’re on a date with Dr. Joshua Park. Focus.Tae was just there as an interpreter. She couldn’t carry the burden of trying to impress two men on this one date. It would most certainly be a disaster. She’d deal with Tae later.
They had all planned to meet at Spring Restaurant in Brentwood. It was fancier than Julia tended to patronize. And she hated that Tae had to drive all the way up to LA to help her out... again.
She arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early and stopped in her tracks as she saw him waiting at the front door. Tae was in black, slim-cut slacks and black loafers. He wore a dark gray V-neck sweater that fit him to perfection, every curve of his arm muscles and his chest on display. His hair was styled backout of his face. And oh God, he had on the sexiest black-frame glasses. Tae in glasses was a whole other level.
She swallowed down the boulder-size lump of desire in her throat.
A loud car horn broke through the haze. Julia was standing in the middle of the parking lot, right in front of the valet station, car lights beaming at her face.
“Sorry,” she stuttered.
A hand was suddenly in hers, holding tight, another hand at her back. She looked up to see Tae’s perfect profile, leading her out of the way. When they got to the curb, he looked down, searching.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, uh, just got distracted for a second.” Why was she whispering?
“You look gorgeous,” he said. Why was he whispering?
It was too tender, too intimate.
Julia dropped her head and tucked her hair behind her ear as her long bangs dropped back into her face. She’d changed her clothes at the office and donned a short black sleeveless dress with a low-cut neckline and six-inch Louboutin ankle boots. She felt powerful in this outfit. She felt like she could face a date with a renowned surgeon who saved lives every day but couldn’t speak English and would require an interpreter who happened to be a man Julia may or may not have feelings for and currently the star of all her wild fantasies.
Shit, it was going to be that kind of date, and this outfit was not going to cut it after all. She should have gone with battle armor.
“Thanks for agreeing to come tonight, Tae.”
“Like I’d miss this,” he said, his playful smile in place. She really hoped he wasn’t going to stir up any trouble and embarrass her.
“Gonna see firsthand how bad I am at this,” she said.
His smile immediately disappeared, face replaced with an expression of concern.
“Don’t sabotage it before it even starts,” he said.
Oh, so he wanted this date to be a success. Maybe his conversation with Kari convinced him he still cared about her. Noted.
She couldn’t look up at him. He’d see the disappointment. He’d read her hidden emotions.
“Hey, no matter what happens tonight, let’s promise that you and me, we’ll have fun, okay? That’s something we can control,” he said.
His voice was kind, and Julia reminded herself that she at least had Tae’s friendship. She nodded in agreement. One thing she could acknowledge was that Tae’s presence in her life was a gift, whatever form it took.
“Deal,” she said.
“Julia Song?”
Tae immediately let go of Julia and stepped back as if he’d been caught stealing someone’s property. Julia hadn’t realized he’d still been holding her, as if his hand was just meant to always be there. But she did notice when it was gone.
Julia turned to find an incredibly handsome man with a curious expression staring at her. “You are Julia Song?”
He was tall and stood as if elongated from the tip of his head. It was the type of posture she’d expect from a dancer. His neck was long, and his jawline could cut glass. Full brows and lips that met together in what looked almost like a pout. He reminded Julia of a K-drama actor.
Julia was so struck by the resemblance, she hadn’t even bothered to answer him. He was stunning.
“Julia. Good time to maybe say something,” Tae said. He sounded annoyed. It was starting. Julia couldn’t even handle a basic greeting. She was going to blow it on this date, and Tae would never acknowledge her again.
