7. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
Elise
M y second to last interviewee leaves me feeling underwhelmed, just like the previous four. Groaning, I stretch and go make myself a latte. My cell buzzes as I finish, Young Jae’s name popping up on the screen.
“Hey.” Glancing at the time, I’m relieved I only have one more to go. I can’t believe I closed for a half day to conduct interviews and they have been disappointing.
“Uh-oh. You sound exasperated. I take it the interviews aren’t going well?” His voice is empathetic.
Sighing, I make my way to the table and pull out the last person’s resume. “Three weren’t even qualified. The other two met the criteria but didn’t read the ad. I just have one more and then I’m done for the day.”
“Almost done. And this is only the first round. You can always post the ad again.”
I know he’s right, but having five back-to-back interviews without even a hint of a potential candidate is discouraging. “True enough.”
He chuckles. “I called to tell you I ran into Hank and apparently the planning committee is putting on a last minute picnic at the gazebo. I thought it would be fun to go.”
“Really? That’s new, but sounds like a fun way to spend some time this evening.” The bell rings, my final interview coming in. “My last appointment is here, I gotta go.”
We hang up and I stand to greet her.
“Hello, you must be Mary.” I extend my hand to shake hers. “I’m Elise Cooper.”
“Nice to meet you.” Mary’s voice is pleasant, and her energy is warm and welcoming. “Thank you for the opportunity to interview.”
“I’m glad you were able to make it. Would you like anything to drink? I can whip something up quickly.”
She refuses my offer and we settle in. I run through the normal questions about experience and get to know her. Her resume lists some incredible credentials, including running several restaurants.
By the end of the interview, which feels more like a natural conversation, I’m feeling pretty good.
“I’m curious, what made you apply to Perk Up? It’s quite different than your previous roles.” This question is important. I don’t want to be a temporary stop in someone’s career journey.
“I’m not ready to retire, but I’m ready to slow down. When I searched Perk Up, the reviews were excellent.” She pauses, shrugging her shoulder. “At some point you just want a great place to work. Also my daughter is moving to Thistle Creek. She got hired at the high school teaching English, and this is close but not ‘in her hair’ close.”
Laughing, I nod. “True.”
We chat for a bit longer as I expand on what my goals are, and I’m impressed with her engagement in the conversation.
“Well, I don’t have anything else I need for now. Do you have any questions for me?” Tucking her info into the file I made, I already know I’m going to offer her the job.
Mary smiles, asking, “I know you have a month from now listed as a start date, but if I’m the successful candidate, would it be possible to start sooner?”
I grin in response. “I’m sure we can work something out.”
We say goodbye and I lock up.
“Oh, thank goodness.” Relief fills me as I clean up and start prepping for tomorrow. It doesn’t take long and I’m amazed at how much quicker things seem to go now that I’m not dreading going home.
When I walk in the door the house is quiet, so I rush upstairs to freshen up and get ready for the picnic at the gazebo. It’s a bit random for a Thursday evening, but it’s not uncommon for the town to have some impromptu events.
Throwing on a pair of shorts and a flowy tank top, I forgo drying my hair when I hear Young Jae talking to Kimchi. Instead, I quickly throw it in a braid and head downstairs.
Kimchi is sitting on her hind quarters as Young Jae offers her a treat. He’s talking to her in Korean. “Yeppoyo.” Lips twitching, I listen to him coo about how pretty she is, telling her she’s the best dog.
“You are the prettiest dog, Kimchi. He’s not lying.” I smile when Young Jae jumps, looking a little embarrassed.
“She is.” He tosses her the treat before washing his hands and grabbing a small cooler. “I packed some drinks, just in case.”
“Shall we walk?” The gazebo is a quick ten-minute walk from Young Jae’s, the trail behind his house leading to the lake.
He nods and we head out. “How was your last interview?”
“It was phenomenal. I’m going to offer her the job tomorrow and see when she wants to start. She asked if that was flexible.” I gush about the ideas we tossed around and how she wants to be closer to her daughter.
He smiles as I finish. “She sounds perfect. I’m so happy for you.” He gently bumps me. “Once she’s all trained up, what are you going to do with your free time?”
Scrunching my nose, I think. I don’t remember the last time I had a lot of free time. My “free” time is always carefully planned. “Honestly, I have no idea. I should probably find a hobby.”
The sun filters through the trees, and the trail is quiet except for some birds tweeting and the sound of our footsteps. Soon we should be able to see the lake through the trees as we close in on the gazebo. It’s in a quiet grove of trees just off the lake, leading to a secluded part of the beach.
The town doesn’t advertise the space, leaving it primarily for resident use. It’s a well-kept secret in the midst of a large and complex trail system.
“You used to enjoy riding. You could always start that again.” He suggests, his deep voice low. His arm brushes against mine, making me aware of how closely we’re walking together. He’s so attentive to me and what I say, genuinely interested in my life. My heart is having a hard time not crossing the line from friendship to more, but the idea of ruining our friendship hurts more than ignoring how everything with him feels right. Easy.
I shrug. “Possibly. I like the idea of not planning it right now. Plus I need to onboard Mary, build the menu, and all that.”
We round the bend in the trail, the trees clearing a little as the gazebo comes into view. There is no one there, but there are flickering lights inside.
“What’s going on?” My brows pinch together as we close the distance.
Lanterns with candles, blankets spread out, a vase with flowers, and an epic picnic spread fill the center of the gazebo. It looks nothing like a town picnic but more like a date.
“Are you sure this is a town event?” I don’t step foot inside, not wanting to ruin someone’s hard planning. Peering around us, I don’t see or hear anyone.
Young Jae shakes his head. “No, Hank told me that there’s a picnic at the gazebo and that we should come…”
We look at each other and then at the sight before us.
Laughing, I creep closer and see even more details. Champagne. Chocolate covered strawberries.
“I’m pretty sure this is a setup.” Kicking my shoes off, I sit down. Looking up at him, my laughter falters at the intensity of his gaze. Clearing my throat, I gesture. “Might as well enjoy their hard work. This town does love to meddle, but at least we get a good laugh and meal out of it.”
I feel the heat of Young Jae’s gaze as he removes his shoes, but I focus on eating a strawberry. My crush is making me see things that aren’t there, like attraction.
It’s nice. The setting couldn’t be better. And I love spending time with Young Jae.
“This does look good.” His gaze still on me, he pops a strawberry into his mouth. “If I’m being honest, I’m happy it’s just us. I love our town, but you’re right, they do love to meddle.”
Looking up, I smile at him. “Exactly. The best company and great food.”
We really dig in, conversation flowing easily as we eat. Whoever was in on this with Hank outdid themselves. There are little sandwiches and even slices of strawberry rhubarb pie.
It’s not until we’ve polished everything off and Young Jae is carrying the trash to the garbage can that I find the note. It’s addressed to me.
It’s time to take the leap and trust in the feelings you’ve been hiding. You never know what might happen.
My heart beats loudly in my ears. If it’s so obvious to everyone else, maybe Young Jae knows about my crush too.
Wracking my brain, I try to think of any change in behavior from him, but I can’t think of anything that can’t be explained away. Tucking it in my pocket as Young Jae comes back to the gazebo, I lean back on my hands and peer out at the lake.
He settles in beside me but faces toward me. The distance between us small, intimate.
“I like seeing you like this. Relaxed and happy.” His voice is low, the timbre seductive in a way I don’t think he’s aware of. When he speaks like that, his accent is more noticeable. “I like having you in my house and seeing you every day.”
Sighing in contentment, I murmur, “Back at you.”
A breeze blows some loose strands of hair from my braid into my face. Before I can move them away, his hand reaches out and tucks the errant hair behind my ear. The smooth tips of his fingers leave a tingling trail and I shiver in response.
My heart beats faster as he sits up, bringing his face closer to mine. I must be imagining his eyes looking at my lips, but then his fingers stroke along my jaw.
Holding my breath, I can’t look away as he leans in, his eyes locked on mine. Heart racing, I pinch my leg. He pauses, his lips mere inches away from mine. Young Jae starts to say something, but his phone rings with Ari’s ringtone.
We freeze, but then he backs away and reaches for his cell. Looking away, I take a few deep breaths.
“What, Ari?” His tone is sharp, worried. She only calls if it’s something important.
Her voice is loud, but all I can make out is she’s talking fast and then he hangs up.
“Ari popped by the house to grab a form for my parents, and Kimchi got out. Ari couldn’t catch her and lost sight of her.”