Chapter 37
Kennedy
“Maybe we shouldn’t have left them alone,” I say as I peer over my shoulder at where I left Dae with my father and uncle.
“Baby, he’ll be all right,” my mother says, smiling. “Besides, any man who can’t stand up to your father isn’t worth keeping around.”
I frown as I look at my mother. “But Daddy isn’t just the ordinary type of overprotective, Mom. And you know it.”
Her smile widens as she shakes her head. “No, he’s not. But I have a feeling your guy will be fine.”
“The way he couldn’t stop staring at you,” my Aunt Kayla adds. “I remember that feeling of first falling in love.” She sighs. “Lucky for me, it was someone I knew my whole life.”
“I feel like I’ve known him almost that long,” I say. Silence lingers until I look up and suddenly realize my mom and aunt are staring at me with twin grins.
I shake my head. “I mean, I haven’t. And, you know, we’re still getting to know one another. And …” I trail off when they both start laughing.
I roll my eyes and then glance back at where I left Dae. He’s still breathing, so that’s a good sign.
“Lighten up, baby,” my mother tells me. “It’s a public event. It’s not like your father will do anything to him here in public.” She laughs, but I frown.
“We both know he would if he felt like it,” I mumble.
“Something tells me that guy of yours can hold his own,” Aunt Kayla says.
I push out a breath. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous,” I admit. Then I shake it off. “You’re both right,” I tell my mother and aunt. “He’s a grown man. If he can’t handle meeting my father for the first time, this thing would never work anyway.”
Though I sound confident, my heart squeezes at the thought of mine and Dae’s relationship not working out. My heart squeezes because I know I”m deeper than I ever meant for this to go with Dae.
His declaration of his love for me in the car didn’t even scare me. It should’ve made me run in the opposite direction, yet here I am.
After a few minutes of talking with my mom and aunt, I excuse myself to go to the restroom before the evening’s presentations begin.
“Hurry back,” my mom says. “The community center is being honored tonight.” My mother, three aunts, and grandmother started a community center years ago for women and children, and it’s one of the causes being recognized tonight.
I promise to make it quick, but it’s not just to see them receive recognition. Dae is also on the list of honorees for his work with the Spring Days organization. He’s been humble about it, barely mentioning that he’s among tonight’s honorees.
As I head down the hallway toward the restroom, a smile crests on my lips as I think back to watching Dae with the kids at Spring Days. He’s so tender and sweet with them. A side of him the rest of the world rarely gets to see.
I get to see it, though.
That thought fills my belly with butterflies as I approach the bathroom.
“Ms. Townsend,” a male voice calls from behind me.
A chill runs down my spine when I recognize Sebastian Blackmon”s voice. I put on a neutral expression as I turn to face him.
“I thought that was you.” He grins. “I hope your attendance at tonight’s event is part of your research for that little article you’re planning to write on me,” he says as he approaches.
“Nothing about my attendance tonight has anything to do with you, Mr. Blackmon,” I inform him. “And I assure you if it did, what I would include wouldn’t be anything you’d want the public to know about.”
His eyes narrow, and I do the same. “I don’t know what you think you’re trying to prove—”
“I’m not trying to prove anything, Mr. Blackmon,” I tell him with a phony smile. “What I am doing is investigating the death of an employee of your company. And it’s led me to some stellar discoveries.”
I step closer, looking him up and down with disgust.
“And trust me when I say that once I get all of the pieces of this investigation put together, this will be the last time you’ll be honored for all the great work you do with adolescents.”
I step back but keep my attention on him as I move away.
His face reddens, and he looks like he wants to say something, but I hold up my hand.
“You and I are done talking, Mr. Blackmon.”
I head to the bathroom but make it quick to return to see Dae being honored. Unfortunately, I’m not fast enough because, by the time I reach the ballroom area again, the Mayor of Williamsport is at the front of the room behind a podium, giving a speech.
“Our next honoree didn’t grow up in Williamsport, but he’s given so much to the city he now calls home,” the mayor says.
That’s when I see Dae standing not too far from the mayor’s side. A wide smile spreads my lips, and I clap louder than anyone else as the mayor introduces Dae and lists his work with Spring Days organization.
Dae steps up, shakes the mayor’s hand, and tries to exit after receiving the plaque from the mayor. But the mayor teasingly persuades him to give a speech.
I laugh and applaud with the rest of the audience, knowing my Dae hates this. Yet, he looks so damn good up there. And he absolutely should be recognized for his work.
“He should be proud of himself,” a man says behind me.
I glance to my side as he comes to stand next to me. He’s Asian, about five-ten, and appears harmless overall. But there’s a shiftiness about his eyes that I instantly don’t trust.
He looks from me to Dae and then smiles.
“My apologies, we haven’t met.” He extends his hand. “I’m Daniel Park. Dae and I have known each other for a long time.”
Reluctantly, I shake his hand. “I’m Kennedy,” I introduce.
“You’re Dae’s date for the evening, correct?”
I nod and turn to face the front of the room, where Dae is now naming and thanking the employees at Spring Days. “Yes.”
“He’s come a long way,” the man beside me continues.
There’s also something about his voice. It’s familiar.
“Have we met before?” I ask because my curiosity piques.
He turns to me, squinting. “You do have a familiar look about you …” He trails off and then tosses his hands upwards. “I’m sure I would remember meeting a beautiful woman like you.”
I take a step away.
“I’m sure you would have,” I reply with a phony smile.
My eyes circle the room and then land on Dae, who spots me in the audience at the same time. He glances over and sees the man standing next to me.
Dae’s expression darkens.
Dae makes a beeline for me, ignoring the people around him who wish to extend their congratulations. He reaches me within seconds and wraps an arm around my waist, possessively pulling me into him.
“Dae,” Daniel Park says. “It’s been a long time.” He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
“Don’t fucking speak to me.”
I gasp. Not at the words Dae speaks but at the hard tone in which he says them. He sounds like he’s about to rip Daniel Park’s head off.
I look between the two men. “How do you two know each other?”
Daniel Park looks at me. “Dae hasn’t told you? We’re old school friends. Oh,” Daniel Park says as a woman comes up beside him, “this is my wife, MiSoo Park.”
The woman is about the same as my five-foot-nine height with a willowy frame. Our eyes meet only briefly before she glances away. Her lips form a polite smile as she says a barely audible hello.
“Yes, my wife’s father entrusted me with the entertainment business he inherited years ago in Seoul,” Daniel Park continues. He looks toward Dae. “He always said I was like the son he never had.”
Dae’s arm tightens around my waist, almost to the point of pain. I also notice Daniel’s wife’s head pop up, and her eyes widen as she peers at her husband. But the expression is quickly lost, and that demure air overtakes her again.
Dae steps in between me and Daniel. “Don’t ever speak to my fucking woman again,” he tells him.
Though I don’t get a good vibe from the man, nothing he’s done so far warrants such an aggressive response.
“We’re leaving,” Dae suddenly says.
Before I can speak, Dae has my hand as we head toward the exit.
“Wait, I haven’t had a chance to say good-bye to my parents,” I remind him.
“You can call them,” Dae says without stopping.
“Call them?” I pull my hand free from his as we come to the valet by the exit. “What is going on? How do you know Daniel Park?”
Dae’s sudden shift in attitude has everything to do with that man I just met.
However, a voice calls my name before Dae can respond to my questions.
I turn to see Jake Warren dressed in a tuxedo. My ex.
“I wondered if you were going to be here. I—”
“Didn’t I tell you once to fuck off?” Dae growls, coming to stand in between me and Jake.
“Dae!” I say, pushing him by the chest. “What is wrong with you?”
I look over my shoulder to see Jake taking more than a few steps back with his hands raised.
“I-I didn’t see you. Sorry,” he mumbles before hurrying off to enter the convention center.
“What the hell was that? He’s an old friend.”
Dae grunts. “Old friend,” he mumbles on a snort.
Yes, Jake was more than a friend, but that ended over a year ago.
“He’s a reporter who’s probably here covering the event. There’s no need to get all possessive and rude.” Our car pulls up, and Dae doesn’t even say anything as he takes my elbow to get in.
I get in because all the questions in my head demand answers. I know answers won’t be given outside of the convention center. As infuriating as it is, Dae only talks when he’s ready.
Yet, as soon as the car door closes and the driver pulls off, I turn to him. “You need to explain what the hell just happened tonight.”