9. St（ART）
JAE
9
Graduation was a blur of caps, gowns, and the bittersweet taste of endings and beginnings. I’d just completed the paperwork to start my own architecture business, and as a nod to my parents, I named it after their construction company: Luminous. My parents had built that company from the ground up, and now, with my degree in hand, I was determined to carry on their legacy. I even landed my first job, a small but promising project to design a library.
To celebrate—or maybe just to blow off some steam—I decided to drop by the bar where Verena worked. I hated that place. Not because of the ambiance, which was actually decent, but because it made her wear those ridiculous short shorts, and guys were constantly hitting on her. Every time I walked in there, the possessive edge I felt was unsettling. I tried to convince myself it was just protective friendship, but deep down, I knew it was something more.
Not that I’d ever admit it.
The place was buzzing, as usual. Neon lights flickered overhead, casting a colorful glow over the worn-out booths and polished bar. The air was thick with the smell of beer and fried food, and the sound of laughter and clinking glasses filled the room. I pushed through the crowd, my eyes scanning for Verena. The bartender, Tony, spotted me first.
“Hey, Jae!” Tony called out, wiping down the bar. “Back again? You sure you’re not here more for the company than the drinks?”
I smirked. “You caught me. I’m here for Verena. Where is she?”
Tony chuckled, nodding toward the far end of the bar. “Same place as always, fending off the guys.”
“Thanks, Tony,” I said, making my way over.
I spotted her at the far end, expertly balancing a tray of drinks. Even in that stupid uniform, she looked incredible. Her long dark hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and her shorts rode up in a way that made my blood boil. I couldn’t help but notice how the guys at the bar were eyeing her like she was the last cold drink on a hot day. One guy in particular was leaning over the bar, clearly hitting on her.
Great. Just what I needed.
As I approached, I caught the tail end of their conversation.
“Come on, sweetheart. Give me your number. We could have a great time,” the guy was saying, his voice dripping with sleaze.
Verena’s polite smile was starting to strain. “I’m working. How about you just enjoy your drink?”
“Come on, baby!”
Without thinking, I stepped in, placing myself between Verena and the guy. “She said she’s working, asshole. Why don’t you get lost before I make you?”
The guy looked up at me, clearly annoyed. “Who the hell are you?”
“Her friend,” I said, my voice low and firm. “Fuck off.”
The guy scoffed but decided not to press the issue. He muttered something under his breath and slunk away, leaving me alone with Verena.
“Jae,” she hissed, clearly annoyed. “You can’t keep doing that. You’re going to get me fired.”
“Good,” I shot back. “You shouldn’t be working here anyway.”
She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest, which accentuated her—nope, not going there. Best friend. She’s my best fucking friend. “And where exactly am I supposed to work, huh? Writing a book doesn’t exactly pay the bills.”
“That’s why I’m here,” I said, leaning against the bar. “I’ve got my first job with Luminous, and I need help. Come work for me.”
Verena laughed, shaking her head. “You can’t afford me.”
“I’m serious, Vee. I need an assistant. Someone I can trust. And you need a job that doesn’t involve wearing short shorts and dealing with drunk idiots.”
She arched an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “I don’t think so, Jae.”
I smirked, a plan forming in my mind. “How about this: we play a game of darts. If I win, you come work for me. If you win, I’ll drop it.”
Verena eyed me suspiciously. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“Not a chance.”
She sighed, but I could see the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “Fine. But don’t cry when I beat you.”
We moved over to the dartboard, and a small crowd gathered, sensing a challenge. Verena grabbed the darts, her competitive spirit kicking in. “Ladies first,” she said with a playful glint in her eye.
“By all means,” I replied, stepping back to watch. My eyes couldn’t help but follow the curve of her hips, the way her shorts clung to her ass. It was infuriating how effortlessly she made that damn uniform look good. Focus, Jae. This is business.
She took her first shot, landing impressively close to the bullseye. I whistled. “Not bad, Vee. Not bad at all.”
“Don’t sound so surprised,” she shot back.
I took my turn, managing to match her score. We went back and forth, the tension growing with each throw. Every time we passed the darts, our fingers brushed, sending jolts of electricity through me. I tried to focus on the game, but all I could think about was how good she looked and how much I hated the way those guys were staring at her.
“So, why should I leave this wonderful job and work for you?” she asked with a smirk, lining up her next shot.
“Let’s see,” I said, stepping closer, my breath brushing against her ear. “For starters, you’d get to spend all your spare time with your best friend.”
She rolled her eyes, and threw her dart, hitting just shy of the bullseye. “Not bad,” I said, taking the darts from her, letting my fingers linger on hers a moment longer. “You’d also get to avoid dealing with creeps hitting on you all night.”
“Oh, so you’re going to be my personal bodyguard now?” she teased, watching as I lined up my shot.
“Something like that,” I said, throwing the dart. It landed close to the bullseye, but not quite there. She raised an eyebrow, impressed.
“Nice try,” she said, taking the darts from me. Our fingers brushed again, and I felt that familiar jolt. “What else?”
“You’d get to go on business trips with me,” I said, leaning in close as she prepared to throw. “Imagine all the late nights, just you and me, working together.”
She snorted, trying to hide her smile. “Yeah, right. You just want someone to carry your bags.”
“Guilty,” I admitted with a grin. “But seriously, you’d be amazing.”
She threw her dart, hitting just outside the bullseye again. “Still not convinced,” she said.
“How about this,” I said, my voice low and teasing as I stepped up to the line. “If you work for me, I’ll buy you all your favorite dinners. Every night.”
She laughed, the sound light and musical. “You’re really pulling out all the stops, aren’t you?”
“Desperate times,” I said, throwing my dart. It landed just shy of the bullseye again, and I cursed under my breath.
“Alright, last round,” she said. “Give me your best offer.”
I leaned in close as she lined up her throw. “You know you love me, Vee,” I whispered. “You can’t resist.”
Her hand wavered slightly, and she threw the dart, missing the bullseye by a fraction. She turned to glare at me, but there was no real heat in it. “Cheater.”
“Just giving you some incentive,” I replied, grinning. I lined up my shot, feeling the weight of her gaze on me. This was it. I needed to win this.
I took a deep breath and threw the dart. It flew straight and true, landing perfectly in the bullseye. The small crowd erupted in cheers, and I turned to Verena, a triumphant smile on my face.
“Looks like you’re coming to work for me,” I said, my voice smug but my heart pounding.
Verena shook her head, laughing. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“Yeah, but you love it,” I teased back. It was our thing we’d always said to one another. But today, what felt impossible was my growing attraction to her. “If you were really worried about losing your job, you wouldn’t be playing darts during your shift.”
She playfully shoved me, her touch sending a thrill through me. “Fine, you win this round. But I’ll make your life hell as your assistant.”
“Looking forward to it,” I said, my tone light but my thoughts swirling. This was going to be interesting. Very interesting.