Prank Date [✔]

Part 27

The folder held tightly in my hand, I crossed Chua & Jung's parking lot. My heartbeat picked up when I saw Jennie's car parked right in front of the entrance. You're not here to see Jennie, I reminded myself.

But maybe I could combine business with pleasure and see if Jennie had time to go for lunch. We needed to talk about what had happened between us in the fitting room. When Jennie had come out of the fitting room, dress in hand, she had mumbled something about not liking the fit of the dress. Soon after finding a pair of slacks, she had hurriedly said good-bye, saying that she needed to get some work done.

I hadn't been able to think of anything else all weekend. At times, I had convinced myself that it was all just in my imagination, that I was just projecting my own feelings onto Jennie. But there were moments when I was almost sure I had seen my longing reflected in Jennie's eyes when our gazes had met in the mirror.

I wasn't sure of anything anymore.

When I entered the building, Mr. Hwang, my accountant, stood in the hallway, talking to someone.

I craned my neck to see whether that someone was Jennie. A woman's red hair peeked out from behind Mr. Hwang.

Not Jennie. I slowed my steps.

Mr. Hwang turned and frowned. "Ms. Manoban. Do we have an appointment?" he asked.

"No, I just thought I'd drop off the receipts you asked for." I held out the folder.

"Oh. Thank you." He took the folder, glanced inside, and nodded. "You didn't need to drop it off in person."

I shrugged and admitted to myself that it had just been a convenient excuse to see Jennie.

"I was in the neighborhood anyway." I hesitated and glanced at the petite redhead next to Mr. Hwang. Was she a colleague or a client? Not that it mattered. I turned back toward my accountant. "You wouldn't happen to know if Jennie Kim is with a client right now?"

"Jennie Kim?" Hwang's eyebrows crept toward his thinning hairline. He probably wondered whether I was trying to replace him as my accountant.

I didn't care. I wasn't in the mood to soothe my accountant's ruffled feathers, so I just nodded.

"I have no idea," Mr. Hwang answered.

"I think she went to lunch with Donnie," the redhead said.

Donnie. The name was like salt in an open wound for me. Maybe I had just imagined Jennie's reaction. If Jennie was interested in anyone at all, it was Donnie, not me. I unclenched my teeth, said "thank you," and trudged back to my car.