Doctor Kim

Chapter 11

After I'd ransacked my room, the laundry, and my car, I sat on the edge of my bed and resigned myself to the fact my favorite hoodie, the Vanderbilt one I'd bought in the university store and had worn almost every night the first year of school, was gone. How the hell had I lost it?

My attention was normally great, but it'd been slipping since the afternoon I'd gone over to Jay's house to end things and wound up kissing his dad. The last two days had been much worse. Since sleeping with Minji, she was all I could think about. Danielle wasn't helping. She'd insisted we get dinner together after work, mostly so I could tell her every detail.

Describing the memory to her made it more intense, but she'd been great about not judging me. A big part of that was probably her dislike for Jay.

I couldn't remember the last time I'd worn the hoodie. I hadn't been cold in weeks—all I needed to do was think about Minji, and problem solved. Heat flushed along my body, running down my center, leading straight between my legs—

Oh, no.

I groaned as I realized where my favorite sweatshirt was. I'd spilled a glass of water on my arm last time I'd worn it, and hung the black and gold hoodie up to dry on a hook on the back of the bathroom door.

Not my bathroom, but Jay's.

I could cut my losses, or reach out to my ex, but neither of those options excited me as much as the one that popped into my mind. I scooped up my phone, scrolled through my contacts to Dr. Kim, and tapped out the message before I had time to think about what a terrible idea it was.

Hanni: Hey, it's Hanni. Sorry to bother you, but I left my hoodie hanging on the door of Jay's bathroom. Can I come by to get it?

Hanni: Maybe some time when he's not there?

I threw the phone down like it was the devil. The feeling in the pit of my stomach was similar to the one I got when I'd called Jay for the first time, back when we were in high school, only this feeling now was more intense. My gut twisted in a knot. My request was dangerous, and it was hard to breathe while I waited for a response.

Time ticked by, one agonizing second after another.

Was she in surgery? Had she read the text and wasn't sure how to respond? Or was she upset I'd left without saying goodbye? I put my fingertips over my lips and frowned. I shouldn't have texted her.

I nearly leapt out of my skin when the phone chimed.

Dr. Kim: He's at work if you want to swing by now.

I read the text a million times, searching and hoping for hidden meaning, but it wasn't there. 'Swing by' implied quick—she wasn't asking me to stay. And why would she? I'd run away last time like a coward.

At least she didn't say she'd leave the door unlocked for me, because that would have been a clear sign she didn't want to see me.

I was such a jittery mess on the drive over, I didn't realize I hadn't turned on the radio until I entered Minji's subdivision. I'd driven most of the way there in silence, running different scenarios in my head of what was going to happen when I got to her house.

It was dusk when I parked in the driveway, and I followed the brick path up the front step, staring at the glowing button of the doorbell. It felt like the damn thing was mocking me. If I rang it, seeing Minji face to face would be unavoidable.

Wasn't that what I wanted?

What I craved?

I stabbed the button with a finger and listened to the dull chime ring out inside the house. The decorative glass insert of the front door was made of embossed panels, so I could only see a figure approach, but not her face.