Prank Date [✔]

Part 24

By quarter to three, I was standing by the window, watching the street. The minutes ticked by slowly as I smoothed nonexistent wrinkles from my elegant slacks. I looked down at myself, opened the top button on my blouse, and then closed it again.

I glanced at the street in front of the apartment.

Still no sign of Lisa.

The hand of the clock above the mantel sprang to one minute after three. Every other time we had met, Lisa had been early.

Where is she? My imagination showed Lisa leaving the restaurant with Nilki and then going home with her. I swallowed and shook my head to get rid of the mental image. Maybe Lisa had just overslept.

The ringing of the phone made me jump. Lisa! I rushed to the phone and snatched up the receiver without looking at the caller ID. "Yes?"

"This is Aaron Chua."

Great. My boss. Not Lisa.

"I'm sorry to call you at home on a Sunday," Mr. Chua said, "but there's a problem with the software and we thought ... Well, maybe if you aren't busy, you could come in and help us fix it?"

Now? I glanced out the window. Lisa will be here any minute!

"I'm sure it won't take more than an hour," my boss said when I stayed silent. "I'll pay for the overtime, of course."

I glanced back and forth between the phone and the window. Proving myself as competent and reliable was important to me. But saying yes to my boss would mean not getting to spend time with Lisa. I paused when I realized how important spending time with Lisa  had become. How did that happen?

"Jennie?" Mr. Chua asked. "Are you still there?"

"Yes," I said. My thoughts were racing while I tried to come up with a compromise that would make everyone happy. But this time, there was no compromise. It was either my boss's needs or my own. I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Mr. Chua, but I can't come in. I'm on my way out the door for an important appointment."

Silence answered at the other end of the line, showing me how surprised Mr. Chua was by my answer.

And he wasn't the only one who was surprised.

"Oh." Mr. Chua sighed. "Well, I guess the problem will still be here on Monday."

"I'll take care of it first thing tomorrow morning," I said. I finished the call and stared at the phone in my hand.

Wow. I said no to my boss. I shook my head and grinned at myself. Jisoo would be proud. And Lisa.

The doorbell rang.

Lisa! Finally. I set down the phone and hurried to the door to buzz Lisa in. After a few seconds, I heard footfalls on the stairs and peeked through the peephole. My heartbeat accelerated at the sight of Lisa walking toward the door, dressed in a gray button-down shirt and faded jeans that clung to her strong thighs.