Hita - Anita Claire Page 0,49
you?” I say in shock.
“No, that’s what was so strange, and what got me worried. Flint came over to thank me, he heard Mark and Roger had a good session with my dad.”
“What?”
“Let’s stay focused on one topic,” she says. “Flint was being nice, Nate got all caveman, the only thing that saved the day was Terri. She came over and pulled Flint away.”
“Terri?”
“You know, Terri, the blond who runs the engineering calendar for Sid?”
Something sounds strange, but I can’t put my finger on it. Going back to our original conversation I ask, “Besides the incident with Flint, what else has he done that makes you feel uncomfortable?”
“Nothing, actually he’s been great, I really like being with him. It’s that macho thing with Flint that has been playing in my mind. It’s got me worried.”
As we take our second lap around the building, I bump Juliette with my elbow. “You know you have a tendency to over think things. Nate seems like a nice guy. Give him a chance. I wouldn’t worry unless he starts stalking you or wants to pull you away from your friends.”
She gives me a devilish smile. Then confides, “He’s killing my workout schedule. I haven’t made a weekday swim since we got together.”
“You’re down to what, only one workout a day?”
“Hey, I’m nothing like the triathletes. Janine in marketing, she swims before work and runs at lunch. She told me she cycles to work taking the long way home so she can get in at least twenty-five miles a day.”
“Oh, good, you’re now comparing yourself with obsessive triathletes.”
***
Ping pong is getting real competitive. We’ve all been playing together for awhile. Our game is getting better, which is fun. We’ve turned into a tight group. Even the Chinese guys have gotten into trash talking. Periodically we have a new guy join us. Naturally, I’m the only woman. After playing a game with Colin, we’re both enjoying a drink before heading back to our desks when he says, “You know your friend, the one with the long curly hair?”
“Yeah, Juliette.”
“I was told that she wasn’t working up to par, that her dad was doing her work for her.”
Barking out a laugh, I tell him, “Well then this whole company is not up to par. She brought her dad in on a bug Mark and Jim couldn’t track down. Afterwards, Roger and Mark met with him. You know all the gray hairs we’ve been interviewing?”
He nods.
“After that incident, Flint’s now pushing for more engineers with twenty years or more of experience on each team.”
As I start to walk away, I stop and call after him, “Hey, Colin?”
“Yeah?”
“Who said that about Juliette?”
He knits his brow and shakes his head, finally saying, “I think Terri told me it was one of the guys in your group.”
***
After the first night of making love with David, he’s turned into my nightly companion. He’s cool with my schedule, showing up conveniently when I get home. He fits right in with Kristi and me, playing online games before bed, though, we leave a bit early so we have time for the “other game.” It’s so much fun being in a new relationship.
Juliette, Meredith, and Jennifer invite David and me to join them in Tahoe for New Year’s. Eighteen years in Chicago has made me avoid cold and snow. As I tell my friends, been there, done that, now I know I don’t need to do it again, go enjoy cold and snow, I’m staying out of it. David and I both spend the long weekend together attending a holiday underground gaming event.
After coming back from break I walk down to ping pong with Juliette. Jonathan, one of the regulars, meets me at the table while Juliette waves as she takes off to fill up her water bottle. Jonathan watches her leave. When she’s gone he asks, “What’s up with her?”
I look at him confused. “What’s up? I don’t understand?”
“I heard she was difficult.”
I must give him a blank face. “Difficult? Juliette? Why would someone say that?”
He shakes his head. “I guess it doesn’t matter.”
This reminds me that Juliette said someone told Roger she was difficult to work with. Who would say that? After losing to Jonathan, I’m about to head back to my desk but then decide to ask him, “Juliette’s really easy to work with. Do you know who said she was difficult?”
He shakes his head. “I can’t remember who said it to me. She passed us in the hall and one of