looked at me. “It’s not a big deal. But if she’s taking things too far...”
“Why would she go from dirty jokes to corporate sabotage?” I was missing something.
He kept his attention on Luke. “You wanted information about the situation here. I’m providing it.”
“Answer Anne’s question,” Luke said.
I appreciated the support, but not that it had to be offered. If my face was red now, it was thanks to the irritation flickering inside.
Mike rolled his eyes. “I don’t know why Billie would fuck us all out of our jobs because we didn’t like a few of her pussy jokes. Maybe you should ask her.”
“You’re the one making the suppositions. I’m asking you.” I let anger slide into my tone.
“And I gave you an answer. What are you pissed about?”
Being ignored. Talked down to. Hearing another female programmer take the blame out of the gate. Was I in the wrong?
The moment the question popped into my head, I wanted to flatten it with a mallet, but it was here now and it wasn’t leaving. Would I have put up the same kind of opposition if he’d been talking about one of the guys on the team? Did that make me the bad guy?
“That’s all I needed to know.” I kept the self-doubt out of my retort and stared at my screen, trying to force my brain to stop sabotaging me.
“Thanks for the info. Keep us both posted,” Luke said. “Wait,” he added, when Mike reached for the door. “Anne’s right to ask.”
“Of course she is.” Mike left.
I liked that Luke had my back, but now that I was questioning things, his support got tacked onto the list. Why wouldn’t he take my side? He was trying to fuck me.
He would have backed me up anyway.
But he’s been watching me a lot longer than I realized. Because I’m shit at reading a situation.
Not true.
Isn’t it?
Best thing to do when my mind was plotting to undo me like this was focus on coding. Something I tended to get right, because I could follow a list of rules and not have to interpret anything. No more people decisions for me.
Chapter Eleven
My nagging brain plus an early morning flight plus no sleep last night sank into my bones. As the clock drew closer to five, I felt like I’d been compressed to preserve bandwidth, and parsed incorrectly on the other side.
The fun with Chase and Luke this morning felt like someone else’s life.
My phone buzzed at the same time as Luke’s chimed, and we executed a perfect ballet of reaching for the devices. It was a group text from Chase.
Would you rather stay in?
I’d drop a lot for their company, either of them, even before this, but I wasn’t up for exploring the city. If I turned him down, would the fun end?
“I’m not going to answer on your behalf, but I also won’t be offended if you tell him yes,” Luke said.
“What about sushi?” I spoke the words aloud as I typed them. Was that silly? Luke would read my reply, but he was also sitting in the room with me.
Chase replied seconds later. They deliver. Besides, you’ve had a long few days, and my money says you don’t want to go out. I don’t care where we are, as long as I have your company.
That was sweet. Almost cheesy, but in a way that warmed me from the inside out. Okay. Let’s stay in.
Meet you both at the hotel, Chase wrote.
Luke and I finished work with minimal conversation. The pauses were comfortable, like what I was used to, as long as I didn’t think too much about the night ahead. Every time I started down that path, I ran into so many questions, my brain stalled. Did they really expect me to choose between them? So far, it didn’t feel like it. How did this work tonight? I was used to dinner with either of them, but together as more than friends...? What was I supposed to tell Sadie and Lyn in the morning? Was this a good idea?
I had to shake it all aside, or I’d freeze up from indecision and doubt. Or worse, I’d pick an answer to each question, and it would be the wrong one.
Chase wasn’t at the hotel yet, but we needed to check in anyway. There was only one person behind the counter, so Luke let me go first.
I gave the desk clerk a friendly smile and my name.
She typed. And then some more. A line creased her