“And you didn’t join them because...?”
His persistent interest should have annoyed me, but instead it made my pulse quicken. Why did he care so much about my choices?
“I told you. I wanted to get work done,” I said.
His gaze traveled slowly over my face, lingering on my flushed cheeks. “So you push yourself harder than everyone else.”
The warmth in my cheeks intensified. “Something like that.”
He considered this for a moment. “Why Altika? What made you want to work there specifically?”
I hesitated, surprised by the directness of his question.
“At my previous job, I was working days and studying nights,” I said softly, remembering those exhausting months. “My back ached constantly. I was surviving on vending machine food and caffeine.”
Jonah listened intently, his full attention focused on me.
“That’s when I discovered Altika Fitness. I wasn’t a fitness enthusiast, but just someone who wanted to feel human again.”
The memory brought both pain and gratitude. “Your app didn’t lecture me about drinking more water or demand I run five miles. It asked how I was feeling that day. It adapted tome. It gave me permission to try, even when I couldn’t commit completely.”
Something unreadable passed behind Jonah’s eyes.
“So I researched everything about the company,” I continued, my voice growing quieter. “I read every blog post, every tech article Altika published. I loved how the app was built to help people begin their fitness journey instead of punishingthem for not being perfect. I had to work for the company whose product had genuinely improved my life.”
Jonah exhaled slowly, as if my answer had caught him off guard.
“If you’re serious about succeeding in tech, here’s some advice: attend those happy hours. Network with your teammates and supervisors. That’s far more valuable than staying late to run tests, Lexi. They need to see you as a team player, not as someone who works in isolation.”
My first instinct was indignation, but as I considered his words, heat spread across my face. “I … I hadn’t thought of it that way.” No wonder I wasn’t making progress with Stacey and Brian. I probably came across as antisocial.
I looked down, embarrassed. “I’ve never worked as part of a team before, so I didn’t realize.”
“What was your previous job?” he asked.
I felt my cheeks burn, already bracing for his reaction. “I was a receptionist at Hexley & Pierce Associates.” I watched his face, waiting for the subtle shift people always made when they decided I wasn’t worth their time.
He nodded, seeming to recognize that name. His expression remained unchanged, with no flicker of surprise or judgment. “That’s a prestigious law firm. But I imagine it was fairly solitary work.”
I breathed out a small sigh of relief. “Exactly. No team lunches or collaborative projects to worry about after I clocked out. Everything about working at Altika is new territory for me.”
I hesitated, then decided to take advantage of his openness. “Jonah, can I ask you about that photograph of Alex and his father? Why did it bother you so much?”
“Alex is my former business partner and one of my very good friends,” Jonah said, heavily. “He’s also an extremely lucky bastard.”
“Lucky how?”
“He and his Dad have dinner here every month. Just the two of them, catching up.” His voice carried an edge I hadn’t heard before. “Some people get that kind of father, I guess. Let’s talk about something else.” The finality in his tone made it clear the subject was closed.
Disappointment settled in my chest, but I kept my expression neutral. There was so much I wanted to understand about him, but I was learning that he was frustratingly guarded about his personal life. Well, actually, so was I.
His expression softened slightly. “We both have our protected territories, don’t we?” He leaned back in his chair, studying me. “So tell me something you’re willing to share. Why aren’t you in a relationship already?”
I considered his question. “I will, after you tell me why you’re against all relationships. Not just romantic ones,” I observed.
“What makes you think I’m against romantic ones?” he asked in a gruff voice.
“Aren’t you?”
