I walk around the table to her, my heart heavy.“I know, Mom.But you have to trust Nick.He’s not in love with Elisha, so he’s not with her because of his feelings for her.But Nick isn’t a fool either.If I know him, he’s working on something, but we have to trust him.”
“That’s what he said,” Mom smiles through her tears.I wipe them from her face and hug her.
“It’s going to be okay, Mom.I promise.Nick’s going to be okay.”
My mother just holds me tighter, and I make a mental note to check up on Nick after this launch is over.
* * *
I rubmy eyes for the third time, the glare from the screen making them water after staring at it for hours.The office is quiet except for the rhythmic tapping of keyboards, Joshua’s occasional sighs, and the heavy drumming of rain against the windows.The storm that had been threatening all day has finally arrived, turning the evening sky an inky black.
“Is anyone else starving?”Joshua asks, leaning back in his chair until it creaks in protest.“I’d kill for some pizza right now.”I wonder if Eve will take him up on the offer, but when I look at her, she doesn’t react in the slightest, completely fixated on reviewing the launch files.
“We just had those sandwiches an hour ago,” Steven points out without looking up from his computer.His face is illuminated by the blue light of his screen, making him look more gaunt than usual in the dim office lighting.“Focus.We need to finish everything tonight.”
I check my watch.It’s just a few minutes past eight.Still hours to go before we’ll be done.Flora gathers her things to head out, leaving just the four of us working late into the evening.The office hums with a tense mixture of exhaustion, stress, and underlying excitement—the feeling of being so close to the finish line we can almost taste it.
“What’s your excuse for ditching us, Flora?”Joshua yawns, spinning his pen between his fingers.
Flora beams, her eyes crinkling behind her cat-eye glasses.“My daughter’s got a late shift at the hospital, so Grandma’s on babysitting duty.My little angels are waiting for me with cookies and a movie marathon.”
A distant rumble shakes the building, momentarily drawing everyone’s attention to the dark sky outside.
“Drive safe, Flora,” Eve says, her tone brisk but with an underlying warmth that only those who know her well would catch.
“I will,” Flora promises, patting Eve’s shoulder.“I’ve got my rain boots and umbrella.And don’t you youngsters stay too late.The launch will be perfect whether you stare at these screens for three more hours or not.”
“We will,” I lie smoothly, knowing full well we’ll be here well past midnight.Eve just makes a non-committal humming sound that Flora accepts with a knowing smile.
Once the elevator doors close behind Flora, I stretch my arms overhead, feeling my back pop.Eve’s still hunched over her keyboard, the blue light from her screen highlighting the determined set of her jaw, while the city lights outside the window blur into smears of color against the darkness, distorted by the water streaming down the glass.
“Shit,” I suddenly remember, nearly falling backwards.“I need to pick up Megan’s car from the shop before they close at nine.”
Eve glances at me, a strand of dark hair falling across her face.“Weren’t you supposed to pick it up this afternoon?”
“I forgot,” I wince.“I promised her I would get it to her today.She’s going to kill me if I forget.I have to go.”I get up, stretching once again before coming to stand behind her.“I’ll be back in a couple hours.Think you can survive without me that long?”
She snorts, still typing.“I’ll try to contain my devastation.”
The wind picks up, sending sheets of water slamming against the windows with renewed intensity.“You sure you want to go out in that?”Eve asks, finally looking up from her screen, her expression unreadable but her eyes betraying a hint of concern.
I lean down and press a fierce kiss to the top of her head, inhaling the faint vanilla scent of her shampoo.“Worried about me, Princess?”
She immediately bats at me.“Stop it.”But her voice lacks its usual edge.
I slide my hand across her shoulder, leaning close to her ear.“Come on, walk me down?I’ve been feeling very neglected recently, you know.”
Without taking her eyes off the screen, Eve reaches up and grabs my jaw firmly.“Go feel neglected in a corner.”But she glances at the rain-battered windows again, her brow furrowing slightly.
Joshua snorts from across the room.“And here I thought love had softened Eve.Even you can’t get between her and work, Caleb.”
“The whole fun’s in trying,” I inform him with a grin.
Steven glances up briefly, his expression tired before returning to his work.“Bring some energy drinks on your way back.”
“Will do,” I tell him, placing my hands firmly on Eve’s shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze.
“Caleb.”The warning note in her voice makes me grin.
