“For what? You’ve done everything I’ve asked of you and more.” He turned again and looked straight at me. “You’ve never complained. Not even about my lunches with Clea.”
“Sir… Keir. I wouldn’t.”
“Look, I wouldn’t ever do anything to make you uncomfortable. It was all business. And to make sure she understood some things.”
“It’s none of my business.”
“Hmm. But you’re glad I told you, right?”
I gazed right into his eyes, brows tight in question. Not because I didn’t understand him this time, but because I did. And I was shocked that he was right. How did he know?
“Hey, I know she’s not always warm and nice, but it’s all settled. Not personal.” He paused.
Our eye contact had gone on a little long and I looked away.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I croaked.
“Because discomfort and hurt feelings are real.”
I didn’t have an equation for that. I had a mom I could vent to. But lately, she’d been cool toward me. She was still getting over me leaving the workshop so I hadn’t talked to her much at all, especially about my new job. But she had been a part of helping me with new furniture.
“I just like to work. As long as I can do that, I’m happy.” My voice came out low, unconvincing. But it was the truth.
“You’re pretty amazing, you know that?” Keir asked.
Now my face heated. It was a lot coming from my boss. And from a man I liked even more than just as a co-worker. “Thank you.”
Keir had a way of making me feel special. He probably did that with everyone, even Clea, which was why he had taken her out to lunch.
But I reminded myself Clea didn’t have her own office.
I relaxed at that thought.
Keir and I spent the rest of the day working together. I dived into the numbers and felt myself bloom. I lost time. Again.
I wasin Control when I overheard three team members say, “We’re all going shifting tonight after work.”
I kept my head down and focused on the work I was doing at one console. Deke, the guy next to me, leaned toward me. “Are you going?”
“Where?”
“To the shifter party.”
“I shook my head.”
Someone must have overheard his question because I heard a voice say loudly, “He’s not invited.” I didn’t look to see who spoke. It wasn’t Clea. Her head was bent over a computer screen ignoring it all.
As I continued to look at my screen, the symbols, letters and numbers scrambled in my mind. I got up and started to walk out. That was when I heard Keir. When had he arrived?
I glance up and saw him on the upper level.
He said, voice calm but loud enough for everyone to hear. “We’re all a team here, remember?”
Silence.
How much had Keir heard?
