“You’re freaking out for no reason, Mason. I said it wasn’t an issue. It’s not. End of.”
He spoke with authority and finality. The topic was closed for discussion. “Ok…”
“We’ve got actual work to do,” he said, opening his computer. “Did you prepare that spec sheet like I asked?”
“Yup. You have it.”
He found and then scanned it for a moment. “Good job. Did you have an issue translating the original?”
“Nope, I speak Spanish. I thought that’s why you gave it to me.”
“Oh yeah… wait, don’t you speak a few different languages?”
I chuckled. “Yup. Spanish, Portuguese, and some Mandarin.”
Alec lifted a single brow, looking impressed. “Damn. Are you like a secret genius or something?”
“Nah. Just spent some semesters abroad.”
“Nice. You’re a world traveler, huh?”
I laughed. It was always amusing when people said stuff like that. The truth was, I hadn’t traveled anywhere near enough.
“I like to think of myself that way, yeah. But there’s so much more to see. I’m addicted to the thrill of it.”
“It has its perks. But also its setbacks. Especially when you do it for work.”
“The perksfaroutweigh the setbacks. That’s why I wanted to be in field sales. I need to be on the move. If I wasstuck in inside sales for one more minute, I was gonna quit. No joke.”
“I sometimes think I’d be better off inside. Less stress. Less worry. Less effort. But also, less money. So here I am.”
“You think so? You read people like a book—figuring out what someone wants, and how you can give it to them, before they realize you’re doing it. That edge would be gone inside.”
Alec laughed and shook his head. “Have you met my mother?”
“Huh?” I said, confused.
He shook his head again and smiled. “Both my parents were in Pharma sales. That’s what they used to say. It’s not about what you're selling, but what theywant—in their case, it was doctors who wanted to help people, be prominent, or just get rich. You can only do that in person. Their heyday was before regulations, so they’d be on yachts and golf clubs all day, every day. Can’t dothatshit over the phone, or at all anymore.”
“Oh damn, I didn’t know it was in your blood.”
“Yup. Born huckster.”
“I just get off on traveling. The adventure of being somewhere I’ve never been will never get old.”
“Careful what you wish for. It gets tiring, man. Take it from an old guy.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “You’re not old, Alec.”
“Older than your punk ass.”
“That’s true. I wiped the floor with you in the gym yesterday.”
“Yeah, but you ate my dust on our run. I was getting ready to carry your sweaty ass back to the hotel over my shoulder.”
My pupils dilated, and my pulse rose a point or two at the conjured image. It made me think of the coming renovation. With the new setup, I’d have an unobstructed view of Alecwhenever I wanted. Including when he wore that pair of jeans that looked like he was smuggling a grapefruit.
“Thanks for having my back, I guess?” I laughed.
