“You were working overnights,” I said, trying to justify my reasoning, even though I knew it was a weak excuse.
“No disrespect, but can you really blame her for picking Hector over you?” Calvin chimed in.
“Yes. Yes, I can,” Christine answered, still upset.
I tried to soothe things over by giving them the details of what had happened, though it appeared our boss, Stan, had already filled them in on most of the important factors.
Hector had asked—well, ordered—me to tell Stan so that he could be sure someone kept an extra close eye on the security cameras at our office.
“So, you spent multiple nights with Hector the Convector, eh?” Calvin asked, raising his eyebrows up and down suggestively.
Before I could answer though, Stan cut in. “Alright, you got the important info, now get back to work and leave her alone.”
Everyone nodded and became fudgels—people who pretended to work but instead got absolutely nothingdone—for the few minutes it took him to get out of sight. Once our boss had retreated back to his office, they all swooped back in like vultures.
“Where did you sleep?” Calvin asked.
“Did your clothes happen to fall off randomly at any point in time while you were staying with him?” Christine inquired.
“A lady never kisses and tells,” Leah added. “Unless you want to, in which case I am all here for it.”
I laughed at all three of them.
“I slept in his guest room. No, my clothes never accidentally fell off in front of him, but…” I paused for dramatic effect. “I do have a date with him tomorrow night.”
Leah squealed, Christine clapped, and Calvin tilted his head to the side as if he were thinking very deeply about something.
“Where is he taking you?” he asked.
“Umm…I don’t know. He hasn’t told me yet,” I responded. “Why?”
“Because I think Leah, Christine, and I are due for a friends’ dinner tomorrow,” Calvin said. “And if it just happens to be at the same place…how convenient!”
“No way,” I told them all, shaking my head.
I was not going to let them intrude on what I had hoped would be my last first date. I decided at that moment that even if Hector did text me to tell me where we were going, I would guard that secret with my life.
I decided to change the subject and move on.
“Cora is coming here later today, by the way,” I told them, filling them in on the project she was working on.
Thankfully, that pivot worked, and everyone seemed to let go of the topic of Hector—for now.
Apparently, Cora’s project down at the bridge ran late, so by the time she was able to meet up, I had already finished for the day, so I just picked her up since it wasn’t too far.
I was nervous about having the conversation with her about what had gone down at my apartment, especially since my coworkers had mildly flipped out.
Thankfully, I was spared during the car ride back to my apartment because Cora’s supervisor called, trying to arrange for some testing to be done tomorrow where her new equipment was placed.
After we got back to my place, Cora went to take a shower to wash off all the river junk on her body while I changed into comfier clothes and ordered us some takeout from the Italian place down the street. Girls’ night tonight was going to be full of deep conversations, so I needed carbs and wine.
Cora came out of the bathroom just as the food was delivered.
“Oh my God, that smells incredible,” Cora said, practically drooling as she walked into my small kitchen. “Noneed to be fancy with plates. I’m good to eat right out of this container.”
“Good, cause I wasn’t gonna give you one anyway,” I teased, handing her a fork, a food container, and the glass of wine I’d poured for her.
We sat at my tiny little table for two just next to the kitchen. It was an epic secondhand find from when I first moved here, with wooden chairs that had a navy-blue stain. They were brushed to look old, but the set probably was only ten years old.
