I could possibly attend another talk after his. Maybe, just maybe, he’d want to join me.
My mind flooded with images of us sitting side by side in the auditorium. He’d definitely have insight into each of the speakers, and I bet I could get him to laugh out loud. He’d be a little mad, but not really. Maybe we’d grab coffee after. Maybe we’d choose to stay here overnight. Maybe…
Heat rushed through my veins at the thought of it.
“Elizabeth,” someone yelled.
I looked up and resisted the urge to sigh. “Matthew, hi.”
Matthew, a burly man with a brain as big as he was, pulled me in for a hug. “Fancy finding you here. I didn’t know you were still an engineer.”
“What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “Dunno.”
I smiled, hoping it softened the bitterness in my voice. “Did you hear something about me?”
“Nah. But you know…”
I did know, but I still hated it. Before I could defend myself and remind him that my relation to Douglas Gordon-Bettencourt doesn’t determine my career, his gaze dropped down to my chest.
No, down to my lanyard.
His mouth fell open. “Why do you have a Simucon pass?”
I lifted my chin. “I’m part of their graduate internship.”
“No way.” His bright blue gaze met mine. “How?”
“I applied.”
“So did I.”
I shrugged. “That sucks. I’m sorry.”
His face reddened, and he scoffed. “Be honest. Did your dad help you out?”
Every time someone threw that at me, I wished I could say something and put them in their place, but it never worked. I always froze.
Matthew tutted and smiled, as if he’d hit the bull’s-eye. “Well, whatever. They only take two people from the internship, and everyone else gets tossed. By then, none of the other firms will want to hire you because they already have enough graduates on their plate.”
I blocked everything he said from my brain. I did not need that on top of all the stressors already ruining me.
Beyond Matthew’s head, a far-too-familiar face caught my attention. And I couldn’t place him. Dark hair, dark eyes, and a sharp nose. He looked at me but there was no recognition in his gaze.
He slipped into the Ruby Room, which reminded me: I needed to get in there too.
“I have to go. I can’t miss this talk,” I said, and walked off.
But Matthew followed. “Same. Dr. Carden’s research inspired mine.”
“He’s my boss.” I bit on my lip, resisting the smug smile threatening to burst onto my face.
Even if I didn’t get the job at Simucon, Matthew’s crumpled expression made it all worth it.
I took a seat as far away from Matthew as possible and stared at the empty podium. In a few minutes,DoctorLincoln Carden wouldbe up there. I couldn’t imagine it. He was so quiet. How would he speak loudly enough to command this room?
Looking around, I recognized one lecturer and one old classmate. The dark-haired man was seated a few rows in front of me.
