He's in the men’s bathroom. I walk right in, ignoring the sign because subtlety isn’t going to cut it.
One of the guys exits a stall and stops abruptly.
“Hey, Sarah—” He gives me a look like I’ve wandered into some forbidden temple. “Uh… what are you doing in here?”
“Do you think HR would like it if you asked a woman what she's doing in the bathroom after cornering her?”
“Wow, um,” he utters nervously.
“Just kidding. See you later,” I urge with contempt, hoping he’ll get the hint. He does. Once I’m sure the other stalls are empty, I move to the closed one.
“Lincoln.”
“What?”
I shut the main door to the restroom and knock on his stall. “Lincoln, we need to talk.”
“Leave me alone. Please. I just want to be alone.”
“You’re at work. We have to—”
“Look!! I’ll be out there in a second! Leave me the fuck alone! Oh my fucking God! You’realwaysup my ass.”
“Open the door, Lincoln! Open the doorrightnow! Seriously, or I’m gonna go and tell the boss.”
The stall door flies open so hard it hits the wall. He storms out toward me, and I instinctively step back until my shoulders press against the opposite wall.
“What! What do you want?!”
He looks furious. Why is he behaving so rabid? Eyes bright, breathing uneven. For a second I wonder if he was crying, whichis ridiculous. That’s not Lincoln. Lincoln doesn’t cry. Lincoln barely feels anything he doesn’t want to feel.
Then again, except when it comes to that bitch, Gabrielle.
“I just want to know if you’re okay. Like, what is going on? Is it Gabby?”
He doesn’t answer.
“Why did you let her work here? I told you that was gonna be a bad idea.”
“I didn’tmakeher work here.Vossoffered her a job, and now she’s working here. Fuck.” He runs a hand through his hair, exasperated.
“Well, I think it’s important for you to know that she and Fabian might end up dating. So just be prepared for that.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Yeah, I just talked to her and she told me that she gave her blessing for you and me to be together.”
He just stares at me.
Part of me wants to laugh at the expression on his face. The disbelief. The sting. But another part of me feels bad. Maybe he really didn’t see this coming.
Still… he needed to hear it.
“Yeah, I think she really likes Fabian. He’s really digging her. And this way you and I can resume—”
He cuts me off again, but this time by walking straight out of the bathroom, not giving me another word.
I watch the door swing shut behind him, and for once, I have no idea what he’s about to do next.
