Snorting, I shook my head. He’d figure it out soon enough. A lot of tech was knowledge, but a lot was trial and error. Like life, I supposed.
Sal and I ate lunch together when schedules permitted. He’d slide into the booth across from me and start chatting. We were often interrupted by people who wanted to bump his fist or say hello. If they stopped for a chat, I’d just read. But sometimes he introduced me, so I’d puta bookmark in whatever I was doing and make small talk with his friends. It was almost fun, catching up on the gossip of annoying customers and failed sales pitches.
But with all these friends, why’d he sit with me? We didn’t talk about Janice’s gift much. I wasn’t exactly bubbly.
I glanced at the black mirror of my silent phone. Maybe he thought I was lonely.
Well, I didn’t need his pity. After this week, he’d go back to his groups, and I’d be fine reading on my own with the occasional fist-bump as he passed. I straightened my spine. “Can we talk about your game?” I asked.
“Uh, sure.” He waved off his friend, then spread his legs. “What’s up, slugger?”
I gathered my stuff. “I think we should test our custom content as soon as possible to debug it in time for her birthday.”
He leaned forward. “Sounds smart. Should I bring my laptop to the store tomorrow?”
“No.” I didn’t want Ash to know I was simping for him or whatever. “The tech desk is reserved for work stuff.”
“Do you want me to come by your place?” He screwed up his brows, so he must’ve suspected my answer.
“No.” Way too personal. We were work friends.
“You want to come to mine?” He chuckled and glanced away.
“No.” I huffed, uncrossing my leg and accidentally whacking his shin.
He hissed and buckled over. “Ow. What then?”
Why was this so complicated? I twisted the brim of my cap. “Sorry. I was hoping for somewhere more public. We wouldn’t want Janice to get the wrong idea.”
He drummed on the table and bobbed his head, his gaze skipping across the break room. “We could go to a library, but I’m probably toochatty. Although you might prefer to go somewhere with someone shushing me.” He chuckled, rubbing his goatee.
“I like it when you talk.” Shit. That might sound weird. I tugged my cap and glanced away. “Well, usually.”
He laughed, his eyes brightening. “Was that a compliment?”
“Don’t let it go to your head.” The last thing I needed was another guy mistaking friendship for flirting. I wrinkled my nose. “What about that coffee place on the other side of the mall?”
“The Bern?”
“Sure. I’ll see you there, nine a.m.” I left before I tripped into any more banter. Too much could be lethal to our mutual respect.
I threw myself into work. Focus. Test. Results.
Ash stopped by my desk on the way to the stockroom. “Everything going okay?”
“Yep.”
“Keep up the good work.” She smiled, her thumbs tucked into her belt loops.
How was she so effortlessly in control? Breezy? Tough yet feminine.
I sighed, vaguely spinning my chair to study her.
Someone laughed near the entrance. Sal jerked his chin at me and grinned while flipping juggle sticks for today’s toy demonstration.
Embarrassment pricked through my spine. ‘What?’ I mouthed.
He just wagged his eyebrows.
