“You OK?”
“I’m fine.”
“Audrey.”
“I’mfine, Bennett. It’s not a big deal.”
He studies me for a moment, and I hate how well he reads people. It’s what makes him a good investor. It’s what makes him an annoying friend.
“Look,” he says quietly, “I realize now I should have told you last night. Given you a heads up about Logan being on the project. I thought about it, but you’d just gotten back, and I wanted to?—”
“It’s fine.”
“Will you stop saying that?” He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I’m trying to give you an out here. I need him on this project. So if working closely with him is going to be a problem, I can assign someone else to the day-to-day coordination. Reyes has been up to speed on the technical side. It wouldn’t be?—”
“I don’t need an out.”
“Audrey—”
“Idon’t.” I keep my voice steady, even though my heart is hammering against my ribs. “I designed NeuraTech. I know the signal architecture better than anyone. Reyes is good, but he wasn’t there for the foundational work. If we’re going to fix this in the timeframe, you need me on point. Not watching from the sidelines with Reyes as a go-between.”
Bennett is quiet for a moment. “That’s not what I’m asking. I know you’re the best person for the job. I’m asking if you can do the job while working directly with Logan. Every day. For three months.”
The question hangs between us.
I think about what it would mean to say no. To admit that seeing him walk through that door felt like a knife sliding between my ribs.
I think about what everyone would assume. Poor Audrey. She let a man derail her career.
No. Absolutely not.
“It’s not a problem,” I say. “Logan and I worked together before. We’re professionals. We’ll be professionals again.”
Bennett holds my gaze for a long moment, searching for cracks. I don’t give him any.
“All right,” he says finally. “Daily standups at eight. Weekly reports to the full team. You’re point on the technical response, Logan reports to you.”
“Got it.”
“And Audrey?” He softens slightly. “If it does become a problem—at any point—you tell me. No judgment. We’ll figure it out.”
“It won’t.”
He doesn’t look convinced. But he nods, squeezes my shoulder, and heads back toward the conference room.
I take a breath. Then another.
I can do this. I just have to keep the walls up for eighty-three days. That’s all.
I’m about to head back to my desk when I hear footsteps behind me.
“Audrey.”
Damn it.
I turn. Logan is standing a few feet away, laptop bag still over his shoulder, looking like he’s rehearsed this moment a thousand times and still doesn’t know his lines.
“What?”
