I don’t like dealing with attitude, and she needs to remember who’s in charge here.
They disappear into the staircase, and I shake myself out of my thoughts to head to my office. There, I pick up my phone and the hard drive I’ll need, and head downstairs. The fact that I’ll have to work closely with her displeases me, but I can limit my interactions to Joseph and Mason instead. She might already have a good grasp on the project they’re working on, but they remain the leads on it.
As soon as I enter the Lair, to which the door was left open, my eyes glide toward her. She’s seated in front of her computer, but her attention is on her phone instead.
Again, her lack of work ethic bothers me. She’ll have to do better if she’s to be a part of this team. I’d rather not have her around otherwise. She’s too… distracting.
Using the fact that she has no idea I’m here, I silently walk toward her. Once I’m close enough to see her phone, I understand she’s scrolling through pictures of an apartment.
“You seem determined not to work today, Andrea.”
She tenses all over, and I can almost see the thin hairs on her forearms rise. Slowly, she puts her phone down and twists her chair to face me. She at least has the decency to look sheepish about her behavior.
I’m expecting another one of her defying comebacks because of her temper. I’ll give her three more of those before I fire her. It’s more generous than most.
But instead of getting heated again, she remains contained and calmly says, “You’re right, I’m sorry. I’m done now, so I’ll get on with it.”
Did something happen between five minutes ago and now? Where is the fiery Andrea who was ready to gouge my eyes out?
Something in me feels compelled to test her, so I look down at my watch. “You’ll stay for an extra twenty minutes to compensate for the time you wasted.”
She nods, which I’m not expecting again. Am I disappointed, proud, or impressed?
Maybe some of each.
Once I’m settled with my laptop on my desk, I can’t help but take quick and discreet glimpses at her. Although she’s focused on her screen, I catch her peering at me a couple of times.
I work with Brian for a while, then I have to sit by Mason’s side to help him solve the few issues he’s having. Seated right next to Andrea, I do my best to ignore her. But I use the fact that she’s lost in her script to gaze at what she inputs. She’s brilliant at this, and I have no doubt that once she’s up to speed with our current apps in development, she’ll be able to replace me and assist her colleagues when they’re stuck.
I won’t have to come down here as much and can keep to my office instead. In peaceful silence, without any jasmine-scented distractions.
Five-thirty arrives, and aside from her, the team slowly filters out after turning their computers off. Oliver is the last one to leave, and before he does, he stops by Andrea’s desk.
Because there aren’t as many machines running, the room is silent enough for me to hear their brief conversation.
“I would stay, but I have an appointment,” he reluctantly explains.
“Don’t worry, I think I can find the bus stop without your wise guidance,” she quips in return.
They exchange some goodbyes, and then it’s just us. She takes out her headphones and slips them on, then the barely perceptible sound of whatever she’s listening to reaches me.
Ignoring her becomes nearly impossible, so I consider heading back upstairs. Especially since she sometimes gets carried away and sings along with her music. Something tells me she doesn’t even realize she’s doing it, absorbed by her work on the screen.
She’s so engrossed by it, actually, that she doesn’t pay attention to the time. I’m the one who notices she’s done with her penance, so I stand and walk up to her.
When she notices me standing by her side, she removes her headphones, slightly startled.
“Your twenty minutes are over,” I explain.
“Already?” She checks the time on her screen. “Crap, I’m almost done. I hate leaving something halfway. It takes forever to get back into it.”
“I know the feeling.” She gives me a dubious look, but I ignore it. “What do you have left to do?”
“It doesn’t work, but I can’t find why. I’m doing the final sweep now.”
The sooner she’s done, the sooner I’m alone again and can work in peace, so I grab Joseph’s chair and roll it closer to hers. She looks surprised, so I say, “What? Four eyes are better than two, no?”
Ignoring her discontent, I sit down. I’m close enough to hear her mumble, “I think you mean six eyes,” and the amusement it brings lifts the corners of my lips just a little.
