She quirked a brow. “What about me?”
I shrugged. “You just don’t seem like a software engineer,” I said.
“Oh, I’m not,” she confirmed. “Well, not really. I know a bit.”
“Then how are you developing an app?” I asked.
“My roommate Casey and I have been working on it since college,” she said. “We just haven’t been able to quit our jobs and invest enough to actually launch.”
“So what do you do?”
“The ideas girl,” she said with a smirk. “And project management. And networking expert I suppose.”
“That’s a lot,” I said.
“It is, but Casey is the real genius. She found a way to merge her code and ma—” she stuttered. “AI to make it be able to keep track of things right from your email or phone calls.”
“That is impressive, but you can’t discount your contributions. Even though she created the product, that’s only half the battle. Then there’s getting investors, keeping it running, hiring, managing, networking. A lot needs to go into a business, and it seems you’re shouldering the brunt of that.”
Her eyes got a bit damp. I thought I said something wrong but she nodded. “You’re right. Thank you. I guess it just feels like because without her we wouldn’t have anything. But without me, Casey wouldn’t have done this by herself. She’s amazing, but she’s a bit unorganized at her best.”
I smiled. “I get that. I’m always told I’m unorganized.” And late. And distracted. But I didn’t add all of that.
“Everyone has strengths,” she said. “I’m really good at being on time and staying organized, but I am horrid at multi-tasking. I have no idea how anyone juggles more than one thing at a time.”
“I’m alright at that. Sometimes I would need to fly out to a shoot while in college, so there was a lot of watching lectures on set.” Everyone used to think I was magic, being able to listen to a lecture and read shoot notes at the same time, and be able toabsorb them both, but my brain has always allowed me to do things like that.”
“It does sound magical,” she said.
There was a hint of humor in her tone I didn’t quite understand. But what she said was right. We did have different things that we were good at, but it didn’t make one right or wrong. Just different.
“My drink is already cold,” I commented absently, swirling it around.
“Here,” she said, reaching her hands out. “I have warm hands.”
I handed the cup to her, and I could have sworn she mumbled something, but I didn’t catch it.
After a few minutes she handed it back. “Should be a bit better now.”
I took it back and with a sip I was surprised. It wasn’t hot, but it wasn’t chilled either. “Wow, you really are warm.”
“It’s a special talent.” Her eyes wandered past me. “Hey, I think the lift is going again,” she said, pointing to the now moving lift.
“Should we get out there?” I asked.
She nodded. “I’m going to destroy you on the slopes,” she said confidently.
I laughed. “We’ll see.”
Juniper
I did not,in fact, dominate on the slopes. I was able to make it past the bunny hill onto one of the green slopes, but I did fall there. Ellery, for his part, was gracious, and only laughed a little, but I laughed too.
After we were done, we grabbed lunch in the lodge before settling into the room. We had planned for a quiet evening in. I had just gotten out of the shower and was brushing my wet hair by the vanity when someone knocked on the door. Ellery answered and it was Arthur. He had that typical aloof expression he always did.
“What’s up?” Ellery asked, letting Arthur in.
“I wanted to see if you two wanted to go out to dinner?” he asked.
