“Right on both accounts. Depending upon when this little lady makes her appearance, I may or may not be able to attend, but I don’t live far away. You can always reach me by phone.”
“That’s a relief.” Ahri hoped she hadn’t gotten in over her head.
“Anyway, back to the tour. You’ll notice a room on each floorthat’s filled with computers like here in the cafeteria. Three evenings a week you can come in for noob training. There are coaches to help you get better at the game. As I said before, deep understanding of the game really does impact business decisions.”
“Okay.” All this was way deeper than anything Ahri had ever considered. “I won’t need newbie-level help.” Her brother had already taught her more than any coach could, she was sure.
“Good. You’ll fit right in.” Cass shot her an approving glance. “Let’s move on.”
While a little overwhelmed, Ahri found herself excited by the energy of the place. She thought she’d like working here.
“Well, boss,”Cass said as she slipped into a seat across from the conference table when everyone else in the meeting had left. “I think you’ve got a good one there.”
“Glad to hear it.” Rafe leaned back in his chair, curious to hear what his assistant thought of Ahri. He fought a twinge of guilt at keeping her identity from Cass because she’d proven herself discreet while working with him. Bill had been emphatic, though. No one besides the guys, the security staff, and Orianna could know Ahri’s true identity.
“At first she did look a little intimidated by the size of the organization, but as I introduced her to some key staff, she seemed to get acclimated.” Cass gave a soft laugh. “There’s no guarantee she won’t go home tonight and decide this isn’t for her, but I doubt it. You can tell your mother that hers was a good recommendation. I feel confident leaving my responsibilities to Ahri while I’m gone.”
“I’ll pass it on. You might want to tell her yourself. I think it’d be good for her to hear.” Rafe chose his words carefully. “I can’t share details, but I know from good sources that she’s been through a tough time.”
“Then this is the perfect place for her.”
“What makes you say that?” Rafe was curious about Cass’s input. She’d been there since they’d moved to Boone, coming to work for him after she’d been in another department a few months.
“Because this place has such positive energy. I’ve never worked anywhere that I’ve loved this much. How can you beat a place where the employees bring this much enthusiasm to the job? I wasn’t a gamer when I started, but I’m hooked now.” Cass grinned. “My husband says that’s strengthened our marriage.”
“Having shared interests is a good thing.” Rafe thought about his stepsister, Samantha, Alex’s daughter from his first marriage. Sam had married Rafe’s roommate. They were such fans of the Magical Realm books that they’d exchanged their vows at the theme park. He powered off his tablet. “I can’t imagine marrying somebody who didn’t also love this. I’ve known too many people who didn’t have enough to keep them together.”
Cass’s expression turned reflective. “My mother hated basketball and didn’t think my father’s obsession with it would be a big deal. That was until basketball season came along, and she became one of those sports widows.”
“But I thought you mentioned them celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary last month.”
“They did. If they had split, I wouldn’t have been born. By the end of the basketball season, my mother was ready to leave him. She called home to make sure they’d take her. Grandma told her she could come back, or she could learn to love what he loved.”
“Really?” For just a second, Rafe wondered if having common interests would have helped his mother and father’s relationship but cast the idea aside. His father’s problems had gone far deeper than that.
“Yes. Mom spent the summer reminding herself of why she loved Dad. During her free time, she learned everything she could about basketball. When the next season came around, she wasright there beside him on the couch. She got him season tickets for Christmas.”
“That’s really nice, but it sounds a little one-sided,” Rafe said.
“My father was so excited that she’d been willing to do that for him that he got her season tickets to the symphony. She admitted to me that she still doesn’t love basketball, but she loves sharing time with my father. He could take or leave the symphony, but he enjoys the time with her.” Cass shrugged. “She said it’s all about give and take.”
“Smart woman. I’ll have to keep that in mind if I ever find someone I want to spend my life with.” An image of Ahri flitted across his mind, and he pushed it aside. It was much too early for that. He rose, and Cass did too.
“I’m glad to hear you say that. You need a life outside of REKD, Rafe. You never hear of people on their deathbeds wishing they’d spent more time in the office.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ve gotten that quote before.” Rafe turned off the light and pushed back the flush of irritation. He was getting sick and tired of people always telling him that. He and the guys had created something amazing here that engaged millions of people around the world. They had pro players who spent hours, just like Olympic athletes, practicing and honing their skills, who made careers playing his video game. That was a huge life accomplishment.
“But is it enough?” Cass asked, almost as though she could read his mind. She turned and left without another word.
10
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,” CASS sang as she waddled into the office at the end of the day carrying an oversized muffin from one of the vending machines.
“It’s not until tomorrow, but thank you.” Ahri gave her a quick hug and took the treat. “How did you find out?”
“A little bird told me.” Cass sank into her chair with a sigh. “I’m so glad I’m not expecting in August. Can you imagine how much I’d swell then?” She lifted a foot to showcase her swollen ankle.
“But you’ll have a sweet little baby when it’s all over,” Ahri said, tearing off the cellophane wrapper.
