Pointing at the monitor, I say, “Looks like you might have left it in the conference room on the third floor.”
Misha claps me on the back, his relief palpable. “Thanks. You’re a lifesaver, man.”
As I switch through the feed once more, Misha’s about to leave when the door bursts open, and Oliver comes in, eyes wide, panting. “Guys…” he gasps, catching his breath, “… I… I talked to Amelia.”
Well, that’s unexpected.
It’d be the first time in the two years that he’s been crushing hard on her.
Misha’s face splits into a wide grin. “Finally! So proud of you, bro! What did you say?”
“That’s not the point,” Oliver quickly adds, holding up a hand to stop Misha from hugging him, frustration edging his voice. “She saidshewould be beta testing the AI.”
All three of us exchange puzzled looks.
“What? Why?” Misha frowns. “No, the CEO said the chief of the Smart Home Development Department had to do it. That’s why we gave Dr. Langley that long introduction to the system and everything. Why wouldshedo it now?”
“Does she work in the Smart Home Development Department?” I ask, looking at Oliver.
“I have no idea. I don’t know anything about her. That’s the fucking problem,” Oliver groans, rubbing his forehead. “Two years and I still don’t know shit.”
“Maybe they’re dating and living together?” Misha suggests, only half-joking.
Oliver pales at the thought. The idea of Amelia with that slimy Dr. Langley sends a weird twist into my gut too. She’s way out of Langley’s league.
Let’s be honest. She’s out of all of our leagues.
“If she really gives Langley the time of day, you should absolutely shoot your shot, Oliver,” Misha encourages, trying to lighten the mood again after his fuck-up remark.
I turn back to my monitor, unable to watch Oliver’s pained expression any longer, and spot the woman in question standing in the hallway. “Speaking of the devil,” I murmur, motioning Misha and Oliver closer.
“Why are we watching a live feed of her?” Oliver asks, squinting at the monitor.
“We’re not. That’s the camera feed from yesterday,” I explain as he leans in. “Misha has?—”
“Probably lost something, sure, but what’s she doing?” Oliver interrupts, and a smirk tugs at my lips.
We all watch, intrigued, as Amelia stands there, looking around nervously. Suddenly, she pulls out a net and a bag and stretches on her tiptoes to fish something out of the tank.
What the hell?
Misha bursts out laughing. “Did she just steal some fucking fish from that aquarium?”
Oliver looks even more shocked than when he first walked in, which makes me smirk. “Seems like your precious Amelia isn’t as innocent as you made her out to be.”
“Never said she was innocent, just said she was perfect,” Oliver mumbles defensively.
“And does her stealing fish change that?” I ask, genuinely curious.
I always thought he was putting her on a pedestal she couldn’t keep up with in real life, no matter how nice she actually is. She’s beautiful but boring, nothing special. A shy loner.
Like everybody else in this damn company.
“It makes her a fucking badass,” Misha chimes in, still chuckling.
True.Not so boring after all.
“Why would she do that?” Oliver puzzles aloud.
