I snicker, breaking the tension that seems to have a grip on all of us. “Never thought you’d use your superpower for good.”
Grey turns to me, his eyebrows lifting in mock surprise. “My superpower?”
“Yeah, yoursuper scowl. You’re always so grumpy,” I tease, unable to suppress a grin.
He just proved that he likes me at least a little bit, right?
Or maybe he just doesn’t want the disrespect to rub off on him.
“I’m not always grumpy. That’s just my face.” He shifts, his hand on my back, starting to play with strands of my hair, his expression softening as he looks at me. “But Iwasangrynow because those dickheads shouldn’t get to spew their crap unchallenged.”
His light brown eyes linger on mine, and when I take a deep breath, his scent hits me. It’s bitter and rich, like a really good cup of coffee. Something like buttered rum adds sweetness to it. Under it all is that comforting smell of old sheet music.
It’s… fuck, he smells like the perfect Saturday afternoon.
The side of his mouth twitches before he glances at Oliver. Removing his arm from the back of my chair, he straightens, the absence of his closeness leaving an unexpected chill in its wake.
Across the table, Misha lets out a hearty chuckle. “Told you you’re an intimidating fucker. People here are afraid of you. You should relax more.”
“Good. They know we can get them fired with a snap of our fingers. And Iamrelaxed,” Grey shoots back, his tone a blend of annoyance and a begrudging amusement that flickers briefly across his features.
“As relaxed as a system crash.” My laughter softens the edges of the recent tension, and Grey’s lips twitch upward once more, his lingering scowl dissolving into a reluctant grin for just a fleeting moment.
Oliver chimes in with playful mischief I haven’t seen before on him, “Yeah, as calm as a debug session.”
His words earn him a sharp glare from Grey, but it only fuels our laughter, lightening the atmosphere.
Regaining my composure, I pick up my wrap again, eager to steer the conversation toward safer waters. “So, about Jamie’s personality updates… what are you guys adding?”
Misha leans forward, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “We’re integrating more adaptive algorithms, trying to make his responses more natural, just like you suggested.” The warmth in his voice sends a surprising thrill through me.
I can’t help but sit up a bit straighter, a flush of pride swirling inside me. Having them act on my feedback is not just validating—it’s exhilarating.
Oliver adds with a gentle smile, “We made quite a few changes this morning, and there’s more planned for the afternoon. Which means you can give Jamie another test run tonight if you’re up for it.”
“Sure, I’ll have a little chat with him tonight, see if he’s improved.” My tone is light, but internally, I’m genuinely intrigued to see the changes.
It has to be impressive, judging by the pride in Oliver’s gaze.
Misha grins. “That’s the spirit!”
Trying to focus on the meal, I can’t ignore the unexpected warmth Grey’s actions stirred in me. His defense, simple as it was, seemed huge, given how rare it is for anyone to stand up for me like that.
Is it silly to feel a glimmer of hope, to wonder if there might be a real connection forming here? Not just professional or based on shared interests, but actual friendship?
Grey’s stern exterior softened for a moment to protect me, and that gesture chips away at the defenses I’ve built around myself.
Yet, I’m cautious, doubts still nagging at me.
It’s risky to read too much into simple acts of kindness. My usual solitude feels safer, less complicated.
But as I sit here, surrounded by laughter and light conversation, I can’t help but feel a tug of longing for what might be if I let these walls down just a bit more.
FOURTEEN
The evening settles in quietly,the faint hum of my laptop the only sound competing with the soft snores of Misha, who has dozed off in the chair beside me. The glow of multiple screens casts a dull light across the dim space of our home office.
I watch Amelia in her apartment, interacting with Jamie as promised after our latest personality update. The new integration of the algorithm seems almost too human-like, making the AI’s interactions smoother and more intuitive.
