I elbow him hard in the ribs, hissing under my breath, “Leon, too much.”
Theo spins around so quickly, the marker slips from his hand and lands on the table with a dull clatter, rolling onto the carpet. He blinks, his gaze darting between us as if we’re hallucinations brought on by caffeine poisoning. When his eyes finally lock on mine, they widen, “Kaori?” His voice is rough. “What are you doing here? I asked Anya for two senior engineers, not?—”
“A junior one?” I finish for him, stepping fully into the room. I keep my voice steady, even as my heart does a nervous gallop. His gaze stays fixed on me, intense and unreadable. “Anya thought it would be a good learning opportunity,” I add quickly.
He exhales, dragging a hand down his face. “Unbelievable.”
Completely unfazed by the tension, Leon clears a space among the scattered blueprints and sets the Pip’s Pantry bag on the table with a heavy thud. “You can yell at us later,” he says easily. “Butfirst, food.”
His eyes narrow. “We have work to do. The food can wait.” He turns his body back to the whiteboard.
A few weeks ago, that tone would’ve made me shrink back. But now, I know better. I’ve learned how to read the man behind the glare. I know exactly how hard I can push before I cross the line. “No.”
Leon snorts into his coffee, completely failing to hide his grin. He’s already claimed a seat near the head of the table, unwrapping his sandwich like he’s settling in to watch a match.
“Eat.” I slide the bag toward Theo. “There are two steak, two grilled chicken, and two roast beef sandwiches, six orders of chips, and some fruit and veggie cups. I didn’t know what you’d want so I got a little of everything.”
Theo arches a brow. “You think I need six sandwiches?”
“No,” I say. “Two are for me. I didn’t know how long you plan to keep us here, so I came prepared for a long-term siege.”
A silence stretches between us. Theo stares at me, his mouth opening slightly, as if he’s searching for a witty rebuttal. But his brain isn’t fully firing, and a second later, he finally sits, shoulders sagging.
When he reaches for a roast beef sandwich, I notice the faint tremor in his hand. It’s a small detail, but it speaks volumes about the level of burnout he’s hiding behind. He unwraps the sandwich and takes a reluctant bite, chewing in silence.
The tension in the room shifts now that the beast has been temporarily pacified. Leon and I quietly unpack the rest of the food, spreading it out on the table between laptops and tangled charging cables.
“So,” Leon says in a low voice, tearing open a packet ofchips, “I meant to ask you earlier... what’s on your London must-see, must-do list? I was thinking about catching a show in the West End tomorrow. You wanna tag along?”
“If we actually manage to get some time, I’d love to,” I say, peeling the lid off my fruit cup and trying to sound more casual than I feel. I don’t miss the way Theo glances toward me at the mention of my plans. “Top three on my list are the London Eye, Tower Bridge, and maybe a quick stop by Big Ben.”
Leon nods approvingly, pointing a chip at me. “Solid list. Toss Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London on there while you’re at it. You’ll regret it if you don’t. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a Yeoman Warder in his iconic hat.”
“This your first time in London?” Theo asks.
“No, I’ve been here before, but I’ve never done the touristy things,” I say, glancing over before turning back to Leon. “And I’m supposed to visit Buckingham Palace on Thursday with a family friend.”For dinner,I add silently.
“In that case, let me be your guide,” Theo says.
I blink. “You?”
“Yes, me.”
Is he joking? Who knows when the last time he ate was, let alone showered and slept. “You don’t have time for me.”
He doesn’t even hesitate. “I’ll make time for you.”
I lock eyes with Leon and shoot him an“are you hearing what I’m hearing”look.
He coughs loudly into his napkin, doing a poor job of hiding his grin and the“this is between you two”look.
A beat later he says, “Well, if yourfriendover here is going to show you the city, I guess I’ll just plan to do things alone.”
I focus on the lid of my fruit cup.I’ll make time for you.Theo’s words ripple through me slowly, like I’ve been told to hop on a ski lift that’ll take me straight to the top of Mount Everest. Probably the world’s most dangerous climb.
“Only if you’re sure you can. I know you’re busy,” I say quickly, trying to sound unfazed.
“You can count on me,” he says. There’s no hesitation.
