ISAAC
“You know,”I said as I peered at the buffet table. “Most of the time, when you hear ‘buffet style’ in a cafeteria, you think the worst.”
Luka snickered. “And not one person would blame you for thinking that. But, if we’re real for a second, buffets have come a long way.”
“True,” I said as I scooped dumplings onto my plate and looked at them with an appreciative grunt. Whoever made them hadn’t been in a rush or was really good because the wrapper was thin enough that I could see the ingredients. Of course, they could be store-bought or machine-made, but I’d find out how good they were when I sat down...after making a quick dipping sauce from the nearby selection, as well as getting some kimchi. “But there’s also plenty that aren’t up to snuff.”
“I think that’s true of most things,” he said, humming as he shifted down the line to the fried rice. “Oooh, it’s pork fried rice; hello!”
I snorted. “A fan of pork?”
“Not really, I’m not even that into bacon unless it’s in a sandwich. But whatever the hell Olly does when he makes it is amazing.”
“That the chef?”
“One of them. I’ve told Reggie the one thing he should be proud of above all else is his selection of people who make the food.”
“I’m sure he appreciated that.”
“No, he was a little offended, actually.”
“I was being sarcastic. I’d bet if he was asked to list the things he was proudest of in this place, the food selectionmightmake the top ten, but low down.”
Luka grinned as we looked for a place to sit. “Yeah, but if I give him too many compliments, he gets all puffed up and starts bragging and stroking his own ego.”
“I think the head of the place, Mr. Shepherd, is the one doing that for him now,” I said without thinking, grimacing when Luka gave a startled noise and turned to me sharply. “Ah, forget I?—”
“How did you know?” he asked, eyes going wide.
“Uhh, what?”
“That Reggie likes Mr. Shepherd?”
I squinted. “It’s not difficult. And it’s mutual.”
“It is?”
I sighed, wishing I hadn’t said anything, but at the same time, gossiping about his coworkers’ love lives was probably one of the more interesting things he did. And hell, we were supposed to be friends, and didn’t friends gossip?
I steered us toward a table in the corner and sat down. “It’s just...obvious to me, I suppose.”
“Well, I’m not arguing. I just...I knew about Reggie, but I didn’t think Marc…” He frowned. “I mean...you think they’re together?”
“It’s obvious to me because even in the short time I met them together, they were just... It’s hard to explain,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “They have a gravitational pull on each other; they also pull away, but not enough to putany real distance between them. So, they just...orbit. They’re undoubtedly close, and their work relationship is t,e height of professionalism, but...if they haven’t slept together, they certainly want to.”
“Huh,” Luka said, looking thoughtful. “I thought he seemed calmer lately. Even a little happier, and he keeps...singing.”
I eyed him with a smirk. “Really?”
“What?” he asked with a blank look.
I raised a brow. “I’ve been here a couple of weeks.”
“Right.”
“So, I’ve been exposed to your habits and schedule.”
“Okay?”
