“It sounds like you’re excited about this new venture,” I say.
“I am.” He nods. He looks it, too. This is the most animated he has been all night. “It’s going to be challenging but in a good way.” He smiles.
“Tell me more,” I say.
I’m so glad I didn’t have to hurt his feelings.
32
Carla
I sit behind my desk, dump my bag, put my coffee down, and get to it. I have so much work to get through. There is a week of filing to catch up on, three separate approval forms for equipment requests that have been sitting in my inbox since before Mistveil, and Robyn’s diary needs a complete rebuild now that we’re back to full schedule. We’re using the east side of the hangar while the restoration is taking place. I make a list and start working through it from the top.
It feels good to be back to normal…well, sort of.
I pull up the first approval form, scan it, sign off on the ones that are straightforward, and flag the equipment budget query for Robyn to look at. I update her diary.
I am halfway through the filing when the door opens, and Robyn appears.
She’s in her white coat, with a badge on. She smiles as soon as she sees me.
“You look good,” she tells me as she walks over. Then she sits in the chair on the other side of my desk.
“Okay,” she says. “Tell me everything. Right now. I have fifteen minutes before I need to do my rounds.”
“Good morning to you, too.”
“Oh yes, good morning.” She laughs. “How are you? How are your feet? You really do look so much better. Perhaps like someone who got it all this weekend.” She grins. “Tell me all about Flint. Well, not alllllll of it but enough so that I am in the know.”
“It was great,” I say.
“And?” She leans forward on the chair.
“And nothing. It was a fun evening. We had a great time.”
She frowns. “You’re playing it down.”
“I’m not. We had a great time. I enjoy his company. The end!”
“When are you seeing him again?” Her eyes narrow.
I lick my lips. “I’m not.”
She sits back. “Oh. That’s disappointing. Why not? What happened?”
“He’s going to Mistveil for a few months. Possibly longer. He’s going to help set up their security structure for the island and to oversee the setting up of integration centers for the feral males.” I lift a shoulder. “We’ve decided to put whatever was happening on hold for now because long distance isn’t going to work.”
“But you had a good time?”
“I really did.” I nod. “We’re friends. That part’s intact.”
“Well,” she says. “There are plenty of fish in the sea. Flint isn’t the be-all and end-all.”
“You’re right,” I tell her even though I’m really not looking for another fish.
“I know I am. There are a lot of perfectly good men out there and?—”
“I know there are.” I give her a look. “And I’ll get to it at some point. Just not right now.” I make a face.
