“Do you think they’ll be looking for some support staff to go out there too?” Ginny asks. “I’d volunteer in a heartbeat. Sunny weather and no Piotr.”
Working with Piotr must be hard but I dread to think how our fair-skinned, red-headed friend would survive in Malaysia. But then again, I’ve spent the morning investigating what Cerium will need – offices, tech staff, support staff, local legal requirements – and Kuala Lumpur is not some backwater. It’s a modern, thriving city with air-conditioning. Ginny would be fine. Still, it’s a drastic step to mend a broken heart.
My parents have lived all over the world, anywhere there is oil. By the time I left boarding school, I’d already racked up ten countries. Sumatra, Nigeria, Sudan, and more. I have absolutelyno wanderlust left in me. But maybe others don’t see the world the same way.
When Steve enters the break room, there’s a minor stampede. Guys are coming up to them, slapping them on the back, giving them fist bumps and high fives. They’re rocking a big grin and seem to be projecting as much enthusiasm for the relocation as is being shown to them. A big change from the morning.
Steve glances toward us and then takes a seat with a group of programmers. A shaft of guilt travels through me. They’d have normally wandered over if I’d never gone on a date with them. Now I’ve deprived them of their friends. The move is not lost on the others.
“What did you do?” Ginny leans forward to make her accusation, her tone low but far from friendly.
“We met for coffee, as Nur suggested.” I’m not above throwing the older woman under a bush to deflect some of Ginny’s ire. Her shoulders are broad. She can take it.
“And?” Ginny is not to be deflected. “Why are they blanking us? Not even a smile, and Stevealwayssmiles.”
“There was no spark,” I say. “We had a perfectly nice time but agreed to remain friends.”
“Youhad a perfectly nice time. They got their hopes up and had them dashed to bits!”
Nur and Chloe feign intense interest in their food. I am on my own, defending against Ginny’s onslaught. But is there any defence? Every word she says is true.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
But Ginny puts down her drink and gets up from the table. I watch her walk over to Steve. The programmers with them are open-mouthed at the prospect of a beautiful woman like Ginny gracing their group and make space for her immediately.
The rest of us finish our food in silence.
Then Nur says, “Come on, Chloe. Those expenses won’t check themselves.” The two of them leave and I quickly pack away my waste. Before I return to my desk, I look in on Anders. I may be annoyed with him over his machinations but I’m also his assistant.
I tap on his door and walk in. He’s kicked back in his seat, feet up on his desk and keyboard in his lap. A headset nestles in his thick hair. He’s still on the same video call he was on when I left for lunch. He’s not currently talking so I wave an arm and he looks up. I mouth, “Have you eaten?”
He shakes his head, and I withdraw.
I order a sandwich and a coffee from the deli nearby and get it delivered. When it arrives, I take the items out of the bag and shoulder my way into his office.
As soon as he sees what I’m carrying, he turns his camera off, mutes himself, and motions for me to come in.
He reaches for the coffee and takes a sip. I watch the hard knob of his Adam’s apple rise and fall. It’s doing weird things to me. Things that absolutely should not be happening. A fluttering in my belly, a warmth in my chest, a sudden giddiness.
He swallows again. How have I never noticed that firm knot before? Never realised how it pulsates. How it screams: look how manly I am?
“Cora, are you alright?” Anders’s words shock me from my daze. I shake myself.
“Er, yes,” I reassure him, even as I worry about my sanity.Think about the consequences. “I just realised I forgot something.” Then it dawns on me I don’t want him to think I’m professionally incompetent, so I add, “At home.”
“That’s not like you. I swear, you’re the most organised person I know.”
It’s not like me and it’s all his fault. If Anders had never proposed, he’d still be safely in the friend-zone, and I wouldn’tbe having odd glitches in my brain. I dare not stay to watch him eat his sandwich. I’d probably expire on the spot.
I retreat to the safety of my desk. What is wrong with me? I go on a date with Steve, who on paper is everything I’m looking for, and there is nothing, not a scintilla. I give Anders, who is the most unsuitable person I could date, a coffee and I’m practically overcome with longing.
I can’t avoid it anymore. The evidence is overwhelming. As much as I don’t want to, as much as he can irritate me, the truth is: I have a full-blown crush on my boss.
A New Friend
By the time Friday rolls around, Steve is gone. Anders is burning money to get Cerium Malaysia set up as soon as possible. The aim is for their new in-country team to be set up, staffed, and working within days. Our games have fans across the world and there are plenty of locals who are excited at the chance of working onThe Obsidian Sigil, especially in light of the early-access gameplay and the recently released trailer. Although everyone is employed on temporary contracts initially, Anders fully expects they will end up as permanent employees if they so wish.
It’s an all-or-nothing approach. The resources he’s using shorten the time Cerium can survive, which is fine if we can produce a quality game by the new release date. If we make the launch date, it won’t matter. If the game is good, we’ll have money coming in. Two ifs.
