Page 31 of Triplet Babies for my Ex's Best Friend

She responded as though she had nothing to prove.

More importantly, Oliver responded to her.

That alone would be enough to justify the decision.

And yet…

I straighten slightly, shifting my focus to the window without fully engaging with the view beyond it. The city continues as it always does, indifferent to the internal calculations that define these decisions. There’s a certain clarity in that.

What occurred on the flight wasn't part of any plan. It wasn't considered. It wasn’t something I’d typically allow.

It was, by every reasonable measure, a lapse.

Contained. Isolated. Irrelevant.

That’s how it should remain.

And yet, the memory persists with a level of precision I don’t appreciate. Not in detail, but in impression. The way she heldherself. The absence of hesitation. The refusal to yield ground, even when it would have simplified the interaction.

She doesn't operate within expected parameters.

That, more than anything, is the concern.

I reach for my phone before the line of thought extends further than necessary.

Jeffrey answers on the second ring.

“This better be important,” my friend says.

“It is.”

A pause. Then, more attentive, “Alright. What’s going on?”

“I’ve completed the interviews,” I reply, keeping my tone measured. “There’s one candidate who meets the requirements of the position.”

“That sounds like a solution, not a problem.”

“It would be,” I say, “if the situation were straightforward.”

Jeffrey exhales, a sound that suggests both patience and expectation. “Go on.”

I consider how to present this in the most efficient way possible. There's no benefit in overcomplicating it.

“She’s qualified,” I begin. “Experienced. Adaptable. Oliver responded to her immediately, which, as you’re aware, isn't common.”

“Then hire her.”

“There’s a prior interaction.”

Silence.

“Define ‘interaction.’”

“We met on a flight prior to the interview. The interaction extended… beyond conversation.”

Another pause. “You’re telling me you slept with your top candidate.”

“Yes.”