Page 42 of See You Next Tuesday

“I’ll help!” Anya said quickly. “Happy birthday!”

She gave Kira a tight hug, then hurried to follow Zeke. Simone gave Anya a look—Is something going on? Anya shook her head almost imperceptibly—I’ll tell you later.

“I’m so sorry about Gabe,” Anya said as soon as they were out of earshot.

“What do you mean?” Zeke made a face. “He was fine. You’re the one acting weird.”

“He was not fine!” Anya squeaked. “That dig about your job title? And talking about what I sleep in? He was trying to get a rise out of you!”

“Nooope.” Zeke set the cupcakes on the table and turned to Anya. “He was trying to get a rise out of you—and seems like he succeeded?”

Anya sighed, and Zeke wrapped his arms around her waist.

“I’m such an idiot,” she grumbled. “I don’t know why I let him get to me like that.”

Zeke eyed her. “Out of curiosity, how does he know what you sleep in?”

“That dumb group trip to Vieques,” Anya said. “We got stuck sharing a room—the kids’ room. With many bunk beds, and board games and stuffed animals. Not sexy—the opposite of sexy.”

“I see.” Zeke nodded playfully. “And the kitesurfing video?”

“That was nothing!” Anya sputtered, her face flaming red. “You remember that Politico article in May? The one I got all worked up about, when Gabe took credit for my idea?”

“Sort of?”

“It mentioned this video of Gabe and his girlfriend kitesurfing. You left for a trip that day, and that night when I got home I was so angry about the whole thing, so I looked up the video and watched it.”

Zeke laughed, low and hearty, which made Anya feel even more embarrassed.

“What’s funny?” she asked, her voice small.

“Watching a video to make yourself madder? That’s the most Anya thing I’ve ever heard.”

Anya laughed at that too, then exhaled in frustration.

“But see, now you’re asking me about it! This is what he wanted!”

“He’s an evil genius,” Zeke agreed solemnly. “Luckily, you don’t date evil geniuses.”

“True.” Anya leaned her head against Zeke’s chest. “I much prefer big, rugged frontiersmen.”

“Is that so?” Zeke pulled Anya close and kissed her deeply. God, he was such a good kisser. She hoped Gabe was watching them. She hoped he felt colossally stupid for trying to drive a wedge into a relationship that was so obviously great.

The party was fun and low-key, the Sessego team enjoying one another’s company and the fabulous views. A few stories below them, bungee jumpers leapt off the side of the building every few minutes, and Gabe and Kira and some of the guys cheered and toasted them every time. After an hour or so, Simone started to gather everyone for candles and singing, but Simone couldn’t find Gabe, and Anya couldn’t find Zeke—until she spotted him on his phone, pacing at the bar’s entrance near the elevators.

“You’re sure?” he said into the phone. “There’s no one else?”

Anya approached him, her face scrunched up with concern. What’s wrong? she mouthed, but he put up his finger—Hold on a second.

“Okay,” he said. “Okay. I’ll be there.”

He hung up and sighed.

“Don’t tell me,” she said, already knowing what was coming next.

“Fire in Carson City. Not a literal fire, but…”

“They need you up there?” Anya finished.