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“Sam, wait up.”

I swung around to find Mason hurrying to catch me.

Slightly out of breath, his smile glowed on his face as though the incident had brought him joy somehow. What if the spotlight was more important to him than the rescue?

“Those people could have died,” I said, waiting for him to make up the distance.

“But they didn’t, thanks to you.” The huskiness of his voice drained some of my fury as he pulled me against his side.

“Something is very wrong with the AI here, and it needs to be fixed.”

“Agreed,” he said, looking me in the eye, face flushed, though what from I was unsure. “I for one feel safer with you around.”

I didn’t. What could happen if the AI broke down and compromised a vital system? I didn’t want to think about it too hard. “Well thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“You probably do need rest,” he said.

I furrowed my brow, confused as to his train of thought.

“But it’s early in the day. How about I pick you up at seven?”

“Pick me up?” I repeated.

“For some R&R. We have to be able to find some time here without a tragedy, right?” He leaned forward so a lock of his sunshine hair fell forward, making me want to tuck it away.

Was he asking me out? “We have the gala tomorrow, right?” I asked. We hadn’t even had our first date yet, and he was already asking for a second. I knew I should be flattered, and I was, but the timing made me hesitate.

“I don’t want to miss a moment,” he whispered, and it curled my toes.

“I suppose it couldn’t hurt.” I looked down at the too-even, emerald grass so I wouldn’t see his eyes. There’d have been no way to form any words had I fallen into those sapphire pools. “I’ll meet you at the Poseidon statue at seven. And I’ll pick the venue.” That way there’d be no risk of scuba diving involved.

“Deal,” he said. I peeked to find him grinning ear to ear.