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He stopped there and glanced back at her, a rueful smile on his face. “Of course.”
And then he was gone, and she was left clutching her tablet to her chest. She sighed and grabbed a chocolate bar from its box with a groan before she ripped it open and took a healthy bite.
Chocolate was always there. Chocolate understood. And if she had a prayer of making it through the party she most certainly needed to inhale the chocolate bar she had begun to eat.
She paused and gave the s’mores horde another considering look. If she was going to survive close quarters with Anton and his team, then no one could fault her for keeping a few bars for herself, now could they?
After she had weighed her cardigan pockets down with candy bars, she let out a satisfied hum and patted the bulk in her pockets with a smile.
She could do this.
Her candy loot said so.
seven
“Physics is,hopefully, simple. Physicists are not.”—Edward Teller
Anton stretched with a grimace and stood from his seat. It had been a long day, one that had drowned him with paperwork. He hated paperwork. If he never saw another triplicate form again it would be too soon. But regrettably there were things he couldn’t get out of, no matter how many stamps of his signature he made and gifted to Mindy. She wouldn’t have it, not after the Picasso incident.
But at least now he owned a Picasso, which was always a positive.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Mindy appeared at his side, her eyes on the forms she had left in front of him.
“Out. Away from here, you taskmaster. I signed every last one of these.” Anton held up a hand to stop her when she raised a skeptical eyebrow. “I verified and reviewed each and every last line item, so don’t think I didn’t notice you included a fifteen-page inventory list detailing the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park.”
Mindy gave him an appraising look. “I’m impressed. Thought I was going to get you on that one.”
“Then my job is done. Now, which way to the closest bar? I need a drink after all of that.”
He shrugged on his coat, already thinking of what he wanted for dinner, when Mindy said, “No bar tonight.”
“Why the hell not? I did my time today. I deserve yard time for good behavior,” Anton groaned. He needed a stiff drink after the torture he had endured over the last three hours, and without the slightest glimpse of Grace’s pink curls. He thought he’d see her again. Get a little update on the party considering he’d had half of the movers diverted to help her, but no dice. The woman had disappeared hours before with a grin on her face that made him want to follow her right out the door.
“Because we’re going to a stargazing and s’mores shindig,” she said, holding out a flier to him.
Anton took the flier she handed him to see an arrangement of clip art’s finest, featuring said s’mores and stargazing. At the top was a bonfire in black sharpie with a stick figure beside it yelling,WOW! YOU’RE INVITED! SO COOL!
“What is this?” he asked, even though he already knew what it was. It was the party Grace had been planning. The one he’d gotten her the help for. He hadn’t thought it would come with an invite. He hadn’t done it for that reason. He’d just wanted to make her happy. What if she thought this was what he was angling for? An invitation to a party he knew she probably didn’t want to see him at?
“Team-building exercise,” Mindy said, scooping up the papers he had signed. “The cutie ogling you is putting it together, and we’re all invited. We’re leaving in twenty.”
Anton frowned. He wanted to be there but…what if it pissed Grace off? Was this advancing his cause to win her over, or setting him back? He couldn’t be sure. He wanted more time to figure his play out.
“But-”
“No buts. Twenty minutes. See you then,” Mindy said, turning toward the lab door before she hesitated and glanced over her shoulder at him. “Or else, Anton.”
“Fine.” Anton waved the flier in surrender and, appeased, Mindy set off again. He watched her until she rounded the corner before looking back down at the paper in his hand. He chuckled. It was a little crude but sweet. It had Grace’s fingerprints all over it. He loved it.
“All right, you can do this,” he told himself, closing his eyes and working on visualization techniques he used when he got jitters before presentations. This was really no different. He was going to need to be on his A-Game here. Same as in those presentations.
“Stay focused,” he ordered himself. Even if she was pissed to see him he could use the party, and the setting, to his advantage. Sweet-talk her under the stars, catch her eye across the bonfire, or maybe something as simple as a smile with the right kind of heat to thaw her to him? He’d seen the beginnings of it today. She wanted to forgive him. He just had to push her into it.
“Stay focused on what?” a voice asked, causing Anton to jump approximately four feet off the ground.
“Holy hell,” he wheezed and whirled around to see Lou regarding him with a curious look. Anton sagged against the table and shook his head. “Wear a bell or something to warn a man, will you? You almost sent me into cardiac arrest.”
“Small and sudden doses of adrenaline increase antioxidants, so you’re welcome,” she said, sauntering toward him. “Stay focused on what?” she repeated, which only made Anton grit his teeth.
