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“I’mnota furry!” Owen rounded on me again. “Sheedited my profile!”
I laughed all over again. “I’m surprised it took you so long to find it. Better update your two-factor authentication, huh?”
With the other pranks we had played on each other, there was a begrudging amount of respect. Maybe not aliteraltip of the cap, but an implied one. He got me, ha ha, and then I got him back.
But there was none of the gamesmanship in Owen’s emerald eyes now. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Amber? Do you know how many people might have seen that in my profile? How fuckingstupidcan you be?”
“Hey,” Michelle said, stepping closer again. “You can’t talk to my sister like—”
“I didn’t ask you a damn thing.” His voice was soft, but full of warning, and he glared at her until she backed away again.
“Chill out, dude,” I said.
Owen rounded on me again. “Chill out? Are you honestly asking me tochill out?Things are fragile right now. The Italian investor is coming next week, and even though we’ve agreed to terms, the deal isn’t finalized until the ink has dried on the paper. What if someone important saw that entry in my LinkedIn profile? Do you know what kind of scandal that might cause? People thinking I’m a furry?”
“Maybe,” I said with a little bit of the attitude I felt, “you should have thought about that before hacking into my computer and bricking my cell phone.”
“This is on atotallydifferent level,” he insisted, brushing back his feathery hair from his eyes. “It’s one thing to hack each other’s personal devices. Harmless flirty fun. But this might causerealdamage. This is corporate fucking espionage.”
Flirty fun?I thought.Was that what he thought was going on before this?
He planted his palms on the kitchen island, practically trembling with rage. It was in that moment that I realized maybe Ihadgone too far.
“Are you going to fire me?” I asked.
Owen pushed away from the counter and groaned. “No, I’m not going to fire you. But Jesus, Amber. You’re really trying to prove me right, huh? Blowing up your job because you’re afraid of success. Christ almighty.”
“I’m…” I gulped. “I’m sorry if I crossed a line.”
His jaw tightened. “Can I use your bathroom? I was on my way to the restroom at the office when I learned about the profile. I’ve had to piss for the past half hour.”
I pointed. “Down the hall, second door on the right.”
Michelle and I stood completely still as he stalked down the hallway like a wolf. Only when the door slammed closed did either of us start breathing again.
“Your boss ismad,” Michelle said.
I winced. “Maybe I did go too far this time. Which is saying something, because last week I hacked his entire condo.”
I heard the toilet flush, and then water running in the sink. When Owen came out of the bathroom his expression had softened.
“It was a good prank,” he said to me. “In any other context, I would have laughed. But now, the week before we sign the Series A financing with Mr. Rossi…” He shook his head. “You’ve been great for us since you started. Even though it’s been hardly more than a week, I don’t know where ACS would be without you. So please,pleasedon’t make me fire you over something childish.”
“You’re right,” I said, and surprised myself by actually meaning it. “I went too far. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Owen regarded me suspiciously for a moment, then nodded. “What’s the password? I can’t remove the furry line because you changed it.”
Still tense from the way he had dressed me down, I said in a small voice, “Cuntwaffle6969. Capital C.”
Michelle snorted. I gave her a look, and she backed away like she was trying to disappear into the wall.
After typing it into his phone and confirming that it worked, Owen actually chuckled. “I should’ve guessed.” He tapped the screen a few more times, presumably removing the offending line from his profile, then shoved his phone into his pocket. He stared at me for several heartbeats. Long enough for me to wonder if he was changing his mind about firing me.
“Consider our little prank war over,” he said. “It’s time to act like adults.”
He nodded at my sister, then marched out of the room without another word.
As soon as his car drove away, I heard footsteps on the stairs. Jude appeared, cringing at the situation.
