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“Sounds like it’s definitely worth the gamble.”
“Indubitably.”
I’m dying to know how much money is at stake here. How big is a big payday to Peter Hennessey? Ten grand? Twenty? Fifty? I don’t feel comfortable asking him or anyone else about their finances, even though I’m extremely curious. So, instead, I ask, “The job will take a couple of weeks?”
“They’re actually projecting at least a month, but I’m always faster than anyone predicts. The bad news is that however long it takes me, I’ll have to do it all on their system, in person. No remote work allowed. Also, whenever I’m working, I’ll be required to leave all my devices at the door for security reasons, so I won’t be all that communicative by day while I’m gone. Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll be able to chat at night after work, but that’s about it.”
Okay, that definitely sounds like Henn will be working for the feds again. “How mysterious,” I say coyly. “Who’s the client? The CIA?” I flash him a playful side-eye. “Tell me the truth, Peter, are you a spy?” I’ve kept my tone flirtatious, even though I’m asking a genuine question. Is Henn a freaking spy?
Henn leans forward and whispers, “Yeah, I’m the American James Bond. Hope that doesn’t change anything between us.”
“It’s actually a huge relief, because I happen to be a German operative.”
“You don’t say.” He chuckles. “More proof we’re a perfect match.”
My head is spinning. What the heck is the nature of this confidential job that’s requiring Henn to fly off at a moment’s notice, work on-site, and give up his devices while he’s there? I ask, “Are you allowed to tell me anything about the client?”
Henn shakes his head. “I had to sign a strict NDA—the strictest of my career—so I’m not at liberty to say much of anything about the client or the job.”
“So mysterious.”
“Not really. NDAs are standard in my industry. Most clients go to great lengths to keep their intellectual property from getting leaked or hacked. It’s a monumental task to keep things contained these days.”
“Sounds like a spy thriller.”
“It feels that way sometimes. But I assure you, it’s not.”
Hmm. Do I believe him about that? I’m not sure I do. To be fair, what Henn said about NDAs being standard in his industry makes perfect sense, intellectually. But after the fiasco with Angus, my gut can’t help feeling like secrets of any nature are a red flag. I know it’s probably irrational paranoia, since I’m ninety-nine percent sure Henn is exactly who he seems to be—a lovely, brilliant cybersecurity specialist who’s one-hundred-percent life partner material, but it’s that one percent doubt that’s causing my stomach to churn.
I raise my beer and force a smile. “Congrats, Henny. Here’s to you completing the job and getting the payday. Either way, congrats on getting the call.”
“Thanks.” He clinks my beer and takes a sip. “There’s an outside chance I could see you, briefly, next weekend. I told them I have to fly to Fresno for my mother’s birthday on Thursday, no matter what, and they said that’d be fine, as long as I come back right away. After Fresno, I’m planning to swing by LA to take care of a few things and grab some stuff from my apartment, so maybe I could swing up to Seattle after LA to take you to dinner, and then fly back out of Seattle on a red-eye.”
“I’m exhausted, just hearing you say that. Don’t worry about seeing me, honey. Spend as much time as you can with your mom for her birthday, and when the job is over, and the payday is yours, we’ll celebrate by spending lots of quality time together.”
Henn twists his mouth. “Yeah, I guess that’s probably for the best. It sucks that they’ve set this up as a competition. They’re not assembling a collaborative team, as much as a pack of self-interested gunslingers and bounty hunters. The longer I’m away from the job, the more likely it is another programmer will swoop in and complete the project while I’m gone.”
“I’d never forgive myself if you came to Seattle to take me out to dinner, and that was the difference between you getting the money or not. Please, don’t worry about seeing me until the job is done.”
Henn sighs with relief. “Okay. Thanks for understanding.”
“Of course, I do.” I put my palm on the table for Henn to take, which he does. “I’m not going anywhere. Do your best, and your girlfriend will be right here waiting for you whenever you’re done.”
“I’ll FaceTime you every night.”
“Then we’ll be great. We’re adults. We can do long-distance for a while. And when the job is over, we’ll be together again. Maybe you can come back to Seattle and stay another week or two.”
“I’d love to. Or you could come to LA.”
