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“For sure! I mean, it’s pretty obvious there’s nothing going on now.”
Oof. Now I know he’s just buttering me up.
Or maybe my heart just forgot that every juicy piece of gossip eventually turns boring.
“I’m glad people are figuring it out,” I say again.
“You think it just won’t fizzle, huh?” His eyes shine with concern. “Listen, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Peoplewillforget about it soon, if they haven’t already.”
He gives me a sympathetic smile, but I think he’s forgotten the fact that if he’s still talking about it, it’s unlikely anyone else has forgotten just yet.
Ugh.
This day is dragging.
“You’re killing it with the queries, by the way,” he tells me.
I try not to glare at him.
Silence is to Mark like bug spray is to mosquitoes.
“Thanks. They’re not so bad once we found a groove.”
“Oh, yeah. I wish I always had an assistant this good.”
I bite back the urge to tell himhe’sthe assistant, technically.
Then again, he’s actually on payroll.
The work is a necessity, and definitely not as exciting as being out in the field searching for endangered animals. But if my time at Wired Cup taught me anything, it’s that even corporate grunt work contributes to a good cause.
Money doesn’t just allocate itself to the world’s million good intentions.
Someone still has to read emails and reduce charities, people, and dreams into figures that fit neatly in a spreadsheet.
That’s what nonprofit work is. I get that.
But there’s something disheartening about it just the same, being the person pushing the buttons and preparing the big decisions made by the higher-ups.
I rub the back of my neck and tilt my head to the sky. “Thanks anyway.”
“No, thank you, Dess. What you’re doing is awesome,” he says, leaning closer.
His floppy hair falls into his eyes.
Bleh.
I guess he’s cute, in a younger dad bod way, but looking at him after Shepherd Foster is like comparing a pug to a Doberman.
The worst part is, I keep scanning my phone, hoping for a text.
But after a single quick message to say he’ll meet me tonight to see Meghan, there’s been nothing.
Fine, whatever.
He’s been so caught up with meetings and work and life.
Definitely too busy for a life with me and the trouble that brings.
