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"Where's the Waterson preview?" I snapped, swiping through the screens on the tablet.
Jonah, the oldest member of my team, exchanged glances with Mari, the only other girl. "They should be there."
I swiped faster. "Well, they're not. Which means someone is slacking off. We're scheduled to present them the final run-through before we beta next week, but it's not even here to go over." I resisted the urge to throw the tablet across the room at Jonah's stupid face.
All four of my team members avoided making eye contact with me, probably hoping that would save them from my wrath. Unfortunately for them, I was just getting started.
I stopped swiping on a half-completed window. "And what is this? The graphics for the Jeffries project were due two weeks ago. We can't move forward until they're done."
Mari dared look me in the eye, the brave soul. "That's on the graphics team. I've been riding them for a week now, but they've been dragging their feet. Maybe you could go down there and shake them up?"
I had to hand it to her, that would be an excellent use for my pent up frustration. Maybe it could get one of the projects back on its timeline. If there was one thing I hated more than disorganized projects, it was being behind schedule. I wouldn't allow it.
"Yep." I popped thePa little extra. "I'm going down there now." I eyed Jonah as Kent and Miles stayed silent, still avoiding eye contact. "Get the Waterson preview done by the end of the day Friday. Dismissed."
They all mumbled their agreement before shuffling out of the conference room. I stewed in my own irritation a second longer before grabbing my tablet and marching down to the Graphics Department. Those assholes had no idea what was coming.
* * *
By Friday,I looked like crap. I averaged less than four hours of sleep a night, I'd fallen asleep at my desk twice, and during last night's video chat with True, he'd suggested I call in sick and fly down for the weekend. He looked concerned for my health.
Unfortunately for me, I couldn't do that. My team had apparently become incompetent this week and, despite my threats and tantrums, hadn't managed to get the Waterson preview done on time. That meant I had to spend the weekend holed up in my apartment checking code and running simulations myself.
As I packed my laptop away Friday evening and stood up from my desk, Kent strolled into my office and shut the door. I narrowed my eyes, having no patience for his usual bullshit.
He strolled across my office as if it belonged to him before plopping down into one of my chairs uninvited. "Everything okay with you, Amara?" Kent and Miles were the only two on my team ballsy or stupid enough to call me by my first name instead of my preferred Ms. Divan.
I gritted my teeth. "Everything's fine."
"Great!" He clapped his hands, and I jumped a little. Lack of sleep and sexual frustration had me on edge.
"Is there something you need?" I tapped my foot.
"Come out with Miles and me tonight for a drink."
Either Kent or Miles had been asking me out every Friday for months. I'd never agreed to go. The two of them were two peas in a pod. A creepy, creepy pod.
"I really can't. Now, if you'll excuse me-" I shouldered my bag.
"Are you sure? It really seems like you need to blow off some steam." His eyes dropped to my breasts and lingered there until I folded my arms across my chest.
"Since the team didn't finish the work I assigned this week, it's on me. So, I'll be heading home now to finish what you couldn't." I cringed a little inside as I realized my words might fuel his interest even more, and my suspicions were confirmed when his eyes flared.
"I can assure you I could finish any… task… you might give me." I suppressed a shudder and stood.
"Clearly not." I strode around my desk leaving him sitting where he was and I flicked off the light. "I'm assuming you can show yourself out." I pushed through the glass door and made my way home.
* * *
I'd been looking forwardto a visit with True all week. I'd barely hung on, but when he called Friday night to tell me he wouldn't be able to make it, I broke down sobbing. I knew I was being unreasonable, but I was so exhausted and wound up. I didn't know how I'd make it through at least another week before seeing him.
And that was assuming we could make it work next weekend. When my mom invited me to dinner on Saturday, I decided to go. Dinner was usually a pretty safe time for me, sickness-wise, and my stomach was still mostly flat. My only issue was whether or not to tell them about the baby.
True wanted to be with me when I told them, but I was terrible at keeping secrets and even worse at lying. If my mom with her super mom senses picked up on how tired I was or any of the small changes taking place inside me right now and asked the right questions, I was done for.
Stepping into my parent's home in Bellevue was like stepping back in time. My mother decorated the house when I was a kid, and for the most part, nothing had changed. Both of my parents immigrated here from India before I was born, and both of them were doctors.
When I'd decided to go in a different direction career-wise, they'd shut me out for a couple of years before finally coming around when I got my master's. It took forever for our relationship to get back to normal, but it only happened because I hid so much from them.
