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The woman smiles as she sits in the chair opposite my desk. “I sure hope so. Marissa and I are basically sisters, which is why it’s intolerable that we haven’t met yet.”
“Why now?” I ask, still not sure she’s on my side.
“Because I ran my mouth over juices on Saturday and, as a result, Marissa has shut you out.”
“The baby mama gave you the slip?” Amada asks. “She finally realized you trapped her into this pregnancy on purpose?”
Blake gasps. “You did it on purpose? It wasn’t a lab mistake?”
I raise my hands. “I had absolutely nothing to do with the sample switch.” I push my associate off my desk and roll my eyes at her. “Dr. Gonzales is just fond of her conspiracy theories, like all the UFOs stored in Area 51.”
Amada gets off the desk and narrows her eyes at me. “The fact I have no proof doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”
“And while that makes you a brilliant scientist for wanting to discover the impossible, I assure you it has nothing to do with my personal life. Please go back to the lab and run the simulation with the alternative median value. I’ll be up in a minute.”
Amada points two fingers at her eyes and then at me to signal she has me on her radar, but leaves without further protest.
“Please close the door,” I call after her.
Once Blake and I are alone and shielded from casual eavesdropping, I search her face. “You’re on my side?”
She tilts her head and studies me in return. “Should I be on your side?”
I shrug. “If you’re asking me, of course, the answer is yes.”
“Fair enough. I’m on Marissa’s side, which could also be yours. I think.”
“You think?”
“Well, I don’t know you, so I’m not sure I trust you completely, but I’ve never seen Marissa so…” She waves a hand in the air as if waiting for the right word to come to her. I hold back until it does. “So earnest about someone… despite not wanting to be.”
“Err, thanks, I guess.”
She grins. “My pleasure.”
I nod and wait for her to continue.
“Marissa’s one of the best people I know. She’s loyal and funny and she always puts others before herself. And it might not sound like much, but in today’s world, it’s hard to find someone like that, especially when they have all these noble qualities wrapped in such a beautiful package.” Blake looks up at me with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. “But I’ve got a feeling I don’t have to tell you any of that. Congratulations Dr. Dishy, you passed the test.”
More confused than ever, I frown. “What test?”
“The true love test. When I was talking about Mari, you looked as helplessly in love as any grown man can. And she tries to hide it, but her face gets this strange glow whenever she talks about you.” Blake winks. “I know her. Give her a week, two tops, without seeing your charming face, with no flirty texts, no romantic dinners, and she’ll be flying right into your arms.”
I wish I could share her optimism, but the one thing she forgot to mention about Marissa is how stubborn she is. If she has decided we shouldn’t be together, she could turn me down and spite us both just to prove she never comes back on her word.
My landline rings, and I pick up. “It’s me, boss,” Amada says on the other end. “Just seeing if you needed rescuing from the also-pregnant best friend.”
For all her act of total indifference, my lab partner is turning out to be quite the doting friend. “Thank you. I’m almost wrapped up here. I’ll join you in a bit.”
“All in one piece?”
“Yes.”
“All right, boss.”
I hang up and look back at Blake, who is still smiling at me.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I say.
