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After they left, Rick and Charlie got up from their seats, and I started to gather all the documents about the EVA.
‘Charlie, you and I will get more details about what went wrong with their software and…’
‘Maybe you could do that with Rick?’ she interrupted, causing me to lift my head so I could look at her. ‘I was thinking maybe I should stay in contact with Michael and talk to their marketing team about…’
‘Any specific reason you can’t work with me?’ I asked, stopping her mid-sentence. Maybe I’d have to talk to Charlie and only Charlie about getting romantically involved with clients.
All three of us were standing around the desk. Charlie was avoiding meeting my eyes while she paused before she could turn off her laptop, and Rick was looking from me to Charlie.
‘No. No. It’s nothing like that,’ she managed to say, eyes on the papers that were still in my hands. I put them on the table and glanced at our spectator and slowly sat down.
‘Rick? I want you to start talking to employees. Try to get a feel for the company and how things used to work before one of their partners left. And do you mind giving Charlie and me…’
He nodded before I could finish my sentence. ‘I’ll head downstairs and get things started.’
I kept my eyes on Charlie as she squirmed in place. ‘Yes, please.’
Before Rick could leave the room, I watched Charlie quickly pick up her laptop and take a few wobbling steps back.
‘I’ll go with him and s—’
‘No, I think you’ll stay.’
She closed her eyes and let out a sigh, still hugging her laptop to her chest. Rick whispered something to Charlie that I couldn’t hear and then disappeared out of sight.
‘Okay. Let’s talk this out,’ I said when I heard the elevator ping and knew we were alone. ‘I thought we’d decided we weren’t going to be awkward around each other and that you had no problems working with me in this team. First you’re late to the meeting and now this?’ I paused, trying to read her face so I could figure out what the problem was. ‘Did you change your mind about staying in the team?’
She studied me for a brief moment, then sighed and put her laptop back on the desk. ‘I didn’t. I mean I didn’t change my mind. I can be in this team. But…’
‘But?’ I prompted when she didn’t go on.
‘It is a bit awkward still.’ She winced a little. ‘It kind of isn’t, but also is? It doesn’t make sense, I know.’
I leaned back in my seat. ‘Did you come late to the meeting just to avoid me then?’
Her eyes rounded a little and she shook her head. ‘Oh, no. Not at all. I would never do that when it comes to work. Trust me. I might act all weird around you, but I care about what I do too much to do that.’
‘Then?’
‘My dad was meeting with a new client and he wanted me there. Sometimes he wants me to be there when he is meeting with someone new. I tried to tell him I had a meeting with you, but he said he just needed me for a few minutes, then those few minutes turned into half an hour and then I was late. Trust me, I wasn’t trying to avoid the meeting because of you at all.’
I let the silence fill the space between us as we studied each other. She didn’t really look into my eyes, but it was close enough.
‘Okay then,’ I said, choosing to believe her that she wouldn’t avoid a meeting knowingly.
‘Okay?’
I nodded, standing up. ‘Yes, okay, Charlie. But one last thing. I don’t condone getting romantically involved with clients, so let’s be very clear on that.’
‘Excuse me?’
‘If that’s a problem for you…’
I watched her as she stood straighter. ‘That’s not a problem because I have never done that, and I don’t plan on doing it anytime soon either.’
‘That’s good. Let’s go downstairs and get started on things.’
Another slight wince as she took a step away from the desk. ‘Actually, I promised my dad I’d take care of a few things for him after the meeting. Which is why I said maybe I should just be in contact with Michael and his team. But if you need me to work with you, I’m okay with that too. Is it still okay if I get to my dad first and then join you guys?’
Using the time to carefully think about my answer, I picked up the documents, grabbed my phone and rounded the table towards the door.
‘Do I need to talk to Douglas about…’ I stopped moving and stared at Charlie as she took off her shoe, the one with the heel still intact, and started bending it this way and that way. ‘What are you doing?’
