I’m almost elated that it isn’t something I said or did. “Let me know if I can help.”
She nods. “Looking at our motley crew, I think you’d do well to go with the Village People and ‘YMCA’.” She points to the song on the list below.
I snicker. I love her sense of humor. “You’re funny.”
She curtsies. “Thank you.”
I do as she suggests, and the team laughs and performs “YMCA” at our table.
As the song finishes, the server arrives with our drinks. She places a sloe comfortable screw in front of Tinsley and delivers a sex on the beach for me.
I wink at Tinsley. At least she’s finding humor in our situation. I would have sworn she wanted the Earth to swallow her whole when she saw me at the contract signing.
My cell phone pings. I put Tinsley in my phone under the fake name she gave me when we met.
Amanda: You’re incorrigible.
Me: We can check if they have a coatroom.
Amanda: No way.
Me: Repeats might be fun.
I watch as a beautiful blush covers her chest. I wouldn’t mind seeing how low that blush goes.
A little while later, my phone pings again.
Amanda: Better run. I’ve got work to do.
Tinsley stands and gathers her belongings. “I need to get home. You guys have fun tonight.”
Our teams are integrating well, and they barely look up at her as she waves goodbye.
She pulls her leather coat on over her T-shirt and throws her backpack on her shoulders before she heads out the door. As she walks away, I can’t help but notice her heart-shaped ass in her jeans. I want to chase her down, but I also don’t want to be obvious. Patience.
Me: You did great today, and we’re glad you’re part of the team.
Chapter 5
Tinsley
The next day, Claire and I sit outside for lunch, enjoying some of the rare sunshine before it becomes hot in the desert valley, which brings the fog in.
“I love this time of year,” Claire says on a sigh, smoothing her dark hair, which is perfect as always.
I look up and shut my eyes, willing the sunshine to give me lots of vitamin D. “Me, too. I grew up in Denver, where we have more sunshine than San Diego. I miss the sun living here.”
She nods. “I grew up in Vancouver, where the sun only shines in the summer. We covet the sun so much that I bought a place up in Napa last year for hot summers. You’ll have to come. It’s in St. Helena. It used to be a monastery and has a few hundred acres of grapes, but a giant vintner has leased them. I don’t mind. The deal comes with several cases, and I don’t have to do any of the work to maintain the land.”
“Count me in. Sounds fantastic.”
“Right? I should plan a girl’s weekend.”
“That sounds like a blast.”
She claps her hands. “I’ll work on that. How are things going in the office for you and your team?”
Our salads arrive, and we dig in. “Everything is going okay. It’s just been a few days, but we’re still having problems with the software and the office network connection.”
“Is Mattis working on it?”
“He tells me he is. I’m the only one who’s struggling. Everyone else is chugging along.”
“Make sure Landon is aware.”
I nod. “Who’s this Nick you went to see the other night?”
“The guy I’m seeing. I’m dating outside our world.”
I grin. “Alien, huh?”
Claire giggles. “Might as well be. Everything we do is foreign to him. He’s a civil engineer down in Palo Alto.”
“What does he know about you?”
“Nothing. He has no idea who I am. It’s totally refreshing, actually.”
“He hasn’t Googled you? Do you use a fake name?”
“No sign that he’s Googled me. He thinks I work in marketing for a start-up. Do you use a fake name?”
“My best friend, Chrissy, and I use them sometimes when we go out. She’s the chief marketing officer for America Bank, and I hate telling guys I’m a developer and started my own company. They become condescending assholes. Suddenly they have to prove they’re better than I am, and they go about it like they’re in junior high.”
Claire throws up her hands. “Men are so easily intimidated by smart and successful women.”
“That’s why Chrissy and I usually go with traditionally female jobs—bank teller, teacher, nurse, receptionist. Once a guy learns I’m not only good at writing Python code but can also take them out on Fortnite, it becomes exhausting. And if I don’t want to sleep with them, they get angry.”
Claire shakes her head. “Have you ever had someone figure out you’re pranking them?”
Uh, yeah, your brother. But I can’t tell her that. “I think so. We met a guy the night before the purchase who caught every curve ball Chrissy threw. It was actually a lot of fun.”
“What happened with him?”
“Nothing.” I shrug and look away. “We all had fun and left at the end of the night without exchanging any real information. It was refreshing.”
“That sounds like someone you should try to find again.”
I shrug. “Sounds more like too many nights of dealing with the typical assholes.”
Claire laughs.
“Dating is hard work,” I add. “And you have to put a lot of energy into it. I’m still looking for that person who doesn’t care that I’m smart and got lucky, even if I’m not perfect—someone who’ll accept me for who I am.”
“I agree. I have some
