case someone overheard her talking to herself.

“No, no,” she said, “I had no problem finding the place. What? Oh, yes. It’s a beautiful house. Do I come from a house like this? No, not exactly…”

She shook herself off and tried again.

“Yes, I come from a house very similar to this on my homeworld,” she said. “We’re old money. All inherited from oil and gas reserves. You know what they say, you need energy to make energy.”

She laughed in a fake high-pitched voice. She rolled her eyes at herself and shook her head.

“Stupid,” she said.

I couldn’t help but smile. She was charming. She was being her honest and true self… even if she was practicing the lies she would tell me.

I reached for the faucet. I would turn it on and it would warn her I was in the restroom.

I paused.

Did I want her to know I was there? That I’d overheard her practiced lines?

No. It didn’t feel right.

So what was I supposed to do? The restroom had no other exits, no windows—

What was I thinking? I was going to climb out of the window of my own private office bathroom just so an employee—a potential employee—could avoid a little embarrassment?

And what if I got stuck? Then she’d have to help me get out.

Now the embarrassment would be reflected on me a thousand-fold.

No. I would simply wash my hands and go out there. I’d act surprised to see her and we could carry on with the meeting.

“Hello?” the girl said, approaching the restroom. “Is anyone in there?”

I don’t know. Is there?

Now what?

Wipe my hands as if I just washed my hands? Except, I hadn’t turned the faucet on… Which would make it obvious I’d been watching her.

Maybe I should pull my pants down and sit on the toilet?

I didn’t even want to go there.

I crept into the shower stall and drew the frosted door across.

This was so embarrassing.

Now what if she caught me? I raised my hands to the showerhead as if I was inspecting it. If she opened the shower door, I would pretend I was fixing it… without any tools.

It was the best I could think of.

“Hello?” the girl said, entering the restroom. “Oh, wow. Nice. Note to self: Charge these people a lot. They can afford it.”

She sang to herself as she touched up her makeup in the mirror. She turned the faucet on to wash her hands, which made the showerhead above me drip. I’d been meaning to get the damn thing fixed. The water dribbled through my hair, down my neck, and brought a shiver with it.

I couldn’t just stand there. I needed to do something.

I dug my communicator out of my pocket and sent a message to Waev. I told him to knock on the door, invite the girl out, and get her to leave. Then I would be free to escape my office.

Escape my own office!

Then she could return and I could come back in.

This whole thing was getting wildly out of hand.

I sent the message.

There was a pause as Waev read it. He typed a few responses before giving up and answering instead with a simple: “Yes, sir.”

And then the worst thing imaginable happened—next to her discovering me peeping at her, that is.

She pulled her dress up and sat on the toilet.

My cheeks burned as she tinkled, humming a tune happily to herself.

If she turned her head just a couple of inches my way, she might see me, a blurry mass in the frosted glass.

I would never live it down. I might have to move.

A few minutes later, she was done and washing her hands. That’s when Waev’s knock came on the office door.

The girl quickly wiped her hands on the towel and exited the restroom.

I breathed an enormous sigh of relief.

“Traes may be a little while longer,” Waev said. “I thought perhaps you might like to see the garden?”

“Oh,” she said. “Okay. That would be fun.”

“Are you hungry? Thirsty?” Waev said. “I’m sure I can get you something?”

“That would be great, thank you,” the girl said as she left. “A cup of water or fruit juice would be good—”

And they were gone.

I stepped out of the restroom and shook my head, chuckling to myself. Danger averted. What a mess I’d gotten myself into.

First impressions mattered. You always wanted to make sure you came across as professional at all times. It was hard to come across as less professional than as a peeping Tom and—

“—a moment to grab my bag—” the girl said as she walked back in my office.

I froze.

Maybe if I stood still enough, she wouldn’t notice me. But it was no good. I was standing in the middle of the room and there was no chance she could miss me.

“Oh,” she said, wearing a frown. “Hello.”

She glanced from me to the restroom and back again.

I opened my mouth.

I said, “I…”

What? What was I going to say? That I was a random house worker and I just happened to slip past her for the split second she’d left? She would know I was lying. Not many cleaners wore sharp suits.

I decided to paper over the whole thing and pretend like it never happened. I was the employer. I didn’t need to explain myself to anyone.

Except to myself on how badly I’d ruined this first impression.

“I’m Traes,” I said. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Oh,” she said. “It’s fine.”

She glanced around the room for how I could have gotten in if I didn’t come through the one and only door she’d used.

“Did you find the house okay?” I said.

“Yes, thanks,” she said. “Your butler said you were going to take a while with something.”

“Yes. I was otherwise engaged,” I said. “But I’m not now.”

“He was going to show me around the garden. I think he’s waiting for me outside.”

“Don’t worry about him,” I said. “He knows what he’s doing.”

Knock, knock.

“Come,” I said.

Waev peered his head around the door. He looked surprised to see me standing there.

“I came to take the lady to the

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