Chapter Thirty
Everything is chill. Not to worry.
Ruby
“W-welcome!” Brian’s voice rings out in the conference room, nerves threaded through it.
My leg bounces beneath the table. He should be nervous. His Valentine shenanigans are ruining my life, and, I assume, everyone else’s. This very moment he’s standing before a group of angry office workers ready to mob. Give us access to Cupid’s arrow supply and this becomes a very dangerous room for our dear little mailman.
“Congratulations, everyone! We’ve made it to the halfway point in Operation Countdown to Valentine. Half the fun is over, but half is yet to come!”
Fun. Right.
I turn my head to say something to Will, then remember that Will is not beside me. Will is five seats down the conference table to my left, sitting next to Mr. Warrick. The silence that fell when he took a seat next to not me was… Well, I didn’t like it.
I whip my head back toward Brian, ignoring the wetness gathering on my eyes.
It’s fine. Everything is totally fine. Will can sit where he wants. There’s no law saying he has to sit by me.
“I have in my hands a very special hat, full of names for us to draw for Secret Cupid! I’ll be sending department heads with smaller versions of the hat to lead your teams in their own Secret Cupid drawings. Your names will only be in this drawing though, to keep things fair. We don’t want an intern drawing his boss’ name. HR has advised that that would be a bad idea… apparently. Although, personally-”
“No,” Michael from human resources interrupts. “Emphatically no.”
Brian huffs. “Fine. So. I’ll come around with my hat, and we’ll draw names, then I’ll explain the rules!”
“The hat is a top hat,” Mr. Warrick bites out.
Uh…
“It’s black, with a red ribbon tied around it. Red and pink heart fringe line the rim of the hat, dangling down,” he finishes, terse.
Chairs shift. The weight of my coworkers eyes falls on me.
I shrink down in my chair. Don’t mind me, I’m just invisible. Nothing to see here.
Brian’s throat clears. “R-right. Yes. Sorry, Ruby, I wasn’t thinking.”
How far do I have to sink before I fall through the floor, I wonder. Perhaps I should jump out the window instead?
Will, notably, says nothing.
I am not going to cry.
“So… I’ll just… um… start, then?” Brian asks.
Please, yes, so this torture can end soon.
“Boss?” he offers.
The ruffling of paper, then a growled, “I need another. For my wife .”
I blink. His what now?
His wife?
I turn, once more, to talk to Will. I remember in time that he is not there. I wonder how many more times this will happen. I wonder when in the world Mr. Warrick got a wife . I wonder when in the world she started working here .
Brian moves to Will next, who pulls his name with a cheery, “Thanks, Brian!”
I am not going to cry .
I’ve managed to dry my eyes and pull myself – mostly – together by the time that Brian gets to me with his hat. I lift my hand, and he kindly positions the hat under it. I choose a paper and then… sit.
My nose stings.
“They all have braille,” Brian whispers. “Liam’s idea. You should be able to read it.”
I breathe in, deep, through my nose, then let it out slowly through my mouth.
“Thank you,” I mutter.
Brian makes his way around the table, letting everyone pull their own slips of paper. I breathe through it, eyes wide to keep them dry, willing the meeting to wrap up. Quickly.
Blessedly, it does, with Mr. Warrick declaring it over the minute Brian returns to the front of the room.
He doesn’t have to tell me twice.
I stand, crumpling my Secret Cupid paper in my hand, and exit the room.
Then, I run.
Not actual running, of course. That would be inappropriate and unprofessional.
I just… speed walk. To the elevator. Through the lobby. Down the street to Sweet & Salty.
And absolutely I do not cry.