Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
birthday
MARK
It’s been a long week, and it’s only fucking Wednesday.
It was difficult enough to avoid thoughts of Alice when I was in denial.
Avoiding thoughts of Rey when she’s right here is inconceivable.
I don’t know who I was fooling, thinking I could just hide in the upstairs office and then I’d not think of her.
Out of sight, out of mind.
That’s not a thing when it comes to Rey.
Now that I know her voice, her laugh, her scent, I hear and smell her everywhere, even when I can’t see her. And I must admit I spent too much energy today trying to get a glimpse of her. It’s getting ridiculous.
I roll my neck as the lift opens onto the ground floor for what feels like the umpteenth time today.
I’ve had twelve meetings in one day, so the last thing I want to do now is go to a bloody restaurant and talk to people.
Even if those people are my family—or because they are my family.
As much as I love them, they’re sometimes a bit much.
The office is dark, but the light is still on in the creative corner.
It could be Rey—an even better reason not to go check.
I stride down the hall, anyway. Just being a thoughtful boss, checking in on my late-working employee. When I reach the end, I’m not surprised to see the woman I’m desperate to avoid but can’t seem to stay away from.
She’s at her corner desk, the two large screens in front of her filled with different windows.
One with a rough animation of that wobbly Frenchie of hers, which is looking further along than I’d expect it.
She’s in the floral dress I spotted her in earlier today.
Big red poppies and purple bluebells. Wildflowers, like her tattoos.
It seems she didn’t hear me approaching.
I lean on the glass wall behind her, and watch her as she clicks into a window of a design program.
Her fingers fly over the keyboard as she types, and I’m impressed she’s learned to code in the tool already. She hums a tune in a gentle voice, and I catch myself smiling. I could watch her all day.
She turns so unexpectedly, I don’t have time to straighten up and pretend I just arrived.
“Mark,” Rey breathes and clears her throat. “Did I disturb you?”
“No?” I push off the wall. “I was on my way out and saw the light on. Why are you working so late? Horace doesn’t have you on a deadline yet.”
“I just needed to figure this out or I wouldn’t be able to sleep,” she says, pointing at the screen with the design tool open. “I love this,” she adds. “It’s so exciting to see things come to life.”
There’s a blush on her cheeks, and she bites her lower lip—it reminds me of the photo she sent me as Alice.
I stare at her for what I know is way too long, but I can’t stop myself.
“Do you … umm … want to see?” she asks.
“Yes,” I say, my voice cracking, and I clear my throat. “Sure, what is it?” I ask and step closer.
I perch on the desk next to her. At a professional distance, of course.
“Well, I’m just testing some basic animations out,” she says, looking up at me with eager eyes, “but I’m trying to make the background seem alive to give the right atmosphere.
This is what I’ve done so far.” She clicks a button on the screen and brings up another window.
It reveals the layered, painted forest Horace showed me earlier this week, but now the canopy flutters.
“The leaves are quivering,” I whisper, leaning in. “It looks magical. You even made the shadows dance.”
She breathes in sharply, and I look at her. Her face is closer than I expected, and I shift back. It’ll be those dilated pupils and flush of her cheeks I picture before I sleep tonight.
We stare at each other, and I know I need to snap out of this, although all I want to know is what she’s thinking. Could I just tell her everything now?
She turns to the screen again, and the moment is gone.
“Tell me more about that world of yours,” I say, and that’s all it takes to set her off; the invite she seems to have waited for.
Her energy is palpable as she shows her different sketches, draws on her whiteboard while describing the characters and the planet, and, well beyond her remit as an intern concept artist, she shares her ideas for the gameplay concepts.
It could use some structure and refinement, but I like where she’s going.
It’s difficult not to notice how her hair is bouncing as she moves, how her soft lips form every word, and when she turns to draw on the whiteboard, stretching up on her toes to reach the last blank area, it’s impossible not to appreciate how the short dress hikes up and hints at the softness underneath.
But I remain present and hang on every word.
She’s clearly intelligent, and next to her passion, it’s the sexiest thing about her so far.
There’s a buzzing, and I realise after a beat that it’s my phone ringing.
“Excuse me, Rey,” I say and answer it.
“Mr Becker, I’m calling from reception.” It’s the evening guard. “I’m so sorry to disturb, but you have visitors. Where can I find you?”
“I have what?” I ask. “I’m in the creative corner. Who’s there?”
The call cuts off, and I shrug.
“Everything okay?” Rey asks.
“I think so. I’ll go check.”
When I stand up to go to reception, I’m suddenly faced with a group of people I did not expect to see in my office.
The same hazel eyes as mine, and a face I know better than most, glows in the light of a birthday cake.
“Happy birthday!”