Chapter 32
Sarah's POV
We’re in the observatory room. The glass panels behind us open into the main floor, a long expanse of cubicles, desks, and people.
Lincoln and I are reviewing the newest behavior patches and logs from the unit, scrolling through pages of data to see what still needs adjusting before the first batch ships out.
I’m double-checking a report when something occurs to me. I tap the side of my tablet.
“Hey,” I ask, “should we incorporate the block off for certain rooms at certain times of the day? We didn’t actually put that because we left it up to the users.
” I scroll through the menu. “Basically, should we preprogram a default nighttime restriction? Like, let’s say twelve o’clock hits and the unit automatically avoids bedrooms unless otherwise allowed?
Or should that still be something the owner configures themselves? ”
I wait for an answer, but Lincoln isn’t hearing a word I’m saying. He keeps glancing over his shoulder, out through the glass panels toward the main floor. His attention keeps drifting, and when I follow his line of sight, I see exactly what has him acting like his brain’s buffering.
Gabby.
Gabby and Fabian, actually.
They’re standing near the end of one of the cubicles, talking animatedly and laughing, leaning in, clearly enjoying each other’s company.
Interesting.
Lincoln’s jaw is tight.
He looks… irritated.
More than irritated actually. It's like he's completely unfocused and very unsettled.
I roll my eyes. “Hey.”
No response.
“ Lincoln!” I say a little louder.
Yeah he heard me that time.
“What?” he snips.
“You need to focus.”
“I am focusing. I don’t need you being my mother.”
Wow. What the hell crawled up his ass today? I know he's mad about his precious little ex-wife flirting with someone else but is it really that big of a deal to him?
“Lincoln, we’re working and you’re very distracted.”
“I’m not distracted. You’re riding my ass.” He scrolls abruptly. “I’m reading over the stuff right now. Wait a fucking minute!” he barks, causing me to stiffen suddenly in surprise, and a couple of the other workers nearby look over.
Tom pokes his head around the divider. “Hey, what’s going on?”
Lincoln blinks strangely at all of us, like he’s forcing his regular state of mind back into the room. “I need a bathroom break. I’m sorry, hold on.”
Before I can ask anything else, he’s already heading for the door.
I stand there, confused, watching him disappear down the hallway. I think he’s going to confront Gabby, but he doesn’t even glance in her direction. Instead he turns sharply and heads toward the restrooms.
Fine. If he won’t deal with it, I will.
I leave the observatory and cross the main floor. Gabby and Fabian are still laughing about something, and I swear Fabian looks seconds away from offering to carry her to another department to undress her.
“Gabby, can I talk to you for a second?” I tug her aside.
“Um, what’s up?” she asks, still smiling from whatever joke she and Fabian were sharing, but also staring down at my hand on her arm like she expects me to take it off.
“Look, I don’t know, is there something going on between you and Fabian?”
“No? What the hell?”
“You have good chemistry with him. You guys look really cute together.”
“Nothing’s going on. Me and Fabian, we’re just friends.”
“Well, that’s not the image that you’re giving everybody else, especially Lincoln. He looks pretty pissed. I personally don't care. I love that for you but, if it’s possible, could you do your flirting on another floor or something? Not right in front of him?”
Gabby glances back toward where Lincoln was standing. She doesn’t see him. “Wait, why? Is he okay?”
“It’s just that you’re very distracting. Fabian’s a nice guy. But you know how men are. Lincoln doesn’t want to look stupid in front of everyone if you end up dating one of the co-workers here. Not that I mind. I’m completely for it.”
“Yeah, of course you are.” She gives me a smug little look. “If it makes you feel any better, you can have Lincoln if you want.”
“Really? I thought that you still cared about him.”
“Yeah, I do still care about him. But honestly, I’m still angry with him. And you’re the two people that people want to see together. So honestly… I don’t want him back.”
I stare at her. I know bullshit when I hear it. It also doesn't escape me that ever since our little threesome happened, she hasn't mentioned it once. And I know she remembers.
She keeps going. “The more I think about it, the more I think it would be a mistake. You guys work together. You have good chemistry with each other. And I guess I was always gonna lose in the end, right? So might as well move on. He can find his soulmate at work. Why can’t I, right?”
Then she shrugs, grabs her packets, and heads toward the elevators to deliver whatever she’s carrying to the next department.
I really hate that Lincoln and Voss made me waive that restraining order, because having that woman around here is going to make my life one big inconvenience. Especially with Lincoln losing his focus and pining over her. It grinds my ever loving gears.
I exhale and decide someone has to talk to Lincoln before he combusts.
He's in the men’s bathroom. I walk right in, ignoring the sign because subtlety isn’t going to cut it.
One of the guys exits a stall and stops abruptly.
“Hey, Sarah—” He gives me a look like I’ve wandered into some forbidden temple. “Uh… what are you doing in here?”
“Do you think HR would like it if you asked a woman what she's doing in the bathroom after cornering her?”
“Wow, um,” he utters nervously.
“Just kidding. See you later,” I urge with contempt, hoping he’ll get the hint. He does. Once I’m sure the other stalls are empty, I move to the closed one.
“Lincoln.”
“What?”
I shut the main door to the restroom and knock on his stall. “Lincoln, we need to talk.”
“Leave me alone. Please. I just want to be alone.”
“You’re at work. We have to—”
“Look!! I’ll be out there in a second! Leave me the fuck alone! Oh my fucking God! You’re always up my ass.”
“Open the door, Lincoln! Open the door right now! Seriously, or I’m gonna go and tell the boss.”
The stall door flies open so hard it hits the wall. He storms out toward me, and I instinctively step back until my shoulders press against the opposite wall.
“What! What do you want?!”
He looks furious. Why is he behaving so rabid? Eyes bright, breathing uneven. For a second I wonder if he was crying, which is ridiculous. That’s not Lincoln. Lincoln doesn’t cry. Lincoln barely feels anything he doesn’t want to feel.
Then again, except when it comes to that bitch, Gabrielle.
“I just want to know if you’re okay. Like, what is going on? Is it Gabby?”
He doesn’t answer.
“Why did you let her work here? I told you that was gonna be a bad idea.”
“I didn’t make her work here. Voss offered her a job, and now she’s working here. Fuck.” He runs a hand through his hair, exasperated.
“Well, I think it’s important for you to know that she and Fabian might end up dating. So just be prepared for that.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Yeah, I just talked to her and she told me that she gave her blessing for you and me to be together.”
He just stares at me.
Part of me wants to laugh at the expression on his face. The disbelief. The sting. But another part of me feels bad. Maybe he really didn’t see this coming.
Still… he needed to hear it.
“Yeah, I think she really likes Fabian. He’s really digging her. And this way you and I can resume—”
He cuts me off again, but this time by walking straight out of the bathroom, not giving me another word.
I watch the door swing shut behind him, and for once, I have no idea what he’s about to do next.
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