Chapter 11 Elizabeth #2
“No, I don’t want you to do that.” He reached across the drawing.
“I’ll be fine. I have to figure it out.” He cleared his throat again.
“Since I’m sharing all my secrets with you today, I may as well let you know I’m meant to prove myself as a manager.
I’m only ‘acting’ manager for now. They’re not convinced I can do it. ”
Secrets? This was a new level.
“What? You’re, like, incredible.” As soon as the words escaped me, my face heated. Maybe that was too direct.
A slight redness filled his brown cheeks. “I haven’t got the best track record at working with people. I’ve been called abrasive, cold, harsh, uh…” He looked around the office. “Aloof, and those were to my face. I’m sure far worse things have been said behind my back.”
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think those things, too, upon our first meeting.
“So now I have to prove myself, and I think I’m already failing.” He finally glanced down and met my gaze. “I haven’t given you the guidance you need.”
“Oh crap,” I squawked. “Me? I’m your test?”
He raised one brow, and an unexpected sheepish look spread across his face. “Kinda.”
“Let me get this straight—if you upskill me and I ace my final test, you’ll ace yours? As a manager?”
He nodded.
“Sounds like we want the same thing,” I said with a smile, and then tapped the drawing. “Stop your yapping and teach me stuff.”
He burst out laughing. This time, the deep sound extended from him to me, and I shivered with delight.
“No one has ever told me to stop yapping.” He shook his head. “But you’re right. Let’s do this.” He dragged his finger along one curve. “What’s this sight distance? Looks like seven hundred feet?”
It was weird seeing the mental switch happen as Lincoln settled back into Mr. Carden.
“Seven hundred and ten,” I replied, unsure of how easily and accurately he guessed distances. He hadn’t even used his ruler.
“That’s fine.” He stood and scrunched his lips up on one side. “Except for this kink in the road. Smooth it out. Kinks aren’t good.”
“Depends on the context.” I bit down on my lips, heat spreading through my face as all the blood in my body rushed there since none of it was being used by the part of my brain that filters my words. “Like certain hairstyles require it.”
Mr. Carden’s eyes widened before he started coughing, concealing a laugh. He turned away. Even with his darker shade of skin, I could see the blush creeping to the tips of his ears.
“Smooth it out, Elizabeth. After, we’ll start on the vertical alignment.”
I nodded and kept my mouth sealed, in case I said something ridiculous again.
Before taking my seat, I noticed so much more. The way his desk was arranged: he often put his cell phone in his drawer, he took timed breaks, and he always wore the noise-canceling headset. It all made so much sense.
I imagined being where he sat and seeing me. Oh no. It must be the worst. I bounced my legs, tapped my fingers, and hummed along to music. I had desk ornaments and trinkets. I stood for a coffee every hour.
This wasn’t fair to him.
But I had an idea.
With my idea packed and ready to go, I was too buzzed to sleep that night. Lucky for me, @wheretheresawilliam was streaming. His streams were always incredibly entertaining and informative. Plus, he was rather nice to look at.
But most importantly, I always found Link there.
@theanswerisno:
I’ve had a DAY.
His message popped up within a minute of me logging on. Did he wait for me? The way I waited for him?
I brought up his chat and replied: Me too. What happened on your side?
@theanswerisno:
Too much to explain, and it was a big rush. I was not in my element. Took it out on someone who didn’t deserve it.
He took it out on someone, and someone took it out on me. Ha. What a coincidence.
I read it again. Was it a coincidence?
I drew my brows together while my brain pinched at bits of information.
Mr. Carden did say he’d been at his mom’s place over the weekend. Just like Link.
No. No. No. This was outrageous. It absolutely couldn’t be. Mr. Carden was my boss, and he was quiet and smart, and I’d go as far as to call him serious and withdrawn. And a little frightening. Everyone in the office seemed to be scared of him.
Link was… soft, funny, and flirty as can be. Link was a charmer. They couldn’t be more different if they tried.
But… it was an engineering group.…
Link… Lincoln?
It couldn’t be. Lincoln Carden would never go by Link. He barely went by Lincoln. He was Carden to the other managers and Mr. Carden to everyone else.
My Link is a Zelda fan. He’d said so himself. It had nothing to do with Mr. Carden. So, no. No way. Nope.
My heart kept racing as I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. I typed up a reply: It happens. Did you apologize?
@theanswerisno:
Yeah. Of course. I’m not a monster.
@pancakesareelite:
How?
I thought I might throw up in the moments that passed.
@theanswerisno:
By saying “I’m sorry”? Is there another way the kids are doing it nowadays?
I giggled to myself. This wasn’t Mr. Carden. Could it be?
@theanswerisno:
So, what happened on your side?
I could have told him, and it would have been obvious whether it was Mr. Carden but… what if it was? Did I want him to find out like this? During @wheretheresawilliam’s stream of The Haunting?
Besides, did I want to find out that I’d been flirting and confiding in my boss for years? Heck no. Link knew far too much about me. It wasn’t the same person. It simply wasn’t. That would complicate everything and even risk my chance of getting this job.
I brought up the search bar on the Engineering Lobby and searched “Link.” Eighty-seven accounts came up. I searched Lincoln and zero accounts came up. Carden led to nothing.
A conversation with Mr. Anders came to mind. Mr. Carden had been to UCLA, and the Engineering Lobby was created by and for SDSU students.
The relief sent shivers up my spine. There was something else, too, another unidentifiable feeling. Disappointment? That didn’t make any sense.
Whatever it was, it set me on edge. There was no way I’d be able to play with Link tonight. I stared at his message for a few more seconds and then watched the comments coming in on @wheretheresawilliam’s stream.
I should be relieved. Only relieved.
But I was also disappointed.
@pancakesareelite:
I’m sorry. I have to go. Good night.