Chapter 35 - Wish It Was Me
The coffee wasn't on my desk Monday morning.
I put my bag down.
Looked beside my computer.
Nothing.
I frowned.
"Hey, Maya. Have you seen my coffee?"
She looked over.
"No. It's not here, I guess."
I looked toward Adrian's office.
Dark.
Oh.
"Never mind. He's not here yet."
I turned back to my desk.
Emma was looking at me.
I looked at her.
She looked away.
I didn't say anything.
About fifteen minutes later, Adrian walked into the office.
With a coffee in his hand.
My coffee.
He came straight to my desk and set it down beside my computer.
"Here's your coffee."
I picked it up.
"Why are you late today?"
"I'm not late."
"Yeah, you're not late late, technically. But you're still late."
Adrian looked at me.
"I'm here before eight."
"That's not the point."
"What is the point?"
"You're normally here earlier."
He stared at me for a second.
"I woke up a little late today."
"How so?"
"I didn't hear the alarm."
"Why?"
"Because I slept really late last night."
"Why?"
His expression changed.
"Shut up, Angelica. You ask too many questions."
I smiled.
"Why did you sleep so late?"
He gave me a look.
"Because I was working on a design last night."
"At home?"
"Yes."
"Stop bringing your work home."
"Not your problem."
"It is my problem."
"How so?"
"Because I hate getting my coffee late."
Adrian stared at me.
I stared back.
"What?"
A beat.
Then-
"Okay, ma'am. I'll try."
I actually flinched.
That was unexpected.
Adrian looked at me.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked toward his office.
I watched him go.
Then picked up my coffee.
And immediately noticed Emma staring at me.
Again.
"What?"
"Nothing."
I looked at her for another second.
She said nothing.
Neither did I.
Maya, Emma, and I had lunch together.
On our way back, we were passing Adrian's office when I remembered something.
The revision he'd sent me yesterday.
There was something I needed to ask him about.
"You guys go ahead. I have to ask Adrian a question about the revision he sent me yesterday."
"Okay," Maya said.
They kept walking.
I stopped at Adrian's office.
His door was closed.
I opened it and walked in.
No knock.
Nothing.
Just opened the door and entered like I owned the place.
And I probably would've thought absolutely nothing of it-
if I hadn't felt someone staring at me.
I stopped for half a second.
Oh.
Emma.
I had completely forgotten Emma was there.
I glanced back.
She was still walking beside Maya.
But her head had turned.
And she was staring directly at me.
More specifically-
At the closed office door I had just opened without knocking.
Right.
Three days ago, she'd been shocked that I could argue with Adrian Vale without getting fired.
Friday, she'd discovered he brought me coffee every morning.
This morning, she'd watched him personally deliver it to my desk and agree to try not to make it late again.
And now I'd apparently just walked into the terrifying CEO's closed office without even knocking.
I looked at Emma.
Emma looked at me.
Maya kept walking like nothing remotely unusual had happened.
Well.
Too late now.
I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.
Tuesday morning, I brought two lunch boxes to work.
Emma noticed immediately.
"Why did you bring two lunch boxes?"
"Because I cooked a lot of food last night."
Her eyes went to the second box.
"So, can I have that then?"
"No!"
The answer came out much too quickly.
I realized it approximately half a second after I'd said it.
Emma blinked.
"Oh. Okay."
Shit.
"Sorry, Emma. I didn't mean it like that. If you want some, I'll bring you some tomorrow."
She looked at me.
"Why not today then?"
"Because that's for someone else."
"Who?"
I said nothing.
Emma waited.
I suddenly found my computer extremely interesting.
She kept looking at me, clearly expecting an answer.
I gave her none.
Finally, she said,
"Okay."
And turned back to her desk.
Around ten, Adrian came over to show me something.
We were halfway through discussing it when his eyes landed on the lunch box sitting beside my bag.
He looked at it.
Then at me.
"Is that for me?"
"Yeah."
"What is it?"
"You'll know when you open it."
"Why can't you tell me now?"
I looked at him.
"You want it or not?"
"Of course I do."
He picked up the box.
Then walked away with it.
I watched him go.
And then-
I felt it.
Again.
A pair of eyes.
I slowly turned my head.
Emma.
Staring at me.
Of course she was.
I looked at her.
She looked at me.
Neither of us said anything.
This was getting uncomfortable now.
Around three, Adrian came through our section.
He stopped beside my desk.
"Angelica."
I kept looking at my screen.
"No."
There was a pause.
"I haven't asked you anything yet."
"I know."
"Then what are you saying no to?"
"Whatever you're about to ask me to do."
Adrian stared at me.
I finally looked up.
"What?"
"I need you in the conference room."
"No."
His eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
"I'm busy."
"So am I."
"Congratulations."
"Angelica."
"Adrian."
I sighed.
"How long?"
"Twenty minutes."
"Ten."
"Fifteen."
"Fine."
I saved what I was working on and stood.
"Let's go."
I followed Adrian toward the conference room.
About fifteen minutes later, I came back to my desk.
I sat down and went back to work.
A few seconds passed.
Then Emma said,
"What just happened?"
I looked over.
"What?"
"He told you to go to the conference room."
"Yes."
"And you said no."
"I said fifteen minutes."
"You said no first."
"Because I was busy."
Emma stared at me.
I waited.
"What?"
"He wanted twenty minutes."
"Yes."
"And you gave him fifteen."
I frowned.
"Yes?"
"He just... accepted that."
"Why wouldn't he?"
"No, I mean-"
She stopped.
Looked toward Adrian's office.
Then back at me.
"He wanted twenty minutes. You told him ten. And he settled for fifteen."
"Yeah?"
Emma continued staring at me.
I genuinely had no idea what the problem was.
Then Maya spoke without looking away from her computer.
"Don't."
Emma turned toward her.
"Don't what?"
"Try to understand."
I looked at Maya.
"What is there to understand?"
"Nothing."
"That sounded like something."
"It wasn't."
I narrowed my eyes at her.
Maya kept typing.
Emma was still looking at me.
I shook my head and went back to work.
Wednesday morning, I put a lunch box on Emma's desk.
She looked at it.
Then at me.
"What is this?"
"Your food."
Her eyebrows went up.
"You actually brought it?"
"I told you I would."
"I thought you were just saying that because you rejected me so aggressively yesterday."
I stared at her.
"I apologized for that."
"I know."
"You're still bringing it up."
"Because you said no like I was trying to steal your firstborn child."
I laughed.
"Okay, it wasn't that bad."
"It was."
"Fine. Maybe a little."
Emma pulled the lunch box closer.
"What did you make?"
"Rice and salmon."
"Is this what you gave Adrian yesterday?"
"Yes."
Emma looked down at the box.
"Was his portion bigger?"
I stared at her.
"Eat your food, Emma."
She laughed.
At lunch, she opened the box.
A few minutes later, she came over to my desk.
"This is really good."
I looked up.
"You like it?"
"Yes."
She sounded genuinely excited.
"Like, actually really good."
"Thank you."
"No, seriously. Thank you for bringing me some."
Her expression had softened, and for once there was no suspicious staring. No looking toward Adrian's office. No trying to figure me out.
She was just happy.
I smiled.
"You're welcome."
Then she pointed at me.
"But next time, don't scream no at me first."
I laughed.
"Next time, don't ask for someone else's lunch."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"You mean Adrian's lunch."
I looked at her.
She smiled.
I pointed toward her desk.
"Go eat."
She laughed and went back to her food.
I shook my head.
Apparently I wasn't going to live that down anytime soon.
Wednesday was going well.
At least for Emma.
Nothing particularly interesting had happened all day for her to stare at me about.
Then it got really bad at the end of the day.
It was past five, and I was finishing something up.
Everyone else had already left except Emma. She had somewhere to be at five-thirty, so she was planning to leave around five-twenty to get there on time.
I was still working, and we were talking while I finished.
More specifically, Emma was telling me a story about one of her stupid friends.
I was halfway listening when I smelled Adrian.
I looked up.
He was standing there.
"Still here?"
"Yeah. What do you need?"
"You."
My brain stopped.
Completely.
I stared at him.
Adrian didn't seem to realize he'd just said something that had temporarily disabled my ability to speak.
You.
Not I need to talk to you.
Not I need you to look at something.
Just-
You.
My heart suddenly started beating hard enough that I could hear it.
What the hell was I supposed to do with that?
From the corner of my eye, I saw Emma.
She'd gone completely still.
And slightly pale.
Her eyes moved from Adrian to me.
Then back to Adrian.
Great.
Apparently his one-word assault had taken out both of us.
I finally found my voice.
"What?"
"I'm hungry."
I stared at him.
"Then go eat."
"Are you not hungry?"
"Will you accept it if I say no?"
"No."
"Then why are you asking?"
From the corner of my eye, I saw Emma slowly look down at her computer.
Apparently she had decided pretending not to listen was safer.
Adrian pulled out an empty chair and sat down.
"Finish up quickly. I'm starving."
I looked back at my monitor.
Then remembered something.
Emma.
Right.
They still hadn't actually been introduced.
I looked at Adrian.
"Hey, Adrian. This is Emma. She's the intern from the University of Miami."
Emma immediately brightened.
"Hi!"
She sounded significantly more excited than any person needed to sound while saying one syllable.
Adrian looked over.
"Hello, Emma. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. CEO."
She started to extend her hand.
Then stopped halfway.
Adrian was already looking at his phone.
Emma slowly lowered her hand.
I pressed my lips together.
Poor girl.
Apparently she'd finally gotten her introduction.
It lasted approximately four seconds.
I looked back at my computer before Emma could catch me smiling.
A few minutes later, I finished everything and stood up.
"Emma, I'm done. Are you staying longer?"
"No. I'll leave with you guys."
The three of us went downstairs together.
Outside, I turned to her.
"Bye, Emma."
"Bye."
I started walking toward Adrian's car.
She went the other way.
I reached his car, opened the passenger door, and got in.
As Adrian pulled out of the parking lot, I looked in the rearview mirror.
Emma was still there.
Staring at us.
Of course she was.
I lifted my hand and waved again.
After a second, she waved back.
I turned around in my seat.
Well.
Wednesday had been going well.
At least until five.
Thursday morning, I walked into Vale Architecture with Adrian.
Holding my coffee.
Again.
But this time, nobody seemed particularly bothered by it.
Nobody went silent.
Nobody stared.
Nobody even looked at us.
Apparently Adrian and I arriving at work together had officially become too boring to deserve anyone's attention.
Except Emma's, of course.
I reached my desk and put my bag down.
When I looked up, she was staring at me.
Then at the coffee in my hand.
Then past me, at Adrian walking toward his office.
Then back at me.
"What?"
"I saw your car in the parking lot this morning."
"Yes?"
"And you're only getting here now."
"Yes?"
She waited.
I waited.
"How did you get here?"
"Oh. Adrian picked me up this morning."
"Why?"
"Because we had dinner yesterday, and the place was far from here. There was no point in coming all the way back here afterward just to get Candy. So I left her here."
Emma blinked.
"Oh."
From beside us, Maya spoke.
"When you see them coming in together like that, or you see her car sitting in the garage overnight, just assume they went somewhere together after work."
I looked at her.
"She knows. She was here yesterday when we left."
Maya looked at Emma.
"Then why are you asking?"
Emma opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
I picked up my coffee.
Honestly, fair question.
Thursday afternoon, I noticed Emma was unusually quiet.
Not work quiet.
Emma was perfectly capable of working and talking at the same time. I'd learned that very quickly.
This was different.
She'd barely said anything for almost an hour.
I looked over.
She was staring at her computer, but she hadn't touched her mouse in a while.
"You okay?"
Her hand immediately moved to the mouse.
"Yeah."
Suspicious.
"You look upset."
"I'm not."
"Emma."
She looked at me.
"I'm fine, Angelica."
There was nothing rude about the way she said it.
But there was something there.
Something that made me stop asking.
"Okay."
I turned back to my computer.
A few minutes passed.
Then Emma spoke.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
Silence.
I waited.
Nothing.
I looked over.
She was still staring at her screen.
"What?"
She shook her head.
"Never mind."
I frowned.
"You literally just asked if you could ask me something."
"I changed my mind."
"Okay..."
That was weird.
I went back to work.
Another few minutes passed.
Then Emma suddenly stood.
"I'm going to get some water."
"Okay."
She picked up her bottle and walked away.
I watched her go.
"What's wrong with her?"
Maya looked at me.
"You seriously don't know?"
I frowned.
"Know what?"
Maya studied my face for a second.
"She likes Adrian."
I blinked.
"I know she likes Adrian."
"No, Angel. She likes Adrian."
I looked toward where Emma had disappeared.
Oh.
"I thought it was just a stupid crush."
"It probably started that way."
I looked back at Maya.
"Then why is she upset?"
Maya gave me a look.
I waited.
"What?"
"I'm not explaining that one to you."
"Maya."
"Nope."
She turned back to her computer.
I stared at her.
Then toward the break room.
And for the first time all week, Emma's staring didn't feel funny anymore.