Not Safe for Work(90)

Well, it would give me something to do besides staring at this model I’d forgotten how to build while I freaked out over my bosses’ ultimatum, so I laid my X-ACTO knife beside the miniature steps. “I’ll get my coat.”

“God, you two disgust me.” Scott shook his head and wrinkled his nose. “Raw fish, seaweed…”

“Ugh.” Cal shuddered.

Teagan laughed dryly. “You boys are so uncultured.”

“At least we’re not the ones eating raw fish.” Bianca made a face and shuddered just as Cal had.

“No accounting for taste,” Teagan said. “If the boss lady comes by, tell her we took an early lunch.”

“You should take her with you,” Scott said dryly. “She probably eats that shit too. Anything that’s barely dead and not fit for human consumption.”

“No, dipshit,” Cal said. “Everyone knows she eats babies and drinks the blood of virgins.”

Teagan laughed. “Well, Cal, I guess if she ever asks you to go for drinks, you should run—” She ducked, narrowly avoiding another flying pencil.

We started toward the door, and I asked, “You sure we should leave them without adult supervision?”

She shrugged. “Silent Dave is here. They’ll be fine.” Over her shoulder, she added, “Calvin, please don’t set anything on fire.”

The closing door cut off his response. We both laughed softly. Then the humor faded, and we walked to the parking lot in silence. No banter, no small talk. She must have been just as preoccupied as I was.

I drove, and the short ride was silent as well.

It was barely eleven, so the lunch rush hadn’t yet begun, and the sushi carousel was all but deserted. We took our usual booth near the prep counter. It was the prime spot to get the freshest plates before they’d had a chance to wind all the way around the restaurant. We’d keep an eye on the track, wait for something appetizing to come by and grab it. When we finished, we’d pay for the plates.

Nothing sounded good today. I snagged a pair of California rolls but ignored the squid and octopus, which I usually loved.

Even the first California roll couldn’t whet my appetite. Except the alternative was leaving here and going back to the office and my quiet world of wondering what the hell I was going to do, which was even less appetizing.

And Teagan needed to talk. No matter how distracted I was, I wouldn’t leave her high and dry if she needed me.

I still couldn’t quite bring myself to eat, though, and there’s nothing in the world quite as conspicuous as picking at sushi. It’s easy to move crap around on a plate and feign an appetite when there’s more than two bites of food to begin with, but nudging the same California roll with chopsticks for ten minutes is a little less subtle.

Teagan put an empty plate on the stack and watched the carousel for another to come by.

“You gonna eat that?” she asked.

“I’m not really that hungry, actually.” I nudged the plate away. “So, since you wanted to come here, I’m guessing you wanted to talk about something.”

She nodded. “Yes, I do.”

I rested my elbows on the table and my chin on the backs of my fingers. “Okay, so…?”

She set her chopsticks on the side of her plate. “What happened in that meeting? You were practically dancing your way through the Zone all morning, and then you disappeared to a meeting and came back looking like you’d witnessed a murder.” She wagged a finger at me. “Don’t even try to tell me there’s nothing going on, because there’s something on your mind.”

“I’m… I mean…” I shook my head. “T, there’s nothing—”

“Bullshit!” She smacked her palm on the table, rattling our empty sushi plates, and released an exasperated sigh. “Today alone, let’s see…” She ticked the points off on her fingers. “You passed up no fewer than two golden opportunities to give Cal shit about his mom. Bianca and Scott both completely set themselves up about a dozen times apiece. And you’ve had your nose in that model all day long but haven’t once noticed the massive gay Lego orgy going on in the center of the main conference room.”

I blinked. “A Lego orgy?”

“Yes. A huge one.” She released an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. “Scott and I spent ten whole minutes getting three of them into a proper Lucky Pierre position, and you didn’t even notice. I’m insulted. I really am.”

I couldn’t glare at her. I couldn’t even laugh. “I didn’t see it, no.”

“Exactly. And your Lego obliviousness doesn’t lie. C’mon.” She inclined her head slightly, twin creases appearing between her eyebrows. “I’m worried about you, I really am. Is everything okay between you and your man?”

Before I could stop myself, I flinched.

She leaned closer. “What?”

I was too exhausted and distracted to talk my way out of this, so I rested my elbows on the table again and sighed as I rubbed my temples. “Fine.” I lowered my hands and looked at her. “But none of this conversation leaves this table.”

Her eyes widened slightly, as if she was surprised there really was something on my mind. “Of course it won’t. You know me.”