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Mom laughs at our typical banter, then looks at Jeremy. "So, besides your day-to-day with work and such, how's my son? Have you been hanging out with your friends—Kyle, Jonah, and all them?"
He nods. "Yep. The same crowd, as always. Although Hayden's been a bit dodgy these past few weeks."
Oh, no.
I squirm in my chair, praying to the heavens my face isn't redder than our marinara sauce. I thought for one day, just one lunch, I could expel Hayden from my mind. It's one thing, secretly fake dating your brother's best friend, but it's a whole other ball game to be staring him right in the face, after semi-doing the dirty deed on a penthouse terrace not even two weeks ago.
No wonder Hayden's been ghosting him.
Mom swipes a napkin across her lips, swallowing down her food. "Huh, weird. That's so unlike him. Maybe he's—"
"He's sick," I spit out, but regret it the instant both their gazes lock onto me
Jeremy arches a brow. "How do you know that?"
Dammit, dammit—what the hell was I thinking?!
"Oh, uhh..." I clear my throat, trailing my eyes across the wall of photos, as if the Vinny family might lend me a hand. "I mean, he's probably sick, would be my best guess. You know, there's a terrible flu going around."
Flu season, in the summer? those little devils cackle in my ear. Are you trying to blow your cover?
"You're probably right. I think one of my co-workers just had that." I let loose a breath when Jeremy shrugs, only to suck it right back in when I catch Mom giving me a smirk, her eyes glistening with secrets.
"Anyhoo." I laugh, cringing when it sounds forced, then quickly change the subject before Mom asks any questions. "How was that Vegas tech conference? I haven't gotten to hear about it yet."
His eyes light up. Bingo.
"It was awesome. Even better than last year's conference. I met tons of people in the industry, from all over the world, some who also work on Silicon Avenue, so that was cool. Listened to all the panels and guest speakers. They saved Innovex's new microchip unveiling for last—that was huge. I didn't think they could top their Nano-x's processing speeds, but they did. That company's releasing chips like hot cakes. Oh, and there was this new..."
I smile, listening to his rambles. His passion emanates every new story, and I wonder if this is how I sound to other people while explaining my own job. Not the coffee shop barista position, but the one I've poured my heart and soul into since freshman year of college.
It's... refreshing, hearing it from the other end. Although I'm a programmer in the tech industry, that's as far as I'm able to relate to Jeremy's job, aside from the very basic sense of physics I had to learn for my game. He may be a programmer, too, but he's skilled in much lower-level, more archaic languages that look like alien script even to my own eyes.
So, as much as I'm able, I ask him technical questions, genuinely curious of his insights, all while Mom's smile grows bigger and bigger in my peripheral, bursting with pride.
When our conversation dies out, she turns her attention onto me. "What about you, sweetheart? How's work been?"
Grimacing, I gulp down my Orange Fanta, for once wishing it was spiked with alcohol. "Oh, you know, the usual. Some lady dumped her latte on the floor yesterday—intentionally. Made a whole scene, saying I got her order wrong, which I didn't."
Mom's nose wrinkles in disgust. "What did your manager do about that?"
"Meghan?" I don't hold back my sour laugh. "Nothing, of course, besides making me apologize, give her a free latte, and mop up the floors."
"She's just useless, isn't she?"
"Uh, huh... Mei, on the other hand, she would've put that woman on a gurney, had I not held her back. She's like a Pitbull."
Mom snickers. "I had a friend like that once, growing up. They're good to keep close. Much better than being stuck with a lazy, grade A-hole boss, because boy, have I sure had those, too... Anyways"—she leans forward, curiosity shining beneath her stare—"tell me about your real work. How've sales been? Have you noticed an increase since the new feature?"
I'll never get over hearing my Mom talk about video games—well, just about mine. She sure as hell hasn't ever spoken about any others, let alone played another in her life. She's as far from techie as a person can be, which always has me wondering how she ended up with the likes of an electrical engineer and an indie game dev for children.
Go figure.
I'm about to answer honestly, that sales have improved since the feature launched, not by a ton, but a steady increase. In essence, I'm chuggin' along. That is, until Elias's little remark weasels its way into my head and torches all my hopes to ash.
I'm having a hard time believing this game will appeal to a wide audience...
His words stab right through my heart, just as they did after my presentation. Yet, another thing I tried to keep from today's lunch, but his doubts about my game haven't left my mind since, so why would they disappear now? Life's never that convenient.
