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“He doesn’t seem like a taskmaster to me.”
“He’s usually not, but he’s been a little, how can I say this politely… snarky, lately.”
“Snarky?”
“Zane is usually pretty good-natured, but he’s been short with the programmers more than once. I know trying to get several titles out this year is exhausting for everyone.”
Now that she mentioned it, I did notice that Zane seemed a little uptight. I wonder what was eating him lately, besides the timeline.
“I’ll talk to him, see if he’ll tell me what’s going on.”
“Please don’t mention, I told you. I don’t want him to think I’m complaining.”
“Are you having problems here? Are you getting along with everyone?”
“For the most part.”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“Paul can be a bit much at times. He hasn’t always been nice to me, but I’m used to working in a male-dominated field.”
“Olivia, there is no reason why you have to put up with that shit. If you have an issue, especially with Paul, let me know.”
She gives me a knowing look. “You don’t like him, do you?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“He can be a dick, but he is very talented.”
“That’s no excuse for being rude or condescending. Should I be a dick because I’m part owner? Should I be a dick to everyone because they get on my case about my wife dying?”
I shudder and wish I could stuff the last bit back into my mouth. I shouldn’t be bringing Cassie into my conversations. I wasn’t looking for pity.
After a few seconds of silence, Olive speaks up. “I’m sorry about her. I meant to tell you when you first got here.”
I hold up my hand. “I don’t want to discuss her if you don’t mind.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing for fuck’s sake! It’s fine.”
Olivia stares at me, eyes wide, and I can see the hurt in them. I was irritated and taking out that irritation on her, but I wasn’t about to admit that.
“I better go,” she eventually says as she gathers up her papers and stuffs them in the folder.
I felt like an asshole. Before she leaves, I reach out to stop her. When my fingers brush along her shoulder, covered in soft silk, she flinches away. I quickly pull back.
“I shouldn’t have said that,” I say in apology. “Forgive me.”
“Lucian, you claim not to be a dick, but you really are.”
She darts out of the room, leaving me in her wake to consider how I had inflicted pain without thinking. Olivia didn’t deserve my anger. She did nothing wrong. I was angry at myself for being attracted to her and bringing up Cassie. She probably wouldn’t want to talk to me, but I was already scheduled to have dinner at Lexi’s tomorrow, and I assumed she would be there too.
Now that everything was settled with Megan, I felt in the clear to join their Friday night dinners. Lexi even told me that Olivia was a fixture at the table, but with this incident, I might have to beg off and stay home. But that could cause more problems, so I promised myself to make it right before tomorrow evening.
Taking a seat at my desk, I fight the urge to want to punch something. I needed to keep busy to keep my mind off of what I had done, so I start checking on another project, and before I knew it, it was well past six in the evening. The office had grown quiet since most people had left for the day.
Stretching my limbs, I slip on my coat and go to the kitchen to empty my travel mug before I went home. I stop short when I see Olivia there, making a cup of coffee. Her hair was still up, and the creamy flesh of her neck called to me once more. Of course, she was angry with me and would have probably decked me if I tried anything.
