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“I know,” I say quietly.
“Then come to dinner.”
“Yeah, about that. I sort of made an ass of myself last night.”
I explain to Lexi what I did, and when I was finished, she can’t contain her laughter.
“So you told her she was too good to be single? Big deal. It’s true even though the jerks she dates can’t see it. Olivia isn’t one to hold grudges. Go to her and apologize, and stop being so silly. I have to go pick up Johnny from nursery school, but I’ll see you tonight.”
After she hangs up, I feel better. I decide to apologize to Olivia and hope that I get the reaction that Lexi said I should. The first place I seek her out is in her tiny office. The door is closed, but I spot her through the window. I knock lightly. She looks up and smiles at me, mouthing to come in.
Olivia looks beautiful today. She has her hair up in a ponytail, once again exposing her long neck. She’s pushed back from her desk, legs crossed, dressed in a long-sleeved dark green polo, and faded blue jeans. She removes her reading glasses when I enter.
“Hello, Lucian. To what do I owe this visit?”
“I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday. I fucked up. I’m afraid I’m not very good at being in the company of women lately.”
“You don’t remember how to act around women?”
“I mean, how to be friends. It’s been a long time. I spent the past two years, either in the hospital with Cassie or in a cabin by myself.”
“I know it must be hard to lose someone you love, but I wasn’t trying to patronize you. I only wanted to offer some compassion, not pity.”
“I know you did,” I reassure her. “I handled it poorly. It’s been hard to reconcile my feelings about Cassie’s loss, but I suppose I’ll have to do better in the future.”
“I should say so. It’s okay to show your emotions. People understand more than you think they do.”
I smile and change topics. “Are you going to Lexi’s tonight?”
“Yes. You are too?”
“Lexi invited me. I guess I’ll be sort of like extended family since my niece, Rory, is marrying Hunter in a couple of weeks.”
She hums. “I suppose so.”
“Would you like to go together?”
“Sure, that would be nice.”
We continue to discuss a few more things, but I can’t help focusing on her full red lips. The tension relaxes, and we’re enjoying our chat until Paul stops by. He practically barrels into her office, clearly trying to test Olivia’s boundaries, until he sees me.
“Oh, uh, Lucian, hi.”
“Paul. Something you need?” she asks, drawing his attention away.
“We need to go over a few items. Come to my office when you’re free.” He walks away, and I turn to Olivia just as she’s rolling her eyes.
“Are you and he getting along?”
“For the most part. He’s still a dick, but nothing I can’t handle.”
“You’ll let me know if he gets to be too much, right?”
“He’s always too much. I told him he needs to get laid, which I don’t think happens very much.”
I snort in agreement. Paul was always disheveled in some way, and high strung. His hair was always falling into his eyes, and he was painfully bony, which made me believe he must have a tapeworm since he was always eating. The last few times I had to visit his office, his desk was full of candy wrappers. Maybe his overdose of sugar was what was causing his skin to appear patchy and oily. To top it off, despite the relaxed work environment, his clothing always looked like he picked it up from the floor because it was always wrinkled.
From what I understood, Paul’s all-around shitty attitude was tolerated because of his brilliant mind. He was the lead on several projects, including the VR set. I didn’t agree with Zane’s handling of his antics, but it wasn’t my company. As long as he treated his coworkers with respect, I wouldn’t interfere.
