Page 66 of Derivation

“Not to me.”

Sarai smiled at her and said, “We should eat these in there. I’m sure Violet is pacing holes in the concrete floor of the garage right now, ready to get started.”

“Whatever you want,” Gabi said.

“Hey, what’s your favorite bagel? Just so I know for the future.”

“Oh, I’m not picky. I usually grab whatever’s left in the dozen.”

“But what’s your favorite?”

“I don’t know. I guess I like the asiago cheese one or the everything bagel.”

Sarai nodded seriously before she stood and said, “Arlowe usually eats the everything bagels, so have fun fighting her for those.”

Gabi chuckled, grabbed her own plate, and followed her inside.

CHAPTER 18

Sarai watched as Arlowe and Gabi laughed over at Arlowe’s desk. She knew what Arlowe had told her about not being interested in Gabi, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, something was or could be going on. The two of them could speak a language that Sarai didn’t understand, and she was used to that with Enya, but not with Arlowe, who, like Gabi, was a self-taught coder. They loved making computers do what they wanted them to do, and yes, Gabi preferred to work in hardware, but the hardware needed the software to make it work, and that was what they’d been talking and laughing about together for the past five minutes while Violet had given them all a quick break so that she could call Nancy back.

The woman had left a voicemail about the furniture and the lease, and Violet knew that Nancy would be at a convention of some kind for the rest of the week, so she’d wanted to call her back as soon as possible. Enya was at her computer, eating a cookie and staring at the screen like it was about to unveil something to her. It was likely that she was trying to figure something out, so Sarai left her alone. Stella was in Violet’s chair, probably checking her email on her phone. Sarai was sitting at her desk chair, which she had turned around to face the monitor where, before their break, Violet had stood, presenting, and she really wished Violet would just finally call this meeting to a close so that she could disappear into her bedroom and talk to no one for the rest of the day.

The previous day had been nice. They’d checked out the office space, which Sarai had been excited and also nervous about, but then, she’d talked to Gabi, and she’d left there feeling like they’d made up a little in that lobby. What Sarai had found interesting, though, was that Gabi had, apparently, believed that she had brought someone home after Violet and Stella’s party. Gabi had thought for an entire week that Sarai had had sex with someone that night when, in reality, all she’d done was bring an intoxicated Enya, with her famous drunk laugh, home.

When they’d gone to lunch the previous day after checking out that office, Sarai had sat next to Gabi, with Enya on her other side. Arlowe and Violet had dominated much of the conversation, which was normal for their group, but soon, Sarai had started participating, Enya had joined in as well, and then, surprisingly, Gabi had, too, begun offering thoughts on where they could put desks and what they could name the conference rooms. Sarai had been excited that Gabi cared and had been trying to help, but there had also been something that scared her about it.

First, Gabi had been just someone she’d met years ago for one weekend before she had run into her again at a bar. Then, she’d been driving Sarai home, and Arlowe had offered up her old room. Gabi had become their roommate, which was fine because Sarai could crush on her roommate without it being a big deal, but now, Gabi was also technically a contractor at their company, and while she wasn’t exactly making any real money, she’d signed paperwork and had joined the company. So, Sarai was now living with and working with her crush. That was already a little much for her, but after lunch, they’d come home, Violet had left, and Sarai had planned to go to her room to take a nap since she hadn’t been sleeping well lately, but Gabi had asked again if she wanted to hang out, and Sarai hadn’t been able to resist the invitation. Unfortunately for her, Arlowe and Enya hadn’t been able to resist it, either, and they’d ended up in an impromptu work meeting yet again, where Arlowe and Gabi had started a conversation around the software, which Enya and Sarai hadn’t been able to participate in, so Sarai had gone to her room then.

Now, they were in yet another impromptu work meeting, and Sarai was yawning. She was also annoyed because she knew when Arlowe was flirting. The woman couldn’t turn it off to save her damn life, so she’d been right about that. A petty person might have decided to look Eline up on social media, send her a message, and ask her to reach out to Arlowe like right this very moment to throw Arlowe off her game, but Sarai wouldn’t do that, of course. Still, she was tempted.

“Okay. I’m back. Let’s keep going,” Violet said when she walked back in. “You were saying something about a watch, Gabi?”

“No update on the office?” Sarai asked.

“She had the prices for the furniture. I asked her to negotiate that down. Office furniture is incredibly expensive as is, and they wanted me to take all of it, which we don’t need. They were offering a volume discount, but that was still more expensive than us paying full price on the furniture we actually do need, so I told her we wouldn’t take any of it if they don’t go a little lower on the monthly rental.”

“Get ‘em, Vi,” Arlowe said with a little laugh.

“Yeah, get ‘em,” Gabi added, laughing next to her.

Sarai wanted to throw up in her mouth.

“Back to the hardware,” she stated. “I’d like to be done with this meeting as soon as possible, please.”

“Why? Got a hot date tonight?” Arlowe asked.

“No, Arlowe,” she said, turning to glare at her. “Some of us just like not working on a Sunday.”

“Something you want to share with the rest of the class there, Sarai?” Violet asked.

“Violet, it’s Sunday. We worked all day yesterday, too. I thought, when you moved out, that we might actually get a weekend day off at least once a month.”

“We’re making real progress, Sarai,” Violet said. “And Gabi’s here now. She has a day job. We’re going to have to make some adjustments. She can’t design hardware for us all on her own. She’ll need our input.”

“I get what Sarai is saying, though,” Enya said, surprising everyone.

“You do?” Violet asked.