Page 16 of True Colors

A smile tugs at my mouth. I love having them over. They make this empty apartment feel like home.

Ria hops onto one of the counter stools. “So, spill the tea. How was day one as CEO? Did anyone throw tomatoes? Protest signs? Ransom notes?”

Theo pours wine and hands Ria and me a glass each. He settles next to Ria and nods. “Yeah, tell us, man.”

I take a sip of the wine, the Bobal, and I’m surprised at how good it is. “It’s different…I think I have to pay more attention to leadership than just getting the work done, you know?”

Ria rests her head on Theo’s shoulder. “Yeah, you go beyond getting work done through others as a manager to getting the best work done while keeping your employees engaged and motivated.”

“It’s an adjustment,” I admit as I put a cast-iron pan on the gas stove and let it heat up.

Ria smiles. “And what level is your stress at?”

I shrug. “It’s fine.”

Ria makes an exasperated sound. “From a scale of one to ten, where one is I’m sleeping eight hours a night, no problem, and ten is I’m about one step away from throwing myself off the Golden Gate Bridge?”

I laugh. “This psych education you got going makes you take everything to extremes.”

Ria straightens, rolling her eyes. “You didn’t answer my question.”

I pick up my wine. “Stress is…maybe at a five.”

Theo gives me a measured look. “Eight,” he corrects me flatly.

I let out a long breath, shaking my head slowly. “I…something happened today.”

“On your first day?” Ria scoffs. “Seriously, Luther?”

“Imagine how I feel,” I deadpan as the skillet begins to smoke.

I use tongs to drop the first steak onto the pan. It sputters and fills the kitchen with the right smells. I turn on the almost silent overhead vent hood, and it sucks up the smoke, so I don’t have a howling smoke alarm.

I check the steak, flip it, and drizzle more marinade over it.

The sizzle is satisfying.

“What happened?” Ria asks, concerned. She knows me well, as does Theo, and they probably caught the undercurrent of guilt that’s been swarming through me since that damned morning meeting.

“How about you set the table?” I suggest.

“Luther, you’re deflecting,” Ria singsongs.

“How about we set the table?” Theo stands up. “And then grill him while we eat?”

“Good idea ‘cause I’m starving,” Ria agrees.

While they set the dining table, I slice the steak, arrange the pieces neatly on a wide white plate, and drizzle the chimichurri.

Ria takes the plate away, and Theo carries the corn salad to the table.

We’ve done this many times before, the three of us, or the five of us when our parents are around, or the eight of us when Theo’s brother and parents are there as well. We’re close as a family. There is a rhythm to who does what and an ease to it.

There’s no drama.

“So, how’s the team?” Ria asks, giving me ten minutes of grace to get through part of my dinner.

“HelixSphere has always been well run.” I scoop up some of the corn salad on a fork. “So, it’s not one of those failing business units or teams I have to save. Here…I think my role is to grow and not break anything.”