Page 59 of That Geeky Feeling

“Yes. There’s a shirt-printing place in town that I think can turn things around quickly.”

I lean back in my chair. “Feels like I’m sitting in a wind tunnel of organizational genius.”

“It’s what I’m here for, right?” Charlotte shrugs. “To get this shit done. And make sure this thing comes together for Monday.” She says it like she’s performed a feat no more extraordinary than brushing her teeth in the morning.

Although I’ve seen Charlotte busy at work a thousand times, this is quite the sight to behold. And apparently watching her take command and pull a rescue plan together before lunch is hotter than all hell.

“What about the holes in the ceiling?” I ask. “Netto won’t be impressed with that.”

“And we can’t have dust falling into the computers,” Priya adds.

Charlotte slumps into a chair at an empty table. “That’s my big fat fail. I spoke with the building management and with the insurance company. The insurers won’t budge on what they told you, Priya. It has to be left like this till they can come out to see it. And the building manager says they can’t touch it if the insurance company won’t let them.”

She swivels in the chair. “I’ll think of something, though. There has to be a solution. There’s always a solution.”

“To everything?” I ask, unable to resist the temptation to reference what happened between us this morning. “Aren’t there times when something is such a disaster it ruins everything and can’t be fixed?”

Charlotte lifts her coffee to her mouth and peers at me over the rim. “In those rare cases, you just have to pull yourself together, put it out of your mind, and move on.” Clearly getting my point, she takes a sip, then turns to her notebook and flicks through the pages.

Priya looks from Charlotte to me as if she senses we’re not talking about First Byte anymore but can’t figure out what we are talking about. “Well, I’m excited to get the equipment and see the kids this weekend,” she says. “We can have a dry run for Monday.”

“Is that your bag?” Charlotte asks, pointing to a multicolored, multi-patterned tote hanging off the back of Priya’s chair.

“Yes.” Priya’s eyes light up. “My aunt sent it to me. She has a fabric and fashion store in New Delhi.”

“It’s beautiful,” Charlotte says. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her comment on anyone’s sense of style or fashion items before.

She falls silent for a moment, peering into her mug as she cups her hands around it. “And I’ve done one other thing.” Her voice is quieter. Softer. “I’ve brought our flight home forward.” Without moving her head, she lifts her eyes from the drink to me.

“We need to get you home and treated properly.” She suddenly sounds less like the get-shit-done person and more like my friend. The shift in tone tugs at my heart. “You need to be fit to come back here and dazzle everyone with your presentation on Monday.”

But then the reality of why she wants me better makes my stomach churn. Owen sent me the rough notes of things he’d been planning to cover in his speech, and they made me wonder if I should redo everything I’ve already written.

“And I’ve upgraded us to first class,” Charlotte continues. “You’ll have more space, and we can at least limit the damage four more hours on a plane can do.”

“Just the thought of it makes me need to stand up while I can.” I lean on the edge of the desk and push myself upright.

Charlotte’s mouth curves into a tiny smile that makes her eyes sparkle. “That looked a lot less painful than earlier.”

I turn my back to her and walk slowly to the other side of the office. “Well, I had some good treatment this morning.”

I can almost feel her eyes boring into my back.

“I booked your LMT for just after we land,” she says. “She’s staying open late especially for you.”

I get to the end of the room and lean forward, pressing my hands against the wall. The stretch in my lower back is blissful. “How did you know who my LMT is?”

“It was in Greta’s cloud files. That woman backs up everything.”

I manage to twist my neck just far enough to catch Charlotte’s eye. “Yup. She went digital. Because she listens to me.”

Charlotte rolls her eyes, the hint of a smile teasing the corner of her mouth.

She finishes her coffee, and stands up. “The car will be here in a minute to take us to the airport, so you’d better start inching your way to the front now.” She turns to Priya. “I’ll be in touch. I think I’ve had another idea.”

18

ELLIOT

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