Page 58 of Return on Love

I smile. A few days for him, but almost every day for me. Unfortunately. It pinches more than it should. I sip my coffee, trying not to think about the thoughts that seem to be creeping inside my head. Thoughts of being in a place where I can wear sneakers to work every day. No! I have a degree in finance. I’m going to be made VP, hopefully, if all goes well. This is power dressing, and it’s required in my place of work.

“So, should we go together or separately?” Ryan asks.

“We can go together. Not a problem. I mean, you’re my client. Bernard won’t be in office, but you officially don’t know that, so ask Weber about him when you meet.”

“I’ll need to be logged in to your office Wi-Fi to access Weber’s computer once you copy the virus. Where will I sit? In your office?”

“Um. No. I don’t have an office. All associates sit in cubicles, and you can’t obviously do your thing from there. I’ve asked Lily to book one of the small meeting rooms for the day. You can sit there, and whenever I have time, I’ll come and see you. Okay?”

We have a quick breakfast. I’m not hungry, and my stomach is twisted in knots with the mere thought of introducing a virus to Weber’s laptop. What’ll be the consequences if I’m caught? I don’t even know any lawyer in case I need one by evening.

Ryan holds my hand and squeezes it. “You’re doing it for the right reasons,” he says, as if reading my thoughts.

Yeah, tell that to the jury if it comes to that. I drink some orange juice before we make our way to my office.

The first person I see, just as the elevator doors slide open, is Lily. She is talking to the receptionist, which I’m sure she’s been doing so that she can just loiter around the area and catch me right there. Her eyes open up wide as she sees me and Ryan get off the elevator together.

“Lily!” I say, trying to break her trance.

“Eva! I’ve missed you, girl. I was just chatting here, you know. There’s so much to tell you,” she says, turning to face Ryan, “Hi, Ryan. We met when you were here last time.”

Ryan smiles and nods. “Hi Lily. Eva has told me a lot about you since then.”

“Ahem! Really! She’s told me a lot about you as well. What a surprise seeing you both come in together, hand in hand.” That she can’t let the irony and teasing go from her voice borders on wickedness, I’m telling you. If I didn’t like her so much, I’d actually hate her.

“Weber’s here?” I ask, changing the topic. There’s work to do, and the sooner we can do it, the better.

“He is, and I’ve booked the meeting room closest to your cubicle for Ryan.”

After we leave Ryan to get settled in the meeting room, Lily loud whispers to me, right outside his door. “His looks get better each day, it seems. I could eat him up. The clients don’t need to be here for the partner meeting. Why has he come? Just to be with you?” she winks and says it all in one breath.

I haven’t told Lily any more than necessary, which means I just told her Ryan is coming over as well. Nothing about Bernard or Weber. I don’t want her getting involved in anything even remotely illegal. And I’ve definitely told her nothing about last weekend. She’s my friend, but it’s silly to tell her about a one-off crazy thing that I did. Not now, at least. Maybe later, when it won’t be as raw.

Thankfully, a call from Gordon has her running back to her desk, giving me a respite from her seriously annoying questions. I take some deep breaths. It’s time for the spy-game to begin.

I take out the flash drive Ryan has given me from my purse and put it in my blazer pocket. My heart is pounding as I cross the floor to Weber’s office and it’s a wonder it’s not causing any earthquakes. I meet Neil on the way.

“Hey Eva. Howz your deal coming through?”

“Pretty good, I’d say. It has a lot of potential.”

“Really? I heard otherwise. But you’d know better. Anyway, all the best. May the best man or woman win.”

What did he mean he heard otherwise? Before I can ask him, he’s gone and I don’t feel like catching up to him in my high heels. I’ll ask him later.

Weber smiles as I enter. That’s a first, or rather a second. He’d smiled the first time I met him after I was transferred from Bernard’s team to his. Since then, he never even looks up when I go to meet him.

“So, how was Boston? Met your brother and father?”

Wow! The first question about family! That’s another first. If I hadn’t already known, this would’ve been a clear giveaway that something wasn’t right. He’s such a fool. Or maybe I am a bigger one, for having followed him thus far.

“Yeah, I did.” I feel the flash drive in my pocket, wondering if he already knows something.

I tell him about MooreGames, the strategy, mostly keeping it at what he had suggested.

“I’m glad you and Ryan agree with this plan of action. Gabriel sent me the presentation this morning. It’s good.”

“Yeah, I think he has to update a few things and send you the final one over the weekend.”

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