Page 56 of Designs on You

“There has to be an obvious glitch that we’re not seeing.”

“Maybe we need to wait for the rest of the team to come in on Monday. Fresh eyes and all.”

Eugene shook his head. “There’s no reason we can’t fix this.”

“You need some sleep. And a shower.”

“Yeah, so do you. We’ll stink up the place together until we figure this out.”

They dove in until one of the security guards came in. “Sorry to bother you, but there’s some guy at the gate claiming to be your brother.”

Eugene frowned. “My brother?”

“Yeah. Says his name is Linc and says you’re not picking up your phone and he wants to know if you’re here or if you’re dead.”

Shit. “That sounds like my brother.” He looked at the security stream and sure enough, it was Linc. “You can let him in, Roger, thanks.”

Eugene turned to Heath. “I’ll just be a minute.”

“Take your time. I’m ordering some pizzas.”

“Okay.”

Eugene walked out of the design room where Linc would be forbidden from entering because of all the proprietary stuff in there. Roger escorted Linc to the lounge, where he greeted Eugene with a wrinkled nose.

“You look like shit,” Linc said. “Smell like it, too.”

“Yeah, we had a critical failure in programming, so I’ve been here since yesterday.”

“You might try letting some people know that. Natalie was frantic. You two had a date tonight?”

“Oh no.” He pulled out his phone and saw several text messages, multiple missed calls and voicemails. “I lost track of time. I totally forgot.”

“She’ll be thrilled to hear that. Anyway, glad you’re not dead. Go home and take a shower. And call Natalie, okay?”

“I’ll do that right now. Hey. Thanks, Linc.”

Linc shrugged his shoulder. “It’s what brothers do. I’m relieved you’re not lying on the side of the road somewhere. I’d hug you but you smell.”

Eugene laughed and signaled to Roger, who waited outside the door, to escort Linc out.

He punched in Natalie’s number. She answered right away.

“Eugene?”

“Yeah. Natalie, I—”

“Are you okay?”

“I am. I’m so sorry. I got stuck at work. We had a major glitch with the ride, and I’ve been here with some of the team since yesterday. I just lost all track of time and I totally forgot—”

“You forgot. You couldn’t just send a text to tell me you had to work and couldn’t make it?”

“Like I said, I got involved.”

“Uh-huh. Well, I’m happy to hear you weren’t in an accident or suddenly ill or any of the other hundreds of things I imagined had happened that would have prevented you from answering my texts or picking up your phone when I called.”

“Natalie, I—”

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