Page 62 of Debugging Love

“Nah. I’m good. Continue.”

My boss furrows his brow and sucks in a deep breath. He’s going to file an accident report. I can see it in his eyes. But not right now. He steeples his fingers. “This isn’t a project. Not a long one. I managed to procure four tickets to Chai World in Atlanta, and you’ve all been selected to go.”

We stare at him blankly.

“It’s an overnighter,” he says. “Hotel, meals, and gas paid for.”

“Is it during the week?” Morgan asks.

“Monday through Wednesday. You’ll be paid from the time you leave here to the time you get back, and you’ll have a daily stipend on top of meal money.”

“I could handle that.” Morgan’s voice is suddenly chipper.

Chance and Drew make celebratory noises. I remain as still as a hibernating house fly.

“How are we getting there?” I ask. Hopefully two cars. One for me and Morgan. The other for the boys. Er, men.

“You can carpool. Decide among yourself who will drive.”

“Not it,” Morgan says.

“My car doesn’t have air conditioning,” Chance adds.

“I do not take my Tesla on long road trips.”

Morgan whips her head toward Drew. “You have a Tesla?”

“I do not have a mobile charging station.”

Morgan scowls at him. “How is that an answer?”

“I answered your next question.”

“I didn’t have a next question.”

“I do not trust my Tesla on road trips,” Drew says as his soft-soled shoes thump against the wood floor.

“Then why do you have a Tesla?”

He pauses. “Why do you wear makeup?”

She thinks for a minute, and then says, “That’s shallow.”

“You just implicated yourself in your own criticism.” His marching recommences.

“Hey,” Christopher says, lifting his palms to them to get them back to business.

Five hours in a car with Drew. And Chance. One small car, two big egos. What if I suffocate? Worse. What if I swoon?

“Nobody has to drive their own car,” Christopher explains. “You’ll be taking a rental. Liability reasons and all that.”

Chance throws up his hand. “I’ll drive.”

“Fine by me,” Drew says. “I would rather sleep than converse with you people.”

“Chance can drive,” Morgan says brusquely.

Christopher leans forward and anchors his elbows on his desk. He focuses on me. “You’re the only one who doesn’t look excited.”

---