Page 58 of Shifting Gears

“I’m sorry,” Nora says, only half meaning it. “I’ve been…busy.”

“Doing what?” Ash asks incredulously. “Communing with squirrels? Learning how to fly-fish?”

“There’s plenty to do here,” Nora says, annoyingly aware of how much she sounds like Dani.

Having her face visible while she says it is a mistake. Nora knows it from the second Kayla’s eyes narrow. Kayla has a razor-sharp mind—it’s why she’s so good at her job, after all. Nora can seldom hide anything from her.

Kayla’s next words fly like an arrow through Nora’s already precarious poker face, and she knows she’s sunk.

“Oh, is there? Like, maybe, the hot mechanic?”

Nora tries to stop the blush. Truly, she does. But she sees the traitorous redness creep up her own neck and onto her face in the tiny corner of her phone screen, and Ash and Kayla’s eyes widen comically in unison.

“Holy shit!” Ash crows, disappearing briefly off-camera as he rocks back, laughing. “Oh, please tell me she’s right.”

“I’m not telling you anything,” Nora says, the urge to hang up and salvage what’s left of her dignity getting ever stronger.

Kayla is laughing, too; the camera is shaking with it. “Don’t you dare deprive me of the juicy details, Cromwell. We want to know everything.”

Nora sighs. “There are some things I’d really rather keep private.”

Nora actually flinches at the volume of the cheer they let out.

“Eleanor’s getting laid!” Ash shouts, ever the gentleman. Kayla is much more reserved, but her smile is genuine.

“Shhh!” Nora hisses, but she’s unable to keep herself from smiling back. “You’re in the office building I need to return to soon, so I’d appreciate you didn’t scream about my sex life where all of my employees can hear.”

Kayla is decent enough to quiet down, although her troublemaking grin doesn’t budge. Ash, however, seems to have takenstop yellingto meanstart singing. He starts parading around the office, chanting while Kayla talks more reasonably. “See, I knew you could do it. All you had to do was—”

“Eleanor’s getting la-id, Eleanor’s getting la-id—”

“Put away that stupid propriety of yours for five seconds, and—”

“Eleanor’s gettingLA-ID—”

“Okay!” Nora finally says, laughing hard despite herself. “You were right; this was exactly what I needed, and I’ll allow you fifteen seconds more of proper gloating about it.” She knows they won’t listen to that time limit, but she should at least try.

“When do we get to meet her?” Ash asks when he’s finished with his song. Nora barks out an incredulous laugh.

“Hopefully never, if you’re going to act like children.”

“I’m just excited for you!” Ash claims, taking the phone from Kayla and leaning close enough to the camera lens that Nora can see his nose-hairs. “I’ve been trying to get you to unwind ever since you stopped fucking Lydia.”

Nora groans, closing her eyes against the close-up of Ash’s nostrils. He always did have trouble paying attention to the screen—she can’t even recall how many times she’s had to remind him that he can’t leave the phone pointing up at the ceiling. “Give the phone back to Kayla, please.”

“Okay, for real: When can we meet her?” Kayla asks, yanking the phone out of Ash’s hands.

“For real? Never.”

“Why?” Ash whines, and Kayla levels Nora with an almost-effective set of puppy dog eyes.

“Because this is a temporary arrangement,” Nora says, decisive against their onslaught. “Strictly casual. She doesn’t need to be subjected to an interrogation.”

“Can we at least get a picture?” Kayla wheedles.

Nora sighs. Hopefully giving them a crumb will divert their attention. “Fine.”

Nora forwards Kayla a photo she took a few days ago at the beach—Dani in her bathing suit, her hair just starting to dry, laughing, and reclined with her hand buried in a bag of hot Cheetos. After Kayla’s phone pings its arrival, Nora is treated to a few seconds of silence as the video cuts out and they stare at the screen.

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