Page 7 of Conspiracies and Chemistry

“It’s not magic. It’s science. And unless you’re hiding a PhD under all that”—I waved my hand at her red hair—“then you don’t belong in here.”

She drew herself up. “That’s not what Maya said.”

“Maya? You mean Dr. Perrell?” We were supposed to meet on Friday, but I’d been in the middle of an assay, and besides, I could do without the pressure she always put on me. The reminder of her twins’ expensive weddings and how much she needed the performance bonus. So I’d asked her admin to reschedule. Was Tessa the reason she’d scheduled the meeting?

“I’m your new chief operating officer,” Tessa said.

“No, you’re not.” The words rushed from my mouth like they could make it true. Simon was the COO. And even though he’d been gone for two years, not just anyone, and certainly not Tessa Wright,could take his place.

She squared her jaw. “Maybe if you got to work on time, you could keep up with what’s happening at your company.”

My cheeks blazed. Although most of my employees had moved to their stations, I knew every one of them was listening. “I bring in donuts on Monday,” I growled. Then, louder, I said, “Hey, everyone, donuts are in the breakroom.”

There were a few cheers, then a stampede to the exit. Only Sadie lingered, a line between her blond eyebrows as she watched us, not bothering to pick up the tray of vials in front of her. “There’s a gluten-free one in the small box, Sadie. Go grab it before someone else does.”

She couldn’t ignore a direct order, so she walked out. When we were alone, I said, “Don’t get comfortable. I’m going to have a talk with Dr. Perrell.”

Tessa crossed her arms. “Can’t wait.”

“Until then, if you’re going to be in the lab, you have to observe the safety protocols.” I pointed at the sign on the wall and read out the words. “‘All personnelandvisitorsmust wear protective equipment at all times.’ That means put on a lab coat. And also, ‘Tie back long hair.’ So do something with that.” I waved at her hair again.

Deliberately, she tugged an elastic from her wrist and pulled her hair into a ponytail. “Happy?”

“Coat,” I said.

“Don’t worry. I’m not staying. I only came in to introduce myself. I have other departments to visit.”

When she brushed past me, I caught a whiff of peppermint and something herbal that cut through my jumble of thoughts. I knew what I had to do: clear up this confusion with Dr. Perrell and get Tessa Wright out of my lab and off my campus.

She was a distraction I couldn’t afford.

Dr. Perrell was on the phone when I knocked on her office door, but she held up two fingers, then beckoned me in.

“I don’t care what Piper said. It’s two hundredpeople. I can’t spend two-fifty per person on lobster.”

I sank into the chair closest to her massive mahogany desk and checked my phone. I answered a text from Yujun about which micropipettes I wanted him to order, then a text popped in from Sadie.

Sadie

You okay?

No one in the lab could’ve missed my argument with Tessa, but Sadie would’ve figured out why Tessa’s invasion hit me so hard. Like her brother, she was empathetic. Though I hoped she hadn’t picked up onallthe reasons Tessa’s unexpected appearance had thrown me off.

I’m fine. Are you?

I never actually worked with him, so it doesn’t feel strange to me that she’s taking his place.

She was right. It was one hundred percent a me problem. I still didn’t like it.

Dr. Perrell wrapped up her call exactly two minutes after she’d beckoned me in. She was like that: precise and predictable. Nothing like Simon, whose every decision had come from his gut and who’d walk straight out of a room if it had the wrong vibe. No, she was like me, a scientist through and through, focused on data and results. We should have gotten along great.

“I know you’re surprised,” she said. “I’d hoped to talk to you about it last week.”

I crossed my arms. “You mean after you’d already hired her?”

“We’ve been trying to hire a COO for over a year, Oliver. You haven’t liked any of the candidates.”

Because they weren’t Simon.“So you didn’t bother to consult me?”

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