“He’s just overly protective. The whole big brother thing.”

“We’re adults now. He needs to update his understanding of the situation. I always considered you off-limits, but you’re an adult.”

“You updated your code.”

“More like I blew up my code,” he says. “But you’re worth it.

I link my arm in his. “Thank you.”

“And you don’t need his protection.”

“I think he’s protective of you, too. Mom said he was really intense about me not bugging you at work. He said I’m supposed to act like a normal employee and not approach you.”

Hugo turns to me with a frown. “I never said you shouldn’t approach me. He knows I’m in the weeds, but come on.”

“And I should not bug you…Mom said I shouldn’t act like I even know you.”

“What the hell? Did Charlie tell your mom to tell you that?”

“I don’t know. She seemed to think you pulled strings to get me the job?” I say. “And it could get you in trouble?”

“I could run through the halls naked and I wouldn’t get in trouble,” he says.

“I wouldn’t object to that, you know.”

I smooth a hand over the lapel of his thick wool coat. “So…you didn’t say for me to stay away from you?”

“I was wondering why you didn’t seem to recognize me. What the hell? Charlie knows about my problems with the data model, he knows how important it is for me to focus right now, but that was no reason for him to suggest I wouldn’t want to say hello. It was just weird.”

“Itwasweird!” I say. “And then I tried to give you the card and that was weird, but I needed to somehow thank you.”

Hugo snorts. “I liked the card.”

“I can’t believe the communication ended up that I should treat you like a stranger. I guess the headline is that everyone thinks I’m so irresponsible, so unprofessional that I’ll—I don’t even know—burst into your office and ruin your concentration with Britney Spears-inspired dance routines each and every day?”

“I wouldn’t object to that, you know.”

“I get so sick of the way they look at me. And why should I care? But I do.”

“Come here.” He pulls me to him. “You’re an intelligent, tenacious, stunningly impressive person.”

“You know where that would’ve been amazing? In my letter of recommendation!” I tease.

“I’m so sorry,” he says for about the tenth time. “I hate the effect it’s had on you and your career. I feel like such an asshole.”

“It’s not all on you, being that it’s Mom and Dad’s fault you even wrote one.”

I already told Hugo about the good letters I’d had lined up. I even let him read the one my old boss sent on my behalf. The letters are supposed to be confidential, but my boss sent me a copy of the one that he’d sent, and it had meant a ton to me, just seeing myself described as “a good leader with reliably excellent instincts.”

“Your parents need to update their view of you, too, and so does Charlie. Yes, he’s been a protective brother to you and a protective friend to me, but he’s taking it too far. They call themselves scientists, but they never updated their data on you.”

“Yes! Thank you! Thank you for saying that!”

We buy our sandwiches and take them to a sunny bench that’s protected from the wind. They’re so good, we practically inhale them while we admire the dogs being walked back and forth.

“When was the last time you spoke with him?” I ask, wiping my fingers.

“A while ago. Well before you started. With the time difference and being busy, it’s been hard for Charlie and me to keep connected.”