Page 91 of The Austen Escape
“So it seems. Craig wants a new CEO. He wants to design again.”
She gave me a sideways smile. “Expensive wish.”
“He said that too.”
“So we take a hit now; it’s better than the alternative. And with Golightly, it might not be more than a blip.”
I lifted my glass. “To another innovative WATT product.”
Moira joined me. “To the Vertex.”
I’d forgotten that nickname. We’d called ourselves that back in the garage, back when we celebrated our first product, earned our first paycheck, and knew we would make it—we were the top of the top.
“I need to tell you about England, Nathan, everything.”
Moira pulled her neck back. Nathan and England in the same sentence was a surprise. For the next two hours, I told her everything. At some point most of the guys left, and Benson pulled his chair close.
“He kissed you knowing you were getting fired?” That’s when I noticed Benson.
“Not quite. I mean it wasn’t like that.”
“It wasn’t close to like that.” I looked up. We all did.
Nathan stood behind me. He looked good. Tired, but good. Except his eyes—the dim lighting darkened them. Or anger. I flashed mine to Moira.
“I probably should have mentioned I texted him.” She looked between us. “I thought maybe you’d want to celebrate that youwere staying, or say good-bye. You weren’t in the office for his last day Friday, and you said earlier you didn’t see him. But I guess you did, didn’t you? Except I didn’t know that.”
“It’s okay, Moira.” Nathan spoke to her, but he watched me.
Without another word, Moira scooted to a nearby empty table. Benson followed her.
Nathan pulled her vacated chair farther away from mine and sat down.
“You didn’t call. I didn’t know you were at WATT.” I tapped his knee just to touch him.
Nathan said nothing.
“Are you going to talk to me?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t going to talk to you.” He slid his messenger bag to the ground and shrugged out of his jacket.
Moira placed a beer in front of him.
He glanced up and thanked her. I sent her a wobbly smile. She threw me an encouraging one and drifted back to the two-top behind us.
“Why didn’t you tell me about Karen?” I scooted my chair one inch closer.
“Nothing to tell until Craig committed, and it wasn’t my place once he did. We worked all weekend to restructure around her.”
“But...”
“I needed time, Mary. What was I supposed to do? Call you and tell you everything was fine now? Beg you not to quit? Beg you to talk to me? To trust me? I already asked those things of you.”
“True. And when you put it like that, it doesn’t sound good.”
“It didn’t feel good either. But since you’re staying now, I guess I’ll need to get used to you. Craig signed me on for a short-termengagement while he finds a new CEO. He’ll announce it to you all in a couple days, so please keep it quiet until then.”
“That’s—” I wanted to say wonderful, exciting, but his closed expression killed my enthusiasm and my hope—and the “used to you” was not encouraging.
