Page 63 of My Secret Snowflake
Like me.
But this is good because we can get to know each other as friends and colleagues, without stepping immediately into a relationship that may fail. The way my father got to know my mother.
“I guess I can lean on you,” I say, pulling her closer.
She manages to hold my weight.
“I think you’re single because you’re a flirt,” she says.
“I don’t flirt with just anyone,” I say. “But you’re a lot of fun to flirt with. And I know you’re not looking for a relationship right now, so you’re safe.”
“Exactly.” She nods.
Confirmed.
Not that that approach worked with Melody. Our best friendship didn’t turn out to be a firm foundation.
The first lines of “Last Christmas” by Wham play, filling the resulting silence between us. The air is crisp, and everything looks so bright under the lights. My breath forms a cloud in the air. Someone dressed in an ice hockey jersey does a quick stop in front of us, slashing through the ice.
A few snowdrops fall. Iris sticks out her tongue to catch them.
“First snow,” she says. “Perfect.”
She’s glowing.Maybe not that safe. I need to keep this all business.
“I looked through our files, and I found a partially executed white hacking agreement,” I say. “Kevin signed it. But it doesn’t have the assignment attached.”
“I found what the hacker went after.” She looks around. “It was the board presentations. The board presentation of the New Mexico CEO and Xavier’s board presentation.”
I stop short. Iris keeps going. She almost pulls me over, but we grab each other in time. Now we’re standing in the middle of the ice, holding on to and staring at each other. Other skaters flow around us.
“Sorry,” she says.
“You can’t tell me stuff like that when I’m ice skating.” I wobble.
“I can’t tell you via email, either,” she says. “And I don’t want to tell you where anyone can overhear me.”
“Ooh. What are you telling each other?” Jazmine skates up. “You guys look so cute together. Is there an office romance brewing?”
“No.” Iris shakes her head. “I’m asking him legal advice on the asset segregation strategy.”
Jazmine’s whole face falls. “What am I going to do with you? There’s holiday music playing, it’s snowing, everything is twinkling, you’re skating under the Rockefeller tree, and you’re asking him legal advice? She’s obsessed with her job.” Jazmine puts her hands on her hips. “I’ll rescue you, Sebastian.”
“What about Aaron?” Iris asks.
“I need to make Aaron jealous.” Jazmine grabs my hand and pulls me. I shrug sheepishly at Iris and skate slowly off with Jazmine. For my own reasons. I want to find out more about Iris. Jazmine is a very good ice skater. That doesn’t surprise me.
“Aaron is definitely looking over,” I say. “But you shouldn’t tease him like that.”
“He is?” Jazmine grins. “That was just an excuse to talk to you about Iris. Iris is a very good friend. I want to ask you about your intentions.”
“My intentions?” I falter on the ice, the front of my skate catching on an ice chunk. “We really were discussing work.”
“Iris was really asking for legal advice just now?”
“I started discussing business first,” I say.
“I’m disappointed in you, Sebastian,” she says.
