Quadruple Duty

Oddly, that answer seemed to cheer her up a bit. Dawn looked back at me apologetically, with just the hint of a smile. “That’s good,” she said. “I’m glad to hear you’re keeping it uncomplicated.”

Uncomplicated…

Yeah, right.

“Mixing business with pleasure is never good,” she said. “And I have to say you look happy, Mara. Refreshed. I guess you really needed a vacation after all.”

“I came to the office twice, and worked the whole time I was away,” I said, trying to hide the callousness in my voice. “I even loaded the Santiago truck.”

“I saw.”

“So yeah, it was a working vacation more than anything else,” I sighed. “Which reminds me — how are those two new projects going?”

Dawn blinked. She stared back at me like I’d just told her she was pregnant with triplets.

“W--What?”

“The new projects. The ones you started working on while I was away.”

“What are you talking about?”

My eyes narrowed. Either she didn’t understand what I was referring to, or—

“I saw the folders, Dawn. They were on your desk.”

Her shoulders slumped. The crease between her eyes deepened in what looked like anger.

“You went through my desk?”

“No, not through your desk. On your desk. Right on top. Two new projects, complete with scale layouts, and a fiscal breakdown of—”

“You shouldn’t be touching my desk,” Dawn said coldly. “Or anything on it.”

I leaned back in my chair. “Sort of like how you shouldn’t be delving into my personal life? Who I’m living with? Dating? Fucking? That sort of thing?”

She ignored me. “Those proposals were turned down, unfortunately. I never got the deposit.”

My mouth went tight. That part didn’t make sense. There was too much work put into them, they were too far along.

“What happened?”

She shrugged again. “I’ve been pretty swamped. You know, working all alone. I’m sure I screwed something up.” The comment was underhanded, borderline passive-aggressive. I weathered the jab until she kept going. “I probably botched the meetings, to be honest. You were always the smiling personable one.”

Damn. They were big projects. We could’ve used them.

“All the more reason you should stay close to the office.”

The office…

I sighed resignedly. Not exactly giving in, but no longer challenging her either.

“I promise the move won’t affect work,” I said. “And we’ll get some more projects. Well catch up on things.”

Dawn stared at me a moment longer, then lifted her glass in truce. I toasted her. We drank.

“Wanna hear about the Victorian?” I smiled.

It was the one common bond we shared, and always would: our love of ancient architecture. At mere mention of the house, Dawn’s whole face lit up.