I took her small hand, uncaring that other people could see.
“We’re going to make this work,” I said, my words rough and genuine. “You and me, sweetheart.”
And the smile that crossed her lips made my heart thump.
“Absolutely, Mr. Wainwright. We can make it happen,” she murmured with a smile.
And shit, but my world stopped then. Because within a few weeks, this brunette had transformed my outlook on life. After a couple false starts, it was clear that she was the real thing with a generous heart, and spirit. Because Mia Smith, aka Anonimo, aka the latest Picto-famous It Girl, had somehow hacked her way into my heart.
Chapter 7
Mia
I’d started my first day at Pictogram wary of seeing Theo again. After all, what if he pretended that nothing had happened? What if I was just another notch on his bedpost?
But that wasn’t the case at all because the moment our eyes met, the sparks were there. It hadn’t been a dream. It hadn’t been the fantasy of a Cinderella who’d lost her glass slipper. The electricity between me and the CEO was real, and we ended up going at it on his desk. During my first day. With people outside the office.
Oh god. How did I become this wanton? Just weeks ago, I was a shy virgin spending days and nights in the computer lab, pasty and pale from never getting outside. And yet now, Theo and I were locked in some type of feedback loop that made me shiver both emotionally and physically. I wanted more, more, more of him, so much that even now, my brain and body throbbed.
Theo Wainwright. How did he do it? The billionaire was magnetic, charming, and impossible to deny. I guessed that was how he got to where he was, by being all those things and more.
I smiled to myself, feeling warm from the inside out. Because suddenly, this job just got ten times better, the CEO at my side. Plus, my welcome at Picto-Town had been a surprise. I hadn’t been sure what my new co-workers knew about me, or what their reaction would be when they found out I was Anonimo. I’d just caused them a huge headache, after all, and maybe they wanted to bury me before we even started.
But going on stage with Theo had been amazing because instead of getting booed like I’d half-expected, they were cheering my name.
That was real strength. Acknowledging your weaknesses and welcoming a competitor because she’d make your team that much stronger.
Not just any competitor too, but a woman – a female hacker who’d already breached your systems.
So filled with the warm fuzzies, I went back to my desk feeling empowered. I didn’t want to let Pictogram down. Anonimo had set out to destroy the company, but by being here, I was Mia again and not just some faceless hacker. This was a community I wanted to invest in, and not the other way around.
A purple haired girl strolled over to my desk, clutching the Marc Janow ad in her hand. “Mia?”
“Hi!” I said with a friendly smile. What now? The girl was so cute, dressed like a classic computer nerd. She had on a black t-shirt with a black Javascript logo. Her flared tulip skirt was a perfect mix of casual and hip, finished with cute kicks. I’d never looked so stylish in my days as a programmer.
She pushed her glasses up with her bright neon blue nail.
“Hi, I’m so glad to meet you. My name is Sophie. I’m on the front-end team. I just wanted to say how inspirational you are.”
“Thanks,” I said, smiling. “I like your shirt, by the way.”
She looked down and laughed.
“Thanks. I’ve got so many free t-shirts like this from conferences and hackathons, it’s pretty crazy. I should buy some real clothes for a change.”
“Me too,” I replied cheerfully. “But free is always good.”
We both burst into laughter then because free clothing was a thing for engineers. A lot of people wore free stuff from their companies even when their options were worth millions. So to see the Javascript logo was a bonding point, especially since I was really good with Java.
And suddenly, I thought about Jill. Jilly has been my partner in crime since the beginning, screaming eff you at all those brogrammers. Jilly would like it here with the Amandas and Sophies who were competent, yet cool. Jill would be relieved to find some women just like us.
At that moment, another woman holding an adorable brown yorkiepoo in her arms came over. “Mia, you are so inspirational to women engineers everywhere,” she said, smiling. “I’m Eunice from the data algorithms team, and this is Mr. Dooey.” She ruffled the dog’s fur.
Mr. Dooey? What kind of name was that? But I smiled my welcome.
“Thanks,” I replied. “Glad to be here.”
Sophie’s voice dropped to a whisper then, her eyes looking around.