Chapter Two

THIS WAS HORRIBLE.

I read through the email again, the drone of the air conditioning thankfully covering up the chatter of my coworkers. My boss had tasked me the assignment of the year with this one. Our top client, MagiCorp, wanted an audit of all their sales from the time they began working with our company. Twelve years ago. We’d changed systems two times since then, or so I had heard. I’d only been through one of those changes, shortly after I started four years ago.

I was being asked to do a full audit—dig through all three systems, summarize all purchases and problems, and present it to the company on their next site visit.

Which was in three months.

On top of everything else I did on a daily and weekly basis.

I sat back in my chair and sipped my coffee. No, no. I had to try to cut the growing stress in my chest off at the pass. I would take five minutes to walk far enough down the street to reach the item post in Ani-min at a nearby café. Locking my computer and pushing out from my desk, I stood and scanned the cubicle farm of fellow Project Managers and Sales Specialists. Chelsea was on her phone. I’d have to tell her about this doozy of an assignment later.

So, I strode past the rows of gray-blue fabric-lined boxes, with their calendars and family pictures and figurines making them as homely as possible. Down the hall, I passed the plants that I still wasn’t sure were really good fakes or well maintained, and then the receptionist at his large wooden counter, which sported the company logo, a swirl of circles, for Onix Inc. We were a small branch of a larger company, if you considered a hundred employees small.

Finally outside, I walked under morning sun cutting through the trees and dappling the sidewalk. Eleven in the morning and it must have been almost a hundred out. I found it refreshing, but only for the first few minutes. Was it fall yet? Had Sacramento always been this hot? At least I’d be in a building with air conditioning most of the day, though not when I’d take Franny on her walk tonight.

Maybe I’d see Rachael on our walk this time. It had been almost a week, and I hadn’t had the fortune to run into her yet. The anxiety that bubbled up my throat every time I passed by that playground was enough to make my fear in seeing her equal to my want.

I reached the Ani-min item post and collected some nets and turned around to head back, finally allowing myself to wonder what my next three months would bring. This audit…god, it was going to drain me. I’d probably have to do overtime—poor Franny. But it was something different. And different could be very good.

Back in the office that now seemed way too cold, Chelsea caught my eye. She was traveling back to the cube farm from the break room, heels clacking and knee-length flowy skirt showing off the sway of her hips. She pulled off outfits I didn’t dare wear, the clothes emphasizing all her femininity and beauty, thanks to a confidence I surely lacked.

“Love your skirt,” I called, and she stopped so I could catch up. When I reached her, she glanced at my phone screen.

“Doing your animal game again?” she asked with a laugh.

“Yes, but only because I was going to scream after the email Georgie sent me.”

Chelsea giggled, her curly blonde hair bouncing. We returned to our area, and I followed her to her cube, giving her the gist of the assignment as we went.

“Do we even have the old systems anymore? To look that stuff up?” she asked, blowing the top of her coffee.

“I don’t know!” I laughed. “Gonna have to ask around. Like, how do I have time for this?”

She shrugged. “This is one of those instances where no overtime pay is a bummer.”

I nodded. We all had little reasons to avoid overtime: David had kids and regularly left the moment the clock turned 4:30, Chelsea had night classes, Priya had a hell of a commute. I had Franny, who I couldn’t leave alone that long. “I’m just going to remind myself how much I get paid to search through spreadsheets and be happy.”

“Why do you think he picked you and not me or David?” She sat back in her chair, glancing at her computer and taking a sip of her coffee. “We’ve all done some of those sales.”

“Maybe because I did their big sale last quarter.”

“Maybe.”

I shrugged, putting on an innocent expression with batting eyelashes. “Or maybe Georgie is seeing if I can handle the workload. Yearly reviews will be here before we know it…”

“Hmm.” Chelsea smiled. “Maybe.”

Chelsea turned back to her computer, and I left her to it. I returned to my desk and sighed at the three emails I’d gotten while I was gone.

It was surprising how much my attitude at work shifted from one event to the next. I’d already had complete whiplash today, and it wasn’t even a Monday.

 

FRIDAY AFTERNOON WAS turning into a particularly pleasant evening. I breathed deeply as Franny and I strolled down the block, a breeze cutting some of the heat and making the walk bearable, even pleasant. The rustle of leaves and soft thump of my feet on the sidewalk helped ease the anxiety of the workweek out of my bones. I didn’t want to think about my sales figures or my deadlines or that foreboding audit, not now that work hours were over and it was a nice weekend.

It only took a little nudge for Franny to change her course and head toward the park where the Ani-min raid had occurred. There wasn’t a raid going on right now, but the park was still full of people—teams of kids and some milling adults, the latter all with noses in their phones.

I collected items at the raid marker and scanned the park’s inhabitants as nonchalantly as I could.

There she was. In a purple tank top and Bermuda shorts, her wavy hair pulled back with a butterfly clip, Rachael sat on the bench in front of the swings.

My heart flew into my throat and remained there lost and confused. Franny must have felt the change in me, as she paused and gave me a whine. I rubbed her head. “Don’t worry, baby, I’m fine.”

She calmed and continued on her merry way, right up the path and toward the bench.

How was I going to speak to Rachael? Here it was, my chance, and I had no idea what to do. Over the past week, I had imagined casual hellos and cringed at the awkwardness of them, the invasion of privacy. God, why did cute women make me lose all social sense?

Rachael’s son ran up to her, and they exchanged words too far away for me to hear as we approached. Franny yipped with excitement and tugged forward, and I held her back, comforting her with soft words, though it didn’t seem to help.

“You silly puppy and your love of kids.”

Then, Connor looked up, and his eyes sparked with recognition. I froze, as this was not a scenario I had anticipated.

“I’m going to say hi to the doggie,” he practically yelled as he cut around the bench and barreled into Franny, much to her intense joy.

Rachael stood and twisted around, her expression that of alarm until she met my eyes.

Her smile, oh my god.

“Oh, thank goodness it’s just you. I thought I’d have to pry Connor off of a stranger's dog.”

I laughed, panicking on the inside. What do I say? “Ah, glad to see they recognize each other! Or one of them would have been in for quite a surprise.”

I mentally face-palmed. I am such a dork. Connor gave Franny the head scratch of her life while she licked his cheeks. Then Rachael stepped around the bench, nodding at my inane words.

“For a few days after the legendary raid, all Connor would talk about was how much he likes dogs and can’t we get a dog.” She rolled her eyes, and I tried not to wince.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s a good lesson in how we can’t have everything we want. Anyways, catch any other raids?”

I shook my head. “Most of them happen while I’m at work, and I’m not inclined to drive anywhere after work if I can help it.” I chuckled, and, oh my god, did I just call myself a shut-in?

But Rachael laughed too. “I can relate. Oh, goodness. Your name was Anna?”

“Ann,” I said softly. Between us, Connor was talking to Franny, telling her about his day at school, and she was clearly all ears.

“Ann,” Rachael repeated. “I’m Rachael, but maybe your memory’s better than mine. I’ve had a hell of a time trying to remember names since I had Connor. Like he takes up too much of my brain power.”

“I can’t imagine.” Franny was the closest I’d come to knowing what it was like to take care of a kid. From what I’d gleaned over the years, I didn’t envy Rachael.

“It’s all good though,” Rachael continued. “He’s a blast.”

It was at about this moment that I really, really wished I could tell if someone was queer—like a hand signal or a secret password or anything that wouldn’t involve me having to ask, do you want to go out sometime, and face the embarrassment of not only a rejection but a shocked look and a murmured I’m not gay.

Though, that had never happened to me. I usually waited until it was painfully obvious, or I only pursued women I already knew were into other women.

Now, how was I going to get to painfully obvious here?

“Well, good.” Come on, something, anything! “How about you? You catch any raids?”

“There was one a few days ago after Connor got out of school that was perfect timing. He got to be at the playground—even though it was so hot—and I got another Felesana.”

“Right on!” I smiled. “Hopefully, I’ll get another shot at one before he gets switched out for one of the other legendaries.”

Rachael nodded and checked on her boy. He and Franny had found a stick and were playing something between tug-of-war and fetch.

“He’s so entertained—this is awesome,” Rachael said quietly. “This must be why families get dogs.”

Her voice held a sad tone, and I wasn’t sure why. But I wasn’t going to press the matter.

“Dogs aren’t a necessity. I didn’t grow up with a dog.”

“Oh, what made you want to get one?”

I shrugged. “Because living by yourself gets rather lonely.” Yeah, because now I sound totally pathetic! It was okay, though. I was being honest. And Rachael had chuckled in response, like she appreciated the honesty. I hoped so.

“I grew up with cats.”

“Oh!” I said, propping a hand on my hip. “A cat person. I should have known.”

She laughed, and I admired her smile for a lingering moment before checking on the pup and her best bud. “Ah, I dunno. I think there’s a joy in caring for any animal, dog or cat or rabbit or whatever.”

“Absolutely. I loved my cats growing up. But Connor’s father was allergic. Now, Connor takes up so much time and energy, I can’t handle a pet, too, you know?”

Was. I nodded. “I get it.”

A moment passed, and then another, and I felt the way I had at the raid when I’d known it was my chance to turn this relationship into something other than someone I gave a smile and nod to as I went by.

And I probably wouldn’t get a third chance.

“Do you want to get a coffee sometime?” I asked in a rush.

There, it was out in the universe. Rachael raised her eyebrows. She parted her lips, pausing long enough for me to doubt she was going to reply, but it seemed she was actually only frozen in surprise. My heart thudded so hard I was shocked Franny hadn’t heard it and come running.

“That’d be really great. Not sure when, though. Want to friend on Facebook so I can message you when I’ll be free?”

I let out a held breath, relief washing through me. “Okay. I’m available most days, as I sort of already mentioned.”

“Sure. I’m Rachael Kline.”

I typed it into my Facebook search bar. There she was, smiling brightly and sharing her profile picture with a much younger Connor, his hair dyed blue. I sent the friend request, and she accepted it almost immediately.

“Annabel Werner. Pleasure to friend you, Ann.”

I looked at my feet, hoping to hide my fierce blushing. “Cool. Yeah, let me know when you’ve got some time.”

“I will.”

Our gazes met again, and her eyes were so soft and inviting—heaven help me.

“You, ah, have a good night.” I scanned the area and found Connor and Franny some ways off in the grass. “Franny girl!”

Her head shot up, and she barreled in my direction. Connor followed right after, turning at the last second for his mom’s legs.

“You have a good night too,” Rachael said, with a little wave.

I returned the wave and took Franny’s leash, then led her down the path and back across the park toward the street. Oh my god, I asked her out. I didn’t know yet if it was as friends or as possible girlfriends, but damn, this was a good start.