By 3 PM, Austin was outside his boss's office, anxious about how to explain. Vanessa had promised to intervene, but he knew he'd have to account for his actions himself. Taking a deep breath, he knocked and stepped inside.
"Mr. Moore, you're here early," Marcus said, peering over his glasses. He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. "Take a seat."
Austin swallowed hard, lowering himself into the chair. Marcus's gaze stayed locked on him, making his anxiety rush.
"Mrs. Hartley spoke to me earlier about you," Marcus began. "She explained everything. I have to say, I'm surprised by her honesty."
"Sir, I can explain..."
"She said you were assisting her team with a tech issue, filling a temporary gap."
"She... she did?"
"Yes. But what surprises me is that I heard it from her—not from you." His tone softened slightly. "You're part of Pineapple Tech. Communication is critical. If this happens again, even temporarily, talk to me first. We're on the same team."
"I'm sorry for not mentioning it," Austin said quietly.
Marcus leaned back. "You're talented, Austin. I'm not disapproving of helping Mrs. Hartley; she's an ally, but trust is built on transparency."
"I understand, sir."
"Good." Marcus smiled faintly. "Let's focus on what we're building here. We've got a lot ahead of us."
With that, Austin left the office determined to renew his focus.
Back at his desk, Austin was busy with his keyboard, still struggling to focus. The conversation nearby was like background noise; he ignored it until a few words stung sharply.
"Did you know Austin's slacking because of Vanessa Hartley?" Claire said.
"The CEO of L&V Enterprises?" Lisa asked.
"Yeah. Apparently, he's been helping with their tech project while he's supposed to be working on ours."
"Must be nice to have Vanessa pulling you away for 'meetings.' No wonder he's falling behind. He's barely meeting deadlines. I guess he's too busy being Vanessa's pet project," Ethan added and chuckled.
"Pet project? More like her errand boy." Dan, a new transfer from another branch, said with a smirk.
Laughter followed, and Austin's face burned with shame. His fingers became paralyzed over his keyboard as the mocking continued.
"Hey, Austin! Do you think you'll finish your part of the project today, or is Vanessa taking you for another coffee break?" Dan sneered.
The laughter grew louder. Austin boiled with anger, tempted to fire back, but he stayed silent.
Footsteps approached. Vanessa and Marcus appeared, deep in conversation. Vanessa's gaze sharpened as she caught the tone of Austin's coworkers comments, and she came to an abrupt halt.
"Is there a problem here? she asked, the mocking laughter dying immediately as she approached.
"Oh, we were... joking around. Nothing serious." Dan stammered.
Vanessa raised an eyebrow. "It didn't sound like anything to me."
Silence settled over the group as Vanessa crossed her arms and looked at each of them in turn, daring anyone to challenge her.
"Let me make something clear," Vanessa said. "If you have a problem with Austin's work, you're taking issue with me."
"We didn't mean to hit a nerve, ma'am."
"Next time, think twice before joking about someone else's problem, especially when you don't know the full story."
She walked away, leaving a tense silence. Austin sank back into his chair. She'd defended him publicly, making him feel both relieved and uneasy. He could feel his coworkers' eyes on him, but this time there was no mockery but caution.
Later, Austin's phone buzzed. He glanced down to see a message notification sent by Vanessa: Austin, could we have dinner tonight? I feel bad about how your team treated you. Let's clear the air. My treat. I've found a new spot. Here's the address.
Arriving at the restaurant, Austin saw her, seated at a secluded table, her midnight-blue dress accentuating her figure. Her red lips curved into a smile as their eyes met.
He approached; she rose to greet him, brushing a light kiss on his cheek, leaving him momentarily dazed by this intimate atmosphere.
"Austin," she said. "Glad you could make it."
"This place is… really nice," he replied, taking his seat and looking at the new surroundings. "Thanks for earlier."
"It's nothing," Vanessa said and poured him a glass of wine.
They began with light topics, shared acquaintances, office stories, and even laughed over funny ones. Gradually, the conversation deepened.
"So," she said, leaning in, her eyes intent. "Tell me about you, Austin. Not the work version—the real you."
"What do you want to know?" he asked with a smile.
"Let's start with where you're from."
"Arizona,"
"Arizona? The desert, the cowboys?" she teased.
"Pretty much," he said with a grin. "And you?"
"I'm from England." She replied,London born and raised."
"London, huh? You must be interested in tea, princesses, red buses..." he joked.
"Oh, don't you start!" She laughed. "What are your hobbies? I'm sure you are not this tech guy who does computer work and coffee on repeat."
"Oh no, I have a thing for painting," he said. "I like painting landscapes mostly; it's my way of escaping the world."
"You'll have to paint me someday," she said, her eyes brightening.
Austin laughed.
"Yeah! I'm serious."
"Okay, if only you'll sit still long enough. What about you? Any hidden talents?"
"I'm a reader," she said.
"Hmm, I should have guessed so. What kind of books are you into?"
"Ancient history and magic, philosophy.I'm a bit of an old soul."
"I like that," he said. "Not many people are into that these days."
"Why'd you leave Arizona?" she asked gently.
"I needed a fresh start," he admitted. "But it's been tougher than I thought. My apartment's damaged. And I'm barely making ends meet."
Vanessa's expression softened. "You don't have to face things alone, you know."
He shrugged, forcing a smile. "I didn't want to seem like I'm complaining. Everyone's got their own problems."
"I'm here, Austin. I can help you to find a good place."
Austin glanced at her, feeling a warmth in her words. "Are you always this generous?"
"Only with people I care about," she replied, with a genuine smile.