The Angriest Angel

Chapter 19

Chase finished decoupling his code just in time for the 8:30 meeting with Tre.  No one else from his team was at the office yet, so he was able to concentrate enough to work quickly.  Working alone and uninterrupted gave him the opportunity to catch up.

He had just finished double checking his logic one last time before closing his laptop, yanking out the power cord, and heading to Tre's office. 

Tre was on the phone, but he saw Chase and waved him in.

"I'll call you back," Tre said into his phone before hanging up.  He looked at Chase and said, "So good of you to show up today."

Chase sat down in a chair on the other side of Tre's desk and nodded toward his coffee mug, "Ceramic coffee mug?  Seriously?"

Tre shook his head and said, "What?"

"You know those cups are stupid," Chase said.  "They don't hold heat."

"They don't hold heat?"

"No, they don't.  That's why the sides are always hot and you need the handle.  The coffee gets cold fast because the heat escapes.  Once you pour a cup you have a window of two or three minutes to drink it.  It's stupid."

"Are you aware that all over Europe they drink coffee this way?"

"Oh, well then I take it back!" Chase said sarcastically.

"What do you want?" Tre asked.

"First, let me apologize for the dev server," Chase said.  "What I did was wrong."

Tre looked at him and began shuffling through papers on his desk, "Chase, you cut the power cord with a pair of scissors."

"I know," he admitted, remembering his promise to Dr. Chandrian.  "I'm sorry."

Tre shook his head, "Sorry is not good enough.  You didn't show up at work yesterday—no call, nothing.  What?"  Tre's attention turned to his door.

At attractive woman stood at his door in mid-knock.  She had white slacks and a dark blue blouse with a visitor's badge clipped to it.  Her thick blonde hair went past her shoulders, and had just enough curl to bounce as she moved. 

It was Avery.  Chase did a double take, not recognizing her at first.  He was surprised that she got here so quickly, but more surprised at how pretty she looked.  Perhaps the traumatic events of yesterday fogged his memory of her—or perhaps he just couldn't see her clearly in the smoky bar last night—but she was gorgeous.  Despite wearing just a light shade of lipstick and little else in the way of makeup, there was no doubt that she had the attention of every man in the office.

"Excuse me," Avery said with a smile.  "I am so sorry to interrupt.  I am Chase Madison's court appointed case manager, and I need to speak with him, urgently."

Chase winced, his thoughts being pulled back to the situation at hand.  He had expected that she would find him eventually, but not this soon.  And he also imagined that she would be fuming mad.

Tre's body language softened.  Chase wasn't sure if it was Avery's accent, her polite mannerisms, or simply her beautiful green eyes, but Tre was completely assuaged by her.

"Please, come in," he said, standing up and offering his hand.  He introduced himself, and she took a seat next to Chase.

"You should be here for this," Tre said to Avery.  "I am about to fire him.  After that, he's all yours."

She didn't protest, and Chase didn't blame her, although he found it odd that she was so calm.  No dirty look, no evil eye, not even a stern expression.