A Charitable Scandal

The Date Revelation

"Then what, then what?"

Emily sat at the edge of her chair, leaning far enough forward that it threatened to roll right out from underneath her and send her flying straight onto our office floor.

"Then I went home, baked some brownies, ate all the brownies, and finally spent the rest of the weekend recovering from my sugar-induced coma by binge-watching the remainder of Beige's Taxonomy."

"Oh, Lex," said Emily with a sigh as she shifted into a more stable position on her chair. "How are you not freaking out right now?" She got up, began to pace, and continued on with a few well timed flourishes of her hands. "You just had a passionate, secret tryst up on some beautiful patio and you look like your goldfish just died." She stopped her circling of the office and knelt down so she was level with my eyes. "I think I'm freaking out more than you are."

"I can agree with that."

Emily poked me in the arm with enough force to send my own rolling chair back a centimeter. I rubbed my now wounded bicep, while Emily took up her chair again with a disapproving smirk. I rolled my eyes and looked out to the Pit. It was Monday and the troops had returned for another grinding week. They looked far less spunky than they did two weeks prior and the knowledge that we still had two weeks to go made me shudder. We were all exhausted and, personally, I didn't need my relationship with Alec adding to the stress.

"I'm just freaking out in my own way," I said, turning to Emily. "But, I am freaking. That's for sure."

"Tell me you are at least freaking out in a good way. Not just stressing over kissing the boss man."

"I will admit that knowing that he apparently finds me attractive enough to kiss me is pretty exhilarating."

"I'm sure it's also nice to know that he's a good kisser," said Emily with a wag of her eyebrows. "Tell me in detail again how this all went down. How he roughly, yet lovingly, pulled you to him..."

"You're exaggerating."

"No," said Emily with a laugh, "I think those were your exact words."

"Were they?"

"I don't think I've ever seen you turn that red." Emily then burst into a full body laugh and I decided to retaliate, not just for her humor at my pain, but the still sore spot on my arm as well. So I took my tablet and gave her a good smack on her arm. She wiped a few tears away as she attempted to compose herself and then offered the best apologetic pout she could muster considering she still shook with giggles.

"Don't forget," I said with a stab of my finger, "as amusing as this may be — and I do admit I'd probably be just like you if the roles were reversed — there are two jobs on the line over this."

"Yeah, I know," she said with a sigh. "I am sorry." The glee glittering in her eyes shifted to a tired sympathy. "I can see it dragging you Lex. I just wanted to lighten it up and help you enjoy your burden, but trust me I understand this isn't easy."

"How is it going with Theo?" I asked, hoping to pass the burden of embarrassment onto Emily. "How's the whole get-Cynthia-to-provoke-things going"

Emily cringed at the memory and then swallowed back something unpleasant. "Well, it's certainly gotten people to whisper behind my back a bit. Some of my team members, however, have been more up front about their concerns that perhaps a young guy like Theo is using my age and my potential fear of a ticking biological clock to get in bed me and use that as leverage to help him up the corporate ladder."

"Ouch," I snarled. "Who said that?"

"Doesn't matter," said Emily with a shrug. "I had Jean take a cup of coffee over to them and I just let nature take it's course. The score is now even." When I gave her a slightly horrified look, a devilish smile curled her lips. "I made sure the temperature wasn't scalding. Just enough to send a message."