Arlington (Book One)

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

"Aviva?" A voice asks from behind me, startling me. I generally work with my face towards the door even if it's distracting, but today I needed a tool in the corner of my lab which required me to put my back to the door. I will never be caught off guard like that again.

"Can we talk?" He asks, and I give him a look.

"I get off work in half an hour," I say amused.

"I really needed to talk to you," he says.

"Pull up a chair," I say, and he sits across my lab table. My mind flashes to the tens of times he has taken that exact seat, but something feels different.

"What's going on? Are you okay?" I question, and he scrunches his brows.

"Am I okay? Are you okay, Aviva? I know that call didn't drop, and you wouldn't answer me for the rest of the weekend. Lena didn't come into work today and has been working remotely, G also told me how you two disappeared from headquarters and things were very tense between you two," Alexander rambles out.

"Everything's okay Xander, I promise. Lena and I are okay and I'm sorry I hung up on you. I was just frustrated and didn't want to talk," I say. I try to hide my smile as my mind flashes to the dinner Lena and I cooked last night.

"You and Lena are okay? Then why didn't she come into work today?" He pushes.

"She had to go get a new phone and she was picking me up another smartwatch because mine wasn't properly receiving notifications. Why she didn't come this afternoon, I don't actually know," I say.

"So, what exactly happened yesterday?" Xander pushes and I feel my face turns red again.

"Oh my god," Xander says and I shake my hands frantically.

"We just kissed and made dinner together!" I exclaim panicking and Xander smirks.

"Does that mean...?" He trails off smiling.

"Does that mean what?" I drawl out.

"Are you two...?" He asks with a slick grin.

"Yes, we're dating," I exclaim throwing my hands up in the air.

"She better treat you right, and you better treat her well. I don't want to get stuck in the middle," he says laughing.

"Are we done here? Some of us have work to do," I taunt.

"Yeah and who signs your paychecks," he says sarcastically.

"Pam in accounting," I say like a smart ass and he just shakes his head before leaving.

I spend more time than anticipated finishing up my diagrams, blueprints, and project proposal. I drop it off to Xander's secretary before I leave. Walking back to my apartment I soak up the autumn sunshine and can't help the smile that slips across my face. I love the fall; it's my favorite time of year. I can see some of the trees already starting to turn red and yellow and I can't help the bounce in my step. Walking into my apartment I nearly fall over when I see Lena on my couch with her tablet in hand and two boxes on my coffee table. Her head whips up and she smiles at me.

"Hey babe," she says before looking back down.

"Not that I don't enjoy having you over, but is there any reason you are in my apartment?" I ask amused.