007

Brenda and I decided to head down to the cafeteria. I was more than ready for a break after the morning’s workload even though my head was still swimming with thoughts about Nick and what happened between us last night, but I was doing everything I could to keep it together.

The last thing I needed was for Brenda, or anyone else to pick up on how rattled I still felt.

Brenda nudged me with her elbow as we walked. “You look like you’re carrying the weight of the company on your shoulders. Cheer up! It’s lunchtime.”

I smiled weakly. “Yeah, just tired, you know. It’s been a very long morning.”

“Hmm,” she said, giving me a side glance. “If you say so.”

By the time we got there, the cafeteria was droning with activity. Employees from different departments were scattered around, chatting and enjoying their meals. The smell of food filled the air from burgers, fries, salads, pasta, you name it.

Brenda and I got in line, grabbing trays and picking out what we wanted. I settled on a simple chicken sandwich and a bottle of water, while Brenda loaded her tray with spaghetti, garlic bread, and a slice of chocolate cake.

“Are you feeding an army?” I teased, raising an eyebrow.

“Hey, don’t judge,” she said, laughing. “I need energy to keep going.”

We paid for our food and found a table near the window. Just as we sat down, I noticed Clara, Kim, and David walking in. They all worked in different departments; Clara in marketing, Kim in HR, and David in IT, but we all knew each other well enough to exchange greetings in passing.

Clara spotted us and waved, making her way over with the others in tow.

“Mind if we join you?” Clara asked, balancing a tray with a salad and a soda.

“Sure, the more, the merrier,” Brenda said, scooting over to make room.

Clara sat down next to Brenda, while Kim and David took the seats across from us. Kim had a sandwich and a smoothie, and David was carrying what looked like a plate piled high with fried rice and chicken wings.

“Wow, David,” Brenda said, eyeing his plate. “That’s a lot of food for one.”

David grinned. “What can I say? I’m a growing boy.”

We all laughed, the tension from my morning slipping away as the casual chatter began.

“So,” Clara said, spearing a piece of lettuce with her fork. “What’s everyone working on today?”

“Client proposals,” Brenda and I said in unison, then laughed.

“It’s been a headache,” Brenda added. “But we’re managing.”

Kim leaned forward, sipping her smoothie. “At least you’re not dealing with payroll issues. I had an employee call me three times this morning because they didn’t understand their paycheck.”

David chuckled, shaking his head. “People and numbers don’t always mix. Speaking of numbers, I had to fix a system error this morning. Someone forgot their password and managed to lock themselves out of their account five times in a row.”

“Five times?” Clara asked, her eyebrows shooting up. “How’s that even possible?”

“I have no idea,” David said, throwing up his hands. “But I spent half the morning resetting passwords.”

The conversation went on as we had lunch, the kind of light, meaningless talk that made lunch breaks enjoyable. Brenda told a story about her clumsy neighbor who accidentally flooded their apartment, and Clara shared an update about a marketing campaign she was working on.

I listened and chimed in here and there, but my mind kept drifting back to Nick. Why hadn’t he shown up today? Was he avoiding me? Or was it just a coincidence? I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. Focus, Tracy. Focus on the present.

“So, Tracy,” Kim said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “What’s new with you?”

“Me?” I said, startled. “Uh, nothing much. Just keeping busy with work.”

Kim tilted her head, studying me. “You seem… distracted.”

Brenda jumped in before I had to respond. “She’s just tired. We’ve been buried in paperwork all morning.”

“Ah, that’ll do it,” David said, nodding sympathetically. “Paperwork is the worst.”

“Tell me about it,” Brenda said, rolling her eyes.

The group laughed, and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Brenda had my back, as always.

We continued with the conversation and I found myself relaxing more and even laughing at David’s terrible jokes. By the time lunch was over, I almost felt normal again. Almost!

“Ready to head back?” Brenda asked as we stood up, gathering our trays.

“Yeah,” I said, forcing a smile. “Let’s go.”

We said our goodbyes to Clara, Kim, and David, who were heading in different directions, and made our way back to our desks.

For the rest of the afternoon, I buried myself in work, even though there wasn't much to be done all in a bid to avoid the executive floor and any chance of running into Nick. Not that I had to try very hard because all cues tell me that he wasn’t even in the office today.

A part of me was relieved, but another part couldn’t help but wonder why. Was he avoiding me, too? Or was there some other reason? I tried not to dwell on it, but the questions remained in the back of my mind.

By the time the workday ended, I was drained, both physically and mentally. Brenda waved goodbye as she headed out, and I stayed behind for a few minutes to finish up some last-minute tasks.

After finishing everything, I gathered my things and walked toward the exit. The office was quieter now, with most people already gone.

Then I saw someone. A guy was coming from the direction of the executive floor. My heart skipped. For a moment, I was sure it was him. Nick.

I slowed my steps, my breathing uneven. What would I say if it was him? Should I pretend I didn’t see him? Should I act like nothing happened?

The guy came closer, and my pulse quickened. I couldn’t make out the details just yet, but the build, the stride, it all seemed familiar.

I tightened my grip on my bag, but as the person came into full view, I realized it wasn’t Nick. It was just a coworker from another department, casually scrolling on his phone.

I let out a shaky breath, feeling silly for getting so worked up. But as I walked out of the building, the knot in my chest didn’t completely go away.