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I nodded and took a seat on Leo’s leather couch that was up against the wall, throwing Mary a smile as she let herself in. Leo and I were chatting about the emails I was about to send to a couple of engineers, offering them unscheduled bonuses. Pizza parties were great, but upper management at Sun Steer Technologies understood that nothing expressed employee appreciation more than money.

My mood was so elevated lately. I caught myself smiling more and more, and I knew others could see it too.

I’d heard talk, when I walked past the break room, from employees saying, “The ice queen seems to be melting.”

I didn’t hear those words and feel offended, because they weren’t exactly wrong.

“I need to talk to you about the file Zaid just forwarded us.” Mary held her laptop in her hands, a dramatic frown on her lips as she stood in front of Leo’s desk. He leaned back and rested both of his hands behind his head as he addressed his cousin.

“What about it?”

“First, I fucking hate Excel,” Mary started with.

“Language,” I sighed, as I added another note to my iPad. I was not as concerned about language as I used to be, but it was a habit to say something at this point.

“Sorry,” Mary threw over her shoulder, before turning back to Leo, “There are over three hundred and fifty million rows on this thing.”

“So there is.” Leo grinned at Mary.

“Second, I know no one has ever told you this before,” Mary’s tone was so dry that even I could pick up on the comedic one-liner incoming, “But it’s too big.”

I snorted, scrolling on my iPad as I murmured, “That’s not true.”

And then my heart stopped before it jumped into my throat.

My hand froze over my iPad.

I glanced up as my eyes widened, petrified.

Mary was staring back at me with her own set of wide, horrified eyes.

Leo’s jaw was practically on the floor as he gaped at me.

“Oh god,” I set my iPad on my lap as the flames of embarrassment scorched my cheeks, “I mean—”

“Oh mygod!” Mary’s head swiveled as she darted her gaze between the two of us, “Did you just—” I stood, letting my iPad fall to the couch cushion next to me. I didn’t know what to do with my hands, which were suddenly moist. My heart finally kickstarted again, and embarrassment flooded my body. Sand was rushing in my ears. My breaths were becoming shorter and shorter.

I looked towards Leo, hoping he understood that I was so, so apologetic.

Everything was officially fucked.

You just messed everything up.

He’s so pissed at you.

Leo stood from his desk, clear eyes still wide and a light dusting of color forming on his cheeks, “Mary, calm down—”

Mary set her laptop down on his desk before pointing an accusing finger at me, “Are you implying that you—you know what his—” her finger pointed to Leo, who just laughed with a roll of his eyes, making Mary’s widen even more as she clutched her hands into her hair, “Oh my god!”

My lungs were shrinking, my heart was starting to hurt. That stupid lump in my throat was forming. I tried to relieve the pressure, using my own hands to push on my chest and stomach. When that didn’t work, I balled my hand into a fist and hit my chest once. Twice.

The movement caught Leo’s eye, “Jacqueline? Breathe.” He started to walk around his desk, but I stared at Mary, whose expression still looked appalled.

She ignored Leo stepping around her as she hissed at me, “Are you really telling me yousleptwith my cousin? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Shit, shit, shit.

Everything is ruined.