Page 1 of Alien Jeopardy

CHAPTER

ONE

ELLISON

If I gritmy teeth any harder, I’m going to have to start wearing my stupid nightguard during the day.

Which would just make it a plain old retainer. Just livin’ the thirty-three-year-old teenage dream.

I stare at the clock at the bottom of the screen, wishing it would tick by faster.

Twenty-six minutes.

Twenty-six minutes until this pointless meeting that could have been an email is over and I can finally drag my ass out of this uncomfortable chair and do something less brain-meltingly boring.

A text dings through, popping up on my laptop screen.

Lily: I’m bringing so much tequila

Notification: Lily has changed the group name from Reality Hussies to Drunk To Escape Reality Hussies

Poppy: ha

Poppy: I’m making brownies right now

Poppy: And I have a crockpot with queso going

My stomach growls in anticipation.

Ellison: I’ll pick order some tacos from that place by my house

Lily: I can’t wait

Lily: Lucy, what are you bringing

Lu: My blender for your tequila. Margaritas?

Lu: That okay with you, Ell?

I drag my gaze away from the nonstop notifications coming through my laptop long enough to realize everyone on my stupid video call is quiet.

“Good to hear. I don’t see a problem there. Any reports from your team, Trent?” I ask, pretending like I’ve been listening.

I don’t have to listen.

I wrote the damn agenda, because my boss can’t be bothered to do shit besides say things like “put a pin in it and circle back” or “team synergy is important” or “can you get me a coffee?”

I hate this job. I click around, waiting for Trent to respond, hoping like hell my fave fanfic author has posted a new chapter in the five minutes since I last checked.

“My team is worried about the current workflow but anticipates—” he starts.

I immediately tune him out.

No new updates on the Suevan fanfic, sadly. I put myself back on mute and tap out a quick response to the group whilesmiling vaguely at the camera, making just enough eye contact to sell the lie that I’m listening.

It’s truly one of the few things this job’s taught me to do well: pretending to listen while I think about anything but insurance underwriting.

I’m a true thespian, really.