Page 58 of Girl, Empty

‘Play games?I’m 36.’

‘I’m 37.What of it?’

‘Hmm.What is this crap, anyway?Some Dungeons and Dragons rip-off?’

Noah shot her a look, then went back to riding a virtual knight on a virtual horse through some virtual grasslands.‘This is World of Warcraft, I’ll have you know.Don’t pretend you’ve never heard of it.’

‘I have heard of it, but that’s where it ends.Why are you playing this here instead of at home?’

‘Connection is faster here.’

‘Isn’t your partner wondering where you are?’

The question came out before she could stop it.She'd been curious about Noah's living situation for months now, ever since he'd started working late more often.Not that she cared.Not that she was keeping track.Or so she told herself.On the screen, Noah's knight stopped mid-gallop.The virtual horse began spinning around, as if Noah had suddenly forgotten which keys controlled forward movement.

‘No partner.Not anymore.She, uh, kicked me out.’

‘Oh no.’Heat crept up Amanda’s neck.‘I’m sorry.’

‘It’s for the best.That’s what they say, isn’t it?’

‘That is what they say.I’m divorced, if it’s any consolation.’

‘It is, actually.’

‘What happened?’Amanda asked.She knew she’d overstepped the mark, but surprised herself with how little she cared.Maybe youcouldtalk to your employees on this level without making it weird.

‘I’m digital.She’s analogue.Quite literally.She dumped me by fax.’

‘Fax?Who has a fax machine?’

‘My ex, apparently.Are you going home for the night?I can lock up if you want.’

‘I might.I was just…’

Noah unglued himself from the screen.‘Just what?You weren’t going to ask me for a drink, were you?’

‘God, no…’ Amanda stuttered.‘Sorry, notGodno.I didn’t mean it like that.Just…’

Noah laughed.‘Relax.If you want to, we could.’

Amanda’s heart fluttered.This was not what CTOs were supposed to be doing.You couldn’t date an employee.It was a conflict of interest.

Then again, who said she wanted to date him?It didn’t have to be that much commitment.

She was about to suggest something stupid when her phone pinged.If it was a regular ping, she’d have ignored it for this moment of odd connection with Noah.But it wasn’t that.It was a shrill note.One of those notification sounds that you rarely heard.

Amanda checked it.

It was a pop-up notification from the server room security system.

BLACKGLASS SECURITY ALERT TEMPERATURE ANOMALY DETECTED SERVER ROOM B-1 IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUIRED.

‘Oh, shi…’

‘What is it?’

'Temperature anomaly in the server room.I have to go check it out.'