Page 49 of Off Her Game

“Is that you trying to convince yourself, because I’m not buying it.”

“I’ve got to go home tonight. Got to figure out how to pay next month’s rent.”

“How much do you need?” Emma asked.

“I didn’t mean that you needed to give me anything. Don’t worry about it.”

“Tori, I’m worried. I’m not picking you up at the jail again. I’m going to wire you a few thousand as soon as my accounts are back in order. Once this is over you should—”

“I’ll get a real job like an adult. I promise.” She yanked open the bathroom door.

“As if I believe you’ll do that.” Emma examined her cell phone.

“I have a job interview at six on Tuesday. For a real job that involves coding in a cubicle. It’s an entry level position at CyberBee. I know they do mostly kids games, but still it’s gaming. It’s a foot in the door. It’s experience. And I need real money. See? I’m working to become an adult.” She picked at the edges of the pink fleece pullover she’d borrowed from her sister’s closet to get out of her wet shirt. Not her color, but she’d been cold.

“You have a job interview on Tuesday night? Why not during the day?”

“Truth is the six o’clock thing’s a date. I had to agree to go out with a friend of a friend as a favor for him pushing my resume to the front of the line since he works as an assistant in CyberBee’s HR department. I don’t want to do this date, but I made a promise. What’s a drink and a meal? I’ve done a lot of first dates.”

“Some guy is so desperate he’s leveraging a friend to blackmail you into a date in exchange for a job interview when it’s not even a guaranteed job?” Theare you shitting megaze Emma cast her made Tori squirm.

“Sounds pretty stupid when you put it that way. I think it’s more a friend setting up a friend. Whatever. The industry is cutthroat these days.”

“I can’t believe you have a legit job interview and a date in the middle of dating Noah. Please let me tell them about your game.”

“No. I’ll do this my way. I don’t want to be seen as sleeping into getting my game published. Is Noah at his place?”

“They already own your game, technically, but okay. Have it your way.” Emma chuckled and typed on her phone. “I guarantee he’ll be there in twenty minutes.”