Page 29 of The Honeymoon Hack

Although itwastrue.

Claire laughed. “That’s the dream, isn’t it? Finding someone who ages like fine wine. How long have you been married?”

“Just a couple of weeks, actually. We decided to take the plunge after the HR person mentioned Mnemis prioritizes shared accommodations for married and common-law couples, and we haven’t been living together long enough for the latter.”

“Ah, a practical decision,” Claire said with a knowing smile. “Though I’m guessing you two have been together much longer?”

My mind flashed to memories I usually kept locked away—that night in Will’s workshop ten years ago, my teeth knockinginto his, my glasses getting in the way… the way his hands had fumbled, but then the way they felt against my skin once we figured it out.

Our friendship had changed so much that it had nearly disappeared after that stupid night.

I couldn’t let it happen again.

You need to stop thinking about him in that way.

I needed Will in my life, even if it meant keeping certain doors firmly closed. “We’ve known each other since we were kids. Started with building Legos, then gadgets, and eventually computers and networks.”

Claire smiled. “Childhood sweethearts turned tech power couple? That’s adorable.”

I forced a smile.

If I made up too many things, I’d have to remember them all and risk getting caught in a lie later. Stick with the kernel of truth. That’s what Scarlett told me to do.

“Even though you’re not single, it’s nice to have another woman joining the team,” Claire said, smoothly changing subjects. “Our staff is really multicultural, but definitely mostly male.”

We approached a set of double frosted doors with “Network Operations Center” etched in the glass. Claire swiped her card and the doors slid open.

“We call it ‘The Bridge,’” she said with obvious pride.

My heart all but stopped. Workstations arranged in neat rows filled the room, each equipped with dual ultrawide monitors, mounted on adjustable arms. The ergonomic chairs looked far more comfortable than anything I had at Reynolds. On the far wall, a massive display showed system status indicators and a real-time map of global network traffic.

Most stations were occupied by staff wearing headsets; some were engaged in phone conversations, while others worked ontheir systems. The room hummed with the staccato rhythm of people who typed at a hundred words a minute.

“This is gorgeous,” I whispered, my fingers practically itching to explore the systems. The setup reminded me of Mission Control at NASA—if they’d had an unlimited budget and hired interior designers with a fetish for carbon fiber and blue LED lighting.

Will would have geeked out over this setup.I wish he were here.

Claire beamed. “Best equipment money can buy. Tremaine doesn’t skimp on technology.”

“Or anything, from the looks of it.” I followed her through the room, mapping faces, workstation positions, and sight lines.

Before Claire could begin introductions, a man at one of the nearby workstations looked up. The dark circles under his eyes suggested too many long shifts, but he smiled at me.

“You must be the new software analyst!” He stood, crossing to us with surprising energy for someone who looked so exhausted. “I’m Ken. Welcome to The Bridge.”

Had Claire mentioned me to the team already? How did he know I was the new hire rather than just someone on a tour?

“Ken,” Claire said, her tone slightly cool. “Our shift doesn’t start until tomorrow. What are you doing in here so early?”

“One of the other guys was sick, and I had nothing better to do.” Ken extended his hand to me, and I shook it automatically. “We don’t see many new faces around here. Low turnover.”

“Thanks,” I managed. “I’m Brie.”

“I noticed you and your husband on the boat this morning.” Ken’s smile widened. “Where’s he working?”

“He’s a hardware tech.” I forced myself to smile in return. “He’s excited to be here.”

“I bet. The server rooms here are incredible.” Ken spread his arms wide, gesturing around The Bridge. “Though we’ve gotthe better views, in my opinion. Wait until you see the network visualization tools—they’re phenomenal.”