Chapter Five

Alfie

By the level of my relief at Stephanie’s offer to start tomorrow, you’d never know I ran my own business for the last five years. It’s just that increasing the business tenfold in a matter of hours has put me in a tailspin.

Even though Theo is now crunching all the numbers for me and keeping my finances in order, there are a thousand other working parts that I have no time or inclination to address. Stephanie’s references all talked in glowing terms about her attention to detail. That’s exactly what I need.

Also, I’ve had dozens of offers to perform in public, yet some legalities need to be sorted out. Others aren’t supposed to exist outside of the Integration Zone, which is located near L.A.

My dad’s political clout allowed me to live in Georgia, rather than the Zone, but I don’t know if I can perform in public without being hauled into jail. Not to mention that since my music is mostly electronic, I have no idea how to play five instruments at once in a live venue. I’m hoping Stephanie will help me do the research and sort things out.

No. That’s a lie. It’s not her help I want. I’d love for her to do all of it for me. I want to be in the back cottage creating music. That’s what I do. That’s what I love.

I’d rather leave everything other than that to someone else, letting that person find lawyers and consultants and do all the legwork while I play the khu’rinn, close my eyes, and imagine myself on my homeworld of An’Wa. Even though there are no pictures of it in existence, it’s as clear in my mind’s eye, and my heart, as if I grew up there.

I’m the only person in my house and am wearing jeans and a sky-blue Labyrinth tee where the labyrinth is comprised of sound waves instead of shrubs. The table is cleared off for us to meet, and I’ve printed two copies of an agenda. Stephanie is going to see another side of me today.

After buzzing her through the entry gate, I don’t even wait for her to knock on my front door. I’m standing, leaning against the jamb when she exits her car.

As she approaches, I try to assess her mood. Angry? Worried? Maybe a bit of both.

I still feel like an ass for how our initial interview turned out. The more I thought about how it must have felt to be on the receiving end of that fiasco, the worse I felt. I’ve vowed to myself to make it up to her.

“Welcome, Stephanie. I’m glad to have you on board.”

Perhaps she wasn’t certain how our meeting would go, but she seems relieved at my cheerful greeting.

I escort her through the door and point to the dining room table where we had our last meeting. With the laptop and papers neatly organized on it, the intent of my businesslike approach is quite clear.

“I bought a few pastries, if you’re interested. Set your things in the dining room and follow me into the kitchen.”

She doesn’t turn down my offer of coffee this time, and while her coffee pod is brewing, I give her a mini tour of the kitchen.

“We’re out in the boonies, as I’m sure you noticed. On the days you’ll be working here, I doubt you’ll go out for lunch. And, FYI, none of the restaurant delivery services come out this far. So, I’ve emptied this shelf in the pantry for any dry goods you’d like to stock here. And you can put refrigerated items in this space I’ve cleared for you here.”

She tips her head, lips slightly parted, as I show her the spaces I’ve created for her.

“That’s very thoughtful, Mr. Foster.”

“Call me Alfie. Just tell me what you’d like, and I’ll order it for you. Flavored creamer? A different brand of coffee pods? Lunch meat? Salad fixings?”

She takes a deep breath, straightens her shoulders, and takes a step closer.

“Let’s clear the air, shall we? Our last meeting sucked. I felt disrespected and dismissed, as though I didn’t belong. You blew it.”

As I lean forward, wanting to apologize again, she stops me with a single raised finger.

“However, huffing out your front door without so much as a goodbye was not my finest hour, either. Since then, you’ve apologized several times and made me a very handsome job offer. This…” she points to the shelf I’ve cleared for her in the pantry, then motions to the fridge, “is very thoughtful. I’d say we’re even. Agreed?”

She looks me straight in the eyes, neither aggressive nor placating. Like we’re equals.

A smile stretches across my face as I nod my head.

“I’ll agree to you buying some snacks for me. That’s on par with any other place of employment. But buying groceries for me? That’s unnecessary.”

She turns her back to me as she doctors her cup of coffee with sweetener and cream. “You apologized, I accepted. You don’t need to treat me like glass. I’m your employee. You’re the boss.”

I’ve lived an odd life. Theo and I were homeschooled, and we interacted with few people other than family and my parents’ friends. I never learned the social niceties of working in an office. So, although it might not be businesslike, I don’t stop myself from blurting, “I like you, Stephanie. We’re going to get along fine. Keep doing what you just did. Don’t hold back. Tell me when I’m making a mistake or being an ass.”

She gives a happy little laugh and holds my gaze without fear for the first time since we met.

“And you’ll notice I said when I made a mistake. Not if. I can be a bull in a china shop sometimes.”

“Pun intended?” She’s smiling as she pokes through the box of pastries, picks one, and places it on a plate.

“Absolutely.”