9. JAKE

Patel needs a date for her sister's wedding. It's probably why she was asking that lawyer douche out in the cafeteria. I feel my nostrils flare. Did she think that would work? The wedding is next week. That lawyer is a nitwit tripping over his own feet. He wasn't going to solve any of her problems, let alone this one.

I go to the company calendar and click on her name. There it is. Blocked out in grey is a whole week of vacation. Considering I've never seen the woman take a sick day in over a year, the time-off wouldn't make sense if it wasn't a family obligation.

I understand family.

Grant, Alister, Oliver, Evan.

I'm the oldest of five.

Sure, I've joked Patel comes from a cryogenic pod, but logically she must have parents and other blood-related people on earth close to her. There are no personal photos on her desk, but neither are there decorations. Leo tried giving her a cactus once. The poor thing shriveled in a week before it got dumped in the trash.

I move my mouse and highlight her vacation on my screen. She's not the one who set the date for the wedding. That's not the issue. What's bothering me is why Patel is not coming apart or completely obsessed with the scoreboard. Even without the clients I've not entered, I'm pulling ahead of her.

Sure, she is working at her normal, aggressive speed, but she is also taking these little breaks to talk about dating matches with Leo.

A muscle leaps in my jaw.

It makes no sense.

Something is fucking going on.