Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Like a… Like a guy you’d want to do more than just go out on a date with. That’s for sure.
“So, is this like a job interview date?” I ask, wondering if there’s ever even been such a thing, but Zak doesn’t laugh or poke fun.
He doesn’t seem to think it sounds silly at all.
“That’s exactly what this can be if you want it to be,” he says, and I nod swiftly, feeling my ponytail swish against the headrest.
Sliding his hand back to the wheel so he can drive safely, he crushes me with such a cute little smile he really doesn’t look like a guy twice my age.
He looks like I feel, like a love-struck teenager even though I’ve been twenty for a few months already.
There’s a different kind of silence now as we drive the half hour or so out of the burbs and into one of the technology parks that have cropped up over the years.
We pull up to what could be a military base if I didn’t know any better, Zak signs us both in and shows his ID to an armed guard at a gate before he’s waved through.
“This is us up here,” Zak says with an air of excitement. “Miles is gone for a few days, so no one will be around. He’s our VR specialist and my go-to for research and development of hardware.”
I nod approvingly, loving it already once we get past the barbed wire gate, that is.
“Pretty secure,” I observe, sounding more innocent than I mean to.
“We took this place because, well. The company that houses all the servers is right next door. If there’s ever a major issue, there’s no chance they can just put us on hold,” he laughs.
And I find myself laughing with him until I snort, which Zak either doesn’t notice or doesn’t mind.
“Here we go,” he says, stopping right out front and ordering me to stay put for a minute.
I figure he has to do more security scans or ID checks before we go in, but he’s only coming to my side to open the door for me.
Like a true gentleman.
“You don’t have to do that,” I blush, letting him take my hand again as he helps me up out of his car.
“I should’ve when we left your house too, but something came up,” he says with a devilish grin.
“Huh?” I ask him.
“Never mind,” he chuckles, and keeping my hand in his, we go inside a pair of large glass doors before Zak lets us in another series of steel doors, all accessed with his passkey and retinal scan.
“I thought gigabucks startups were always in guys’ garages or basements?” I joke, trying to keep his good humor alive.
But Zak shakes his head. His features darkening at the words.
“No, they don’t,” he says sharply, tightening his jaw and grinding the words out.
“They steal people’s ideas and then use other people to do all the heavy lifting while they big note themselves with everyone else’s hard work!”
I’m a little taken aback, but I know he’s not directing his anger at me.
And as soon as I realize he’s talking about his past experiences and just how quick he is to catch his own temper, I can see a little more of the real effect that previous business had on him.
“But this is different,” he says, smiling again. “This isn’t run like that. So come on in. I’ll show you around.”
It feels like a movie set once we’re inside, like inside one of those space ships where everything’s gleaming stainless steel and strangely detailed panels, backlit with invisible lighting.
It’s nothing like we were shown or taught at college. And this place craps all over any tech development company we had field trips to.
“Miles pretty much lives here, so excuse the mess…and don’t touch anything,” Zak recommends.
“He’s got everything in its place, but we can still have a poke around.”
“It’s amazing!” I gasped with awe, and I’ll admit, more than just a little envy.
“If Joey could see me now. He’s got a mean set-up, but he’d think he’d died and gone to heaven if he saw this place,” I remark.
“I’m sure he’ll see it soon enough,” Zak says confidently. “How long have you and Joey been pals?”
“Since he was born. Mom and Sheree have been friends forever, more like sisters. So we’re always in and out of each other’s places.”
“Looking after Joey is more like having a kid brother, really. But Sheree does pay me to watch him,” I add.
Not meaning to steer the conversation back to money or work.
“There’s the restrooms through there. And this is the main workshop and here’s the main office. I’ve got to just run over some changes Miles made to something. Won’t take a minute.”
Going into the office, we startle someone who’s moving some papers about on a huge desk, and for a second, I figure it must be the guy Zak mentioned.