Instead of answering, I sighed and slumpeddown in my chair. “You know I just came for a late lunch, not to rethink all mylife choices, right?”
Asa shrugged, clearly not concerned. “Butnow I can tell Master we had a meaningful conversation and are closer to becomingfriends.”
Then something must have caught hisattention because he glanced down at his phone. “And this has been a veryproductive way for me to spend my time. Normally when I’m avoiding meetings itis much less fruitful.”
That made me laugh and I was glad for thechange in subject. “Why are you avoiding meetings?”
He huffed, rolling his eyes like he was ateenager again. “My manager is smart and well-educated. His boss, however, asksincredibly unintelligent questions he doesn’t even want the answers to.”
It was easy to see what Asa thought ofthat.
“So when he visits my department, I comeget coffee.”
Asa didn’t seem to mind how funny I foundit, so I didn’t bother hiding my grin. “I think that’s probably a good way foryou to handle the situation.”
Asa seemed smart, but he wasn’t what I’dcall a people person.
“It makes things easier in the long runeven though it’s usually a waste of time.” Asa took another sip of his drinkand went back to examining me, so I knew my reprieve hadn’t lasted long. “Thiswas definitely time well spent, however.”
I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what thatmeant.
“You know I’m not going to want you to tellall this to Warner, right?” The way Asa was frowning at me said there was noway in hell he’d agree to that.
“What kind of time period do you need tohave this discussion with him?” He set his cup down, probably working up amental calendar and to-do list for me. “I think, based on your currentrelationship trajectory, no more than two weeks should be reasonable.”
Yep, I knew it.
“I think Master would agree to keep itquiet for that long.” He smiled like he was trying to look helpful. “What doyou think?”
That was a damned good question.
He seemed to have a lot of those.
Taking a moment, I thought about my optionsas I drank my coffee. My lunch break was almost over and I didn’t want thishanging over my head all afternoon. It would be too distracting.
“I think two weeks is very generous, but weboth know that keeping secrets isn’t good for any relationship, whether friendor romantic, and I’m not sure you have the ability to keep it to yourself.” Ihad to chuckle as Asa winced.
“I would do my best.” But that wasn’t apromise.
“I think I’m going to talk to him onFriday.” If I could make it two more days.
Why did the week have to be so long?
Asa nodded, smiling faintly like he wasproud of my decision. “I think that is a perfect plan.”
He might like the timeline, but I was moreworried about how the actual conversation would go.
“In the meantime, you need to come up withyour limits so you’re prepared for the conversation.” He thought he was beinghelpful, but I wasn’t sure what he meant.
“Limits?” I knew it would be a longconversation, but what limits?
Asa was back to wearing the expression thatsaid he was questioning my intelligence again. “What do you think my Masterwould say if I came to him and told him about a large part of my life that wasvery stressful?”
Oh.
“But Warner and I don’t have that kind ofrelationship.”
Right?
