Chapter 9: Earth

“I don't have time to drive over there, man. I’ve got. . .” The world’s biggest Astros fan looks at his watch. “Twelve minutes.” He curses. “No. I don't even see that option.” He clicks on his laptop. “No.” He sighs and balls one hand into a fist.

My brother starts to stand up. I grab Jesse’s arm and shake my head again.

“Okay, but hurry. I’m not even sure whether I can submit it after five.”

Jesse shakes me off and walks over to Mr. Astros, who's probably a student at Rice. “Can I help? I'm pretty good with tech issues.”

They start talking computer stuff, and I swear, I have no idea what they're saying. A few minutes later, though, he’s beaming at Jesse and thanking him profusely. “That was awesome. I have no idea how you did that, but thank you so much.” He pulls out his wallet.

Jesse puts up his hand. “No way. I was happy to help.”

The kid looks at Jesse. “No, seriously, you look like you work pretty hard.” He hands Jesse a wad of bills. “And look, my buddy John is on his way over here. He works at a computer company. He’s going to be impressed that you fixed it.”

Jesse smirks. “Doubtful.”

“I’m serious. He’s super smart and he has a startup company. He told me last week that they’re hiring.”

“My break’s almost over,” Jesse says, “which is too bad. I would’ve loved to meet him.”

“Maybe I could text him,” Mr. Astros says.

“Text who?” A tall guy with black hair that falls into his eyes walks toward us from Rice Village. “You don’t look nearly as panicked as I expected to find you, Landon.” When he shoves the hair back from his face, I realize he’s got stunning golden irises.

“John!” Landon waves. “This guy saved me, just in time.”

John’s forehead furrows. “So I didn’t need to drive eighty miles an hour to get here.”

Landon laughs. “Do you ever go any other speed?”

“What was the problem?” John asks.

“It was simple,” Jesse says. Then he starts speaking the one language I’ve never understood. RAM. Data. Caches.

Blerg. “Hey J,” I say. “I think your boss is looking for you.”

Jesse freezes and looks over his shoulder. Frank’s waving his direction. “Darn, yeah. It was nice to meet you John, but I’ve got to run. Good luck, Landon.”

I love that Jesse cares about people, I do. But I wish I’d been able to talk to him a little more. Now it’ll be an hour or two until he’s done with his shift and I can confess that I was fired. After he leaves, I expect John and Landon to buzz off. Landon high fives John and heads back the way he came, but John sits down next to me.

Why?

“I didn’t catch your name, or your brother’s for that matter. Jay, maybe?”

“I’m Alice,” I say stiffly, accustomed to giving everyone my fake name. “Nice to meet you.”

“Now go away,” he says.

“Excuse me?”

He laughs. “You said nice to meet you, but you were channeling some pretty strong ‘go away’ vibes.”

I bite my lip. This guy is sitting too close, and interpreting my tone far too well—but he’s not actually leaving. It’s disconcerting. “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day.”

“Already?” He looks at the Perry’s logo on my polo shirt. “I’d have figured life would be rougher for you right around the dinner rush.”

I groan. “Not for me. Not anymore, anyway. I got fired today.”

“That is rough.”

I sigh, but don’t explain more. He needs no encouragement, and I don’t handle small talk well.

John shakes his head. “Alright. Well, believe it or not, I do know when to back off. Look, Landon might have mentioned this already, but I’ve got a startup, and I’m looking for programmers. Good ones. Your brother seems way too bright to be cutting hedges.”

“So you think landscapers aren’t smart?”

“Are you always this prickly?” He leans back and looks over my face. “Or have I upset you in some specific way?”

Rich guys who drive eighty miles per hour in their posh cars. Guys with perfect hair and two hundred dollar shoes who have startups at the age of, what? Twenty? Yeah. I hate him, but no, it’s not specific. “I just get cranky on days when I get fired.”

“Right, right. You don’t happen to know as much as your brother does about computers, do you? I probably should have started there.” He winces. “Sorry.”

I snort. “I can usually turn my brother’s computer on and off. That’s about the extent of my tech-related skillset.”

“Usually?” He laughs. “Yeah, my company’s probably not a great fit for you.” He holds out his hand.

What does he want to do, shake? I glance down and realize he’s holding a card. What’s with people and giving me their number today?

I take it, our fingers brushing as I do. I don’t expect the jolt when we touch. My eyes meet his and he smiles. He must know he has a killer smile. Perfect teeth, a dimple on the right side, and the brightest, tawny gold eyes I’ve ever seen. I drag my gaze down to the card. “CEO of Game Theory. Cute name.”

“Thanks.”

“So you want me to give this to my brother.”

“I’d love to have him come interview for my last programmer spot. I mean, if you hate me, or if he would rather plant petunias, that’s fine. But I am looking for good people, and I offer benefits. I doubt he’s getting that here.” John points at Jesse, shoving a wheelbarrow full of stones around the hedge.

“No, he’s not.”

“So maybe pass the opportunity along, even if my smell offends you.”

“I will.” I pause, ignoring his jest, and uncomfortable at the silence. Hopefully it’s awkward enough that he’ll finally go.

“And since you won’t be working for me.” He stands up. “I’d love to take you to dinner sometime. Maybe I can convince you I’m not as horrendous as you seem to think I am.”

I chuckle.

“Unlikely, I realize,” he says. “But I’d like to try.”

I sigh. “I don’t think you’re awful, but—”

“So you’re saying I’ve got a chance.”

This guy is determined. I’ll give him that. “I have a boyfriend, okay?” I have no idea why I lie, except that he makes me shaky in a way I can’t explain.

“Oh. You do? And what’s this mysterious boyfriend’s name?”

“He’s not mysterious,” I say. “His name is Henry. He plays club soccer, and until today, we worked at the same place.” There. That ought to shut him up.

“Alright, alright. Sometimes I’m way off base. I’ll leave you alone, I swear. But pass that card along to your brother.”

“I will.”

“And maybe tell me your brother’s name so that when he calls, I’ll know who I’m talking to.”

“Right,” I say. “It’s Jordan Walker.”

“But you call him J.”

“Siblings and their nicknames,” I say with a half grin. “I’ve called him J for years.”

“You’re lucky, Alice. I’m an only child, and it sucks to always be alone.”

For the first time all day, I realize that he’s right. My life may suck in most ways, but in the ways that matter more than anything else, I am lucky. Not everyone has a Jesse in their life, but I do.

It’s enough. It’s more than enough.