Katie and her two bosses 040

Katie and her two bosses 040
Austin

Rubbing
the sleep out of my eyes Monday morning, I stare in disbelief at my phone. Furiously checking every relevant website I can think of, there’s no evidence of the photograph Jack took online.
Has he changed his mind about the whole thing? Realized what a horrible asshole he’s been and wants to make it up to us? I want so badly to believe that, but my body is tense with worry.
I send Katie and Tyler a group text.
Austin: I don’t see anything online. You?
Katie: Nothing! Thank God!!
Tyler: Not a thing. Could we really be off the hook?
Austin: Sure hope so. But we’ll have to wait and see.
I drive to work, a little too fast and much too distracted. Walking in and passing Jessica and a few other people on the way to my office just before 8 am, nothing seems out of the ordinary. My heart’s beating out of my chest though. I’m totally on edge, but it seems like any other Monday.
Katie and Tyler each stop by my office as they arrive one at a time, and so far we’re all clear. Could Jack really have done the right thing?
At 8:20, after some nervous clicking around the internet, I decide to try to push my fears out of my mind and get some work done. I need to work on the plans for the next software release. So much to do without worrying about an incriminating photograph.
A little after 9, I hear something outside my office door. An urgent voice.
My heart jumps into my throat.
Then there’s silence for a long moment. Then some other voices. They sound confused, on edge. My finger is poised over my mouse. Every part of me knows what’s happened, and a sinking feeling washes over me. I don’t want to see it. I just want this to have never happened, to turn back the clock to the day I called Jack Brice. I should have done anything else but call him.
I click on the biggest local tech website.
The words on the screen are big and accusatory.
TECH TYCOONS CAUGHT WITH ASSISTANT
And underneath the words are the picture Jack took of the three of us.
You motherfucker, I think. Why’d you have to go and do this to us?
It’s all over the tech websites, the local gossip sites, the Northern California business sites.
Nine-thirty am, and already it seems all the San Francisco tech world knows all about my love life. The picture Jack Brice took is all over the internet.
Meanwhile, my phone is beeping constantly, flashing text messages, social media alerts, voicemail.
Along with the picture is a lot of outrage at the “loose morals” of the management at Tyaus Technology, speculation as to the nature of our relationship with Katie, and questions raised about the future of our company. There are some commenters defending our right to privacy, and already people are dividing up into camps based on whose side they agree with.
Shaking my head to break my trance, I bring myself back to the present moment.
Katie. I have to see Katie now.
I burst out of my office, the doors flinging open wildly. Everyone looks up at me. Some look angry, some are laughing, many seem confused. No one says a word to me.
I head straight to Katie’s desk and she’s not there. I feel panic rising up in my throat.
Tyler’s just steps ahead of me, talking to Bill.
“Where’s Katie?” I hear Tyler ask frantically.
“She just left,” Bill says. “Jessica was saying something to her. I don’t know what she said, but it looked like it upset Katie pretty bad, and she just grabbed her purse and flew out of here.”
“Did she say where she was going?” I ask, out of breath.
“Not a word, Austin,” Bill says. “Hey, are you guys going to tell us what’s going on? What happened with Mr. Brice and ---”
I don’t hear the rest because I’m already out the door. I’ve gotta find Katie.