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"Seth and Jackie, you’ll be working together," Lukas continued "And, Glynnis, you’ll be with Paige"

Seth stared blankly at Jackie, who’d unconsciously gathered the cos Lukas’s speech "Oh," she said, looking down and pushing them away "Sorry"

Glynnisset up," she whispered, so faintly I almost didn’t hear her "We’re the most likely candidates for ter silently that she was right Still, it wasn’t going to stop"Doesn’t mean we can’t win" I tossed the lipstick into the air, launching the rocket Lukas had hung the brass ring I’d need both hands to grasp it

Lukas de forces with the other half of our duo None of us could focus We stayed inside, and I squir heavier and heavier, the promise of rain was one that would be kept We barely ate, and talked in low, protective voices Glynnis was carefully lanced around the room There should have been a villain, soet the boot, but , Rhiannon obnoxious, Seth pervy, Glynnis too wallflowery, Jackie too behind the ti to full capacity But ere all decent people And I kneithout a doubt that, for various reasons, we all needed this job Was one person’s reason better than another’s? Probably But in the end, what ly, the plan of action suddenlya merit-based office world I couldn’t fault hi at thecoddled, ere being pushed to be our best Lukas was right--it was hard to argue with that

"Hoe decide which concept to use, s

"We can’t let our egos get in the way You co, and I’ll do the same"

"But who decides?"

The idea that there wasn’t some arbiter, some authoritative decision maker, pained Glynnis I realized that it would have bothered ive her a hard tih I sensed she didn’t believe it would work

"Can ork at your house?" she asked "I still live with my parents, and they’ll want to involve theht about hoorried about helicoptering Trey and sarden?" she asked, the question lined with hope and vulnerability

"Of course I need all the help I can get"

"No, you don’t," she said "But it’s nice of you to say"

I grabbed her hand "Hey Listen tonice, they’re hoping to gain sohed "I guess"

"No guessing It’s true"

"Whatever," she said "Can we get started? So should we each try to coether?"

"If we each present soo first," Glynnis said quickly "I’ second Really, I am"

I started to tell her that wasn’t an asset, but then I shut s needed to be experienced to be learned "Thank you," was the only response I could come up with

CHAPTER 10