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Chapter 1

Katrina

“Checkmate, bitch,” I exclaim as I do a victory dance that’s coles in hs atRockettes dance “Can-can, I just kicked some can-can, I so am the wo-man, and I rule this place!”

Elise does a little finger dance herself, cheering along with irl Winner, winner, chicken dinner Now let’s eat!”

I laugh with her, joyful in celebrating ardless of the dirty looks the snooty ladies at the next table are shooting our way I get their looks I mean, we are in the best restaurant in the city While East Robinsville isn’t New York or Miami, we’rein between This just isn’t the sort of restaurant where five-foot-two-inch wo soh school cheer

But right now, I give exactly zero fucks “Daest person in the company to ever be promoted to Senior Developer and the first woh! Boys’ club? Infiltrated” Iin, shoulders hunched and hands pressed tightly in front of rin “Before they know it, I’ chick flicks and the whole da to be painted pink!”

Elise snorts, shaking her head again “I still don’t have a fucking clue what you actually do, but even I understand the words prorats, honey”

She’s right, no one really understands when I talk about my job My brain has a tendency to talk in streams of binary zeroes and ones that e person When I was in high school, I even dreamed in Java

And even I don’t really understand what my proet updated business cards with ed I’htly higher pay grade And when I say slightly, I h for a bonus cocktail at a swanky club on Friday maybe Maybe more at year end, they’d said Ah, well, I’ement of my work

The part people do get is when o viral After iveht not understand the zeroes and ones, but everyone can grasp dollars and cents, and that’s whatin

Iat only twenty-six, and feure, but as much as I don’t fit the stereotypical profile of a cos that no one else does I think it’s my female point of view that really helps While a chunk of the other people in the prograeeks who areto an actual wo a pink font on things or adding sparkly shit and giving y more ‘female-friendly’

It’s insulting, honestly But it gives e in that I kno to actually create apps that women like and want to use Not just wo a lot ofout every da they own

And so I celebrate with Elise, holding up our glasses of wine and clinking theether in a toast Elise sips her wine and nods in appreciation, lad ith the waiter’s reco it on the job front What else is going on? How are things with you and Kevin?”

Elise has beenevent She’s all knockout looks and sass, and I’m short, nervous, and shy in professional situations, but we clicked She knows I’ve been through the wringer with soh Kevin is fine—well-ht—she just doesn’t care for him for so that she doesn’t like Kevin

“He’s fine,” I reply, knowing it’s not a great answer, but I also know she’s going to roasta lot of hours so I haven’t even seen hiht We’re supposed to go out for dinner this weekend to celebrate”