Page 85 of The Nanny and the Nerd
“No, not weird—immersive,” he offered, grateful he could still form a cohesive thought.
“Immersive, yes!” she repeated, returning to her hopeful demeanor. “In fact, one of my favorite writers, Delores Lambert DuBois, believes in immersing herself in the same settings as her stories. Her books are set in tropical locales. She pens the most stirring and beautiful words. She’s a master at setting the scene. But she’s fiercely private. Nobody knows where she lives or what her hobbies are. But she did an interview with theTimesa few years ago. I’ve read it a million times. She only discussed her craft and specifically cited that the authenticity and the honesty of her writing depends entirely upon this immersive process.”
He nodded blankly. She’d said a lot of words. But the only thing his nanny-scrambled mind caught was the part about Delores Lambert DuBois being her favorite author.
“Should we start?” she asked, handing him a sheet of paper.
“Sure, since this is an official Gale Gaming work date,” he replied, going for decisive but succeeding at sounding more like an infomercial announcer.
“Right, this is a work date. Not a date-date. Just work—immersive work on a creative endeavor that happens to take place in a steam shower,” she agreed matter-of-factly.
Welp, they were trying! They’d set the rules, and it appeared his balls might have a fighting chance.
He removed his shoes and socks, then opened the glass shower door, inhaling the steam as puffs of warm air kissed his cheeks. Penelope grabbed two fluffy towels from a stack next to the sink, then entered the space first as he followed. While this scene might look bonkers, it felt surprisingly normal until everything disappeared.
“Oh no! Your glasses are steamy!” Penelope exclaimed, reaching up and sliding them off his face. “Can you read without them?”
“I just have to hold the paper a little closer,” he answered. Thanks to the steam, he’d have to do that anyway. Again, the shower was top-of-the-line. This thing could pump out steam like nobody’s business. Case in point, he could barely see his outstretched hand. He squinted, watching as Penelope set his glasses on a built-in shelf. She took a seat, then rested the second towel next to her, and patted the spot.
Holy hell! This was happening!
He sank down beside her, and his foot accidentally grazed hers.
“Sorry!” he blurted like an awkward teenager on a first date.
“It’s okay, Rowen. I wouldn’t want to lose you in here,” she teased with a nervous laugh. But she didn’t move away from him. Instead, she remained stock-still. He’d never imagined brushing against a woman’s little toe would be such an erotic experience.
“How about I set the scene for our immersive work session,” she said, adjusting the page in her hands.
Immersive work session. Yep, that’s what it had to be—an immersive work session sitting in a steam shower, playing footsie with the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
“Please, continue,” he said, willing himself to hold it together.
She blew out a breath. “Here goes. It’s slightly past the mid-point. AI-77 and Princess Amelia, along with the cast of new characters we’re introducing, just fought their way through the Archer’s Alley. AI-77 valiantly saved the princess by jumping in front of her to shield her from an incoming arrow. The arrow hit him square in the chest. This had to occur. It’s the key to moving forward in the game and the only way to pass the level. He has to make the sacrifice.”
The sacrifice.
The word hung heavy in the humid air.
“It’s a great twist of gameplay,” he explained. “The players have to make sure they go into the Village of the Archer Clones with enough health and ammunition to take a near-fatal hit. There’s no way around it. Only AI-77 can take the arrow to save the princess, but the other players will also be low on health at this point and need to re-up on ammo. How did you know to add this to the game?”
“I guess it’s beginner’s luck. After reading the notes on the storyboard, it came to me,” she answered shyly.
He nodded. It was a damned good strategy. This level would be a challenge. And they were sure to get good press over it. Gamers loved putting it all on the line, and thanks to Penelope’s writing, this segment flowed flawlessly. It was the transition he’d been missing. He’d laid out the gaming framework, but she’d woven in the careful details players craved.
“And after AI-77 and Princess Amelia complete the Village of the Archer Clones challenge,” Penelope continued. “They have to find the closest shelter to heal, which is the Land of Mist. It’s accessible by crawling through a small crack in the rock that opens up into a mystical grotto.”
Another superb feature! There was nothing better than finding a secret location.
“The other players can’t fit through the opening, so they have to go around and find the health and ammo shelter location on the other side of the Land of Mist,” he said, filling in the rest.
“The Garden of Grace, right?” she asked, excitement coating her words.
She’d done her homework.
“Yes, it’s the transition point for AI-77 and Princess Penelope to be alone,” he answered.
She touched his arm. “You mean PrincessAmelia.”
