Page 72 of Hacking the Holidays
Eleanor looked between us, clearly confused but smiling. “You two are talking in some kind of tech language I don’t understand, aren’t you?”
“Something like that,” Sam said, but he was still looking at me.
“Okay then,” Eleanor said. “Well, I just wanted to get the contact forms from the Santa event last night.”
“I’ll grab them. Be back in a jiffy.” Sam pushed back from the table and headed to his desk.
I watched him go, then turned back to Eleanor with a smile, wondering why she wanted the contact forms when the Santa events were his projects, not hers. I found it a little odd.
“He’s just amazing, don’t you think?” she asked, looking like a proud mom instead of a coworker.
I had a feeling she was going to remind me he wasLeavenworth’s most eligible bachelor, but I still answered. “Yes. He certainly is.”
“Have I mentioned that he’s single?” she asked, right on cue.
I nodded. “Yes, a few times, actually.”
“He seems to have his eye on you.”
“Maybe he doesn’t trust me.”
Eleanor beamed. “Why wouldn’t he? You are just the sweetest thing.” She placed her hand on top of mine. “I know you mentioned last week that you were too busy for relationships, but you need to find the time. Life is short, and regret is a hard pill to swallow.”
Before I could respond, Sam returned with the contact forms, then eyed us both. “What is this? Female bonding? I can come back later.”
Eleanor smiled. “We’re just talking about men, that’s all.”
Sam gestured to her. “Watch out for her—she’s always trying to play matchmaker.”
I nodded. “I’m very aware of that.”
“I just like to give moderate nudges when I can,” she defended. “Sometimes, people don’t even know the best thing is sitting right under their noses.”
“Like these contact forms,” Sam said, looking like he was ready to change the subject. “Here you go.”
“Great—thank you,” Eleanor said.
“I wasn’t aware you handled the contact forms for the events,” I couldn’t help saying. “I thought that was Sam’s thing.”
“It depends if the families are requesting help,” Eleanor said, already flipping through the forms. “Sam’s a wiz with financial assistance, whereas my forte is making sure they get connected with holiday meal assistance, winter clothing drives, toy donations, that sort of thing. It’s my way of giving back.”
“Eleanor knows the community partners better than anyone,” Sam added.
I nodded slowly, wondering if Eleanor knew he was Good Sam. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but there was a strange formality to how Sam had retrieved those forms, then gave them to her. The locked drawer, the careful handoff. Maybe I was reading too much into it, but were they a team somehow? It would make sense.
“I should get back to work—have fun,” Eleanor said, smiling and leaving the conference room.
“I guess we should, too.” Sam got comfortable in his chair again.
“Sounds good,” I said, since I probably needed to get ready for another onslaught of intrusion attempts from him.
Right on cue, just thirty seconds later, I got another one.
UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS ATTEMPT
I executed the script and slammed the door in his face.
ACCESS TERMINATED.
