“Do you remember at the end?” Ashley asked. “She turned to him, and she asked him, ‘Was that alright?’ or something like that.”

“Something like that,” Tristan said.

I felt uncomfortable in a way that didn’t necessarily have to do with Amy’s involvement.

“I would stake my reputation on this,” our Ashley said. The other Ashley was nodding slightly, as if already acknowledging or corroborating. “The tone, the timing? She asked him because she is subordinate.”

Polarize 10.3

“Back!” Kenzie announced. “Incoming, clear a space!”

I exchanged glances with some of the others. Sveta. Ashley. Tristan. Rain. An unfinished, sensitive topic still hung over our heads.

“Back with a shitload of tacos,” Tristan observed. “Brain fuel for a tinker brain?”

“No, geez. I don’t think I could eat all of this without exploding all over the place. I thought I’d get extra and share,” Kenzie said, as she set the tray down, lifted it up, leaving a second tray on the table, then set it down beside the empty tray. She began dividing stuff evenly across the two trays, taking extra care with drinks.

“I’m not complaining,” Tristan said. “Let me pay you back for what I eat.”

“You don’t have to. I have a stipend, and we’re getting some money now.”

“You’re a tinker. You’re probably paying for your stuff out of pocket. Paying you back means we’re keeping it fair for the team.”

“M’kay, won’t complain,” Kenzie said. She worked her way into the space between the two Ashleys. “What are you guys talking about?”

I met our Ashley’s eyes. She nodded just a fraction.

This wouldn’t be easy.

“Chris,” I said.

“Oh,” Kenzie said. I could see her register that—no hurt on her expression, only a quirk of an eyebrow. She flashed a smile at me, before lifting her taco with its hard, blood-red shell to her mouth, taking a big enough bite that her expression was unreadable.

It might have been fascinating if it hadn’t sucked so much to see.

“We’re going straight to that?” Tristan asked me.

Kenzie held up a hand until she’d finished chewing and swallowing. “To what? Chris? Why not? Because I’m here?”

“Here’s the deal about us talking about it when you’re not here, Kenz,” I said. “We don’t want to leave you out, and I want to minimize the secrets we’re keeping, but this is tricky. So we touch base with each other. We ask each other how best to do this kind of thing.”

“Uh huh,” she said. She took another bite, turning her head sideways. Before biting, she said, “I got you iced tea, by the way. I dented the lid.”

Deflection after deflection. The bite of food, pointing out the iced tea. Would Sveta register that Kenzie was off? Would Rain? Tristan? Erin?