This is a race. It always was, from the very start, but after the uncertainty of my first week on BLINK, I was so grateful for the opportunity to have a shot at it, it almost slipped my mind. Doing our best, making progress—that seemed enough. Spoiler: it wasn’t. For the first time in weeks I think, really think, about my job at NIH. I’ve been sending weekly reports to Trevor and the Institute director. There hasn’t been much of a reaction on their end except for “Nice job” and “Keep up the good work.” I wonder whether they read or just skim for buzzwords. Neural
networks. Magnetic pulses. Neuroplasticity’s always a hit, too.
What would they say if I told them that MagTech might reach the finish line first? Would they blame me? Would my job be safe? And what would happen to the promotion I want? I’ll either be fired or work for Trevor in perpetuity— is this what my career ambitions have come to, an eternal quest for the lesser evil?
Become a scientist, they said. It will be fun, they said.
“Let’s go.” Levi springs up from his chair the second the presentation ends. “If we leave now, we can be home by mid-afternoon.”
I’ve never been more eager to get out of an airconditioned room. “You want to hole up in the lab and work until you pass out?”
“Yup.” He pops the P.
At least we’re on the same page. “You know what?” I muse, weaving my way through the crowd. “I might have an idea on how to tackle the gradient fields issue—”
“As I live and breathe. Levi and Bee!”
We stop dead. But we don’t turn around, because we don’t need to.
Voices are like faces, after all: one never forgets them, not if they belong to people who are important. Your parents. Siblings. Best friends, partners, crushes.
Ph.D. advisors.
“I cannot believe you’re here and I didn’t know it.”
Levi’s eyes lock with mine. Fuck, I read in the way his pupils dilate. I telepathically answer, Indeed. His expression darkens.
I love Sam. We both love Sam. I’ve never talked about her with Levi, but I know they had a special relationship, just like she and I did. She was an outstanding advisor: intelligent, supportive, and she cared, really cared, about us. After my falling out with Tim and Annie, I didn’t have the heart to tell her what really happened. So I made up some lies about a friendly breakup and about needing to be in Baltimore with nonexistent relatives.
Sam was the one who helped me find my job with Trevor, and she never criticized me for turning down a better position at Vanderbilt. I always love hearing from her, catching up on her work, getting coffee together. Always.
Except for right now.
I smile as she engulfs me in a bear hug, and—okay, this feels amazing.
She’s tall and sturdily built. A truly committed hugger. I find myself laughing, squeezing her
back. “It’s so nice to see you, Sam.”
“That’s my line. And you, Levi, look at you. Are you even taller?” Their hug is significantly more subdued. I’m nonetheless shocked that Levi does hugs, and by the affectionate smile on his lips.
“Not that I know. It’s nice to see you, Sam.”
“Why didn’t I know you two were here?”
“Because we’re not on the program. We just drove up for a specific presentation.”
“We?” Sam’s eyes widen. She looks between us a few times before settling on Levi with a huge pleased grin that I cannot interpret. Then she takes one of his hands. “I didn’t know there was a ‘we,’ Levi. I’m so happy for you. I’ve been hoping for so long, and finally, such an incredible—”
“Bee and I are working together on a NASA project. Temporarily.” He says it quickly, like a teenager stopping his mother from revealing that he still sleeps with a stuffed triceratops.
Sam gasps, covering her mouth. “Of course. Of course, the NASA project.
I can’t believe it slipped my mind. Still, you two should come to my brunch.
In”—she glances at her phone—“ten minutes. All my grads are coming.
Food’s on me, of course.” Uh-oh.
Uh-shitshitshitshit-oh.
I glance up at Levi, ready to beg him not to make me watch Tim and Annie eat huevos rancheros for thirty minutes, but he’s already shaking his head.
“Thank you, but we can’t. We need to get on the road.”
“Oh, nonsense. It’ll be less than an hour. Just make an appearance, say hi to everyone, have breakfast on me.
You’re both so skinny.”
I wonder how one could possibly look at Levi’s chest, or biceps, or legs, or . . . anything, really, and think the word “skinny,” but he doesn’t skip a beat. “We need to get going.”
“You can’t,” she insists. Have I mentioned that Sam’s bossy? I guess it’s a professional hazard when you’ve been running a lab for decades. “You were my favorite grads. What’s the point of having a lab brunch if you two aren’t there? Might as well cancel!”
“You didn’t even know we were here until three minutes ago,” Levi points out patiently.
“But now I do. And . . .” She leans forward and puts a hand on both our shoulders. “I’ll be making an important announcement today. I’m retiring at the end of the semester. And once I’m out, I’m not planning to do the conference circuit anymore. So there might not be a next time.”
Levi nods. “I get it, Sam. But we really—”
