Second Ave Offices: First Time for Everything (WLW)

Chapter Sixteen

Hayden had been acting strange and Ju wasn't blind or stupid enough not to notice, nor to deduce what had caused it. It began the morning they awoke in each other's arms after Hayden's fever broke. She'd sat up in bed, swiveled her head around, then grown wide-eyed the moment Ju sat up, peering at her with alarm that was all too easy to read. It was a face of terror. The face of paramount exposure. Translucent.

Hayden regretted making herself appear so vulnerable. She'd told Ju so much of herself, more than she'd told anyone aside from Mika, and now she was most definitely contrite enough to the point she wasn't even looking into Ju's eyes. As they sat with the production and management team, discussing the final touches to Hayden and Mika's webcomic hours before its official release, Ju peered over the table toward her. Hayden had her eyes glued to their boss Reggie who was speaking at the front of the room, but it was all just mumbled to Ju.

It was odd, this feeling of something being more important than work. True, if her mother or Mark ever needed her, Ju dropped even work to go to them, but with her mother's excellent health and him being employed right alongside her, there wasn't much need for it. After today, Mika and Hayden wouldn't be at the office as often, working from home and sending in their drafts. They wouldn't have contact with anyone other than Sheila as she was the official publisher as far as work was concerned and Ju was terrified of the darkened indications toward what this meant for herself and Hayden.

She would drop everything for her. Work, video gaming, going out with Mark... She would drop it all in a heartbeat if only Hayden would acknowledge her.

Ju pulled her phone from her pocket and unlocked it beneath the table, checking her messages. Hayden had read them, but never replied to a single one after they parted. As her chest clenched tight, Ju locked her phone and slid it back into her pocket, peeking up at her. She still had her eyes glued to Reggie, but there was a strain to her features and without warning, she stood.

"Excuse me, but I mentioned the appointment I had earlier. It's in about thirty minutes and I have to make it." Hayden placed her hand on Mika's shoulder, garnering a sympathetic glance from her, and then peered around the table. She finally stopped on Ju, letting out a shaky breath, then timidly smiling. "Thank you. All of you. This has been an excellent journey and I have full faith you can hammer out the remaining details with Mika, yes?"

"Of course, Hayden." Shield stood up from Ju's right side, startling her to her presence as she'd forgotten it wasn't just her and Hayden alone the moment their eyes met. She extended her hand over the table and shook Hayden's, then sat back down. "Thank you as well. I look forward to our continued work and will be sure to relay anything you need passed to the other team members from here on out without delay."

"Thank you." Hayden tentatively looked from her back to Ju and nodded toward the conference room door. "May I borrow you for a moment?"

Ju shot up out of her chair hurriedly enough for it to fall back to the floor, then scrambled to fix it as she peeked up at Hayden. She was smirking and Ju quickly realized everyone else in the room was as well, feeling the embarrassment flood her face as it most assuredly shined a bright red. She cleared her throat and made her way to the door, ignoring the eyes on her. Once they were on the other side, Hayden took her hand and led her toward the main exit of their office suites. Ju was too afraid to lose the contact or to hear her break things off, clamming up with a stiff neck as she gazed at their connected hands.

She thought they'd grown closer, that making oneself more open was a blessing when romantic feelings were mutual, but her weekend alone had proven her wrong. Regardless, Hayden's hand in her own was warm. Soft. It was everything she remembered from her touch and more as Ju traced the back of her index finger along her palm, committing the intricate details to memory. If Hayden reacted this way each time they became more emotionally intimate, would Ju always be treading on this eggshell ground?