The Scent of Rain by Kristin Billerbeck Page B

to be ignored. She’d allowed it with Mark, she supposed. Best not to get in that dynamic again.
    â€œMake him take you to a nice lunch. Trust me, it’s the only perk you’ll get around here. Moths fly out of Dave’s wallet—but first you’ll have to fill out a requisition form to get him to open it at all.”
    â€œKensie, take Daphne to the lab, will you?” Jesse said.
    â€œYour wish is my command.” She saluted Jesse in unspoken homage to her nautical outfit. “The lab’s upstairs. I’m sure Jesse plans to get you out to the manufacturing plant at some point.”
    Daphne grabbed her handbag and briefcase, and struggled to keep up with Kensie’s long strides. “How do you walk so fast in those shoes?”
    â€œI’ve been wearing them so long, I’d probably have more trouble in flats. Shoes aren’t important to you, huh?”
    Kensie looked down at Daphne’s shoes, and they suddenly felt very cheap and last year. In truth, they were just practical, and they weren’t cheap. Comfort didn’t come cheap.
    â€œI have to be able to walk around the lab all day and protect my feet from any toxic chemicals. Friday night, sure, I’m all for heels.”
    Even as she said it, she sounded ridiculous. As if Kensie would believe Daphne had any nightlife to speak of. On a Friday night, Daphne was either at the archery range or testing scents in her home office—maybe if she was really feeling wild, she’d knit. She wondered if it showed, how incredibly boring she was. Yet another reason Mark probably escaped.
    â€œWell, don’t spend your money for good suits in our lab. Even if the guys are neat, they’re easily sidetracked.” Kensie smiled. “I should know. I’ve had a few chemicals splashed on me giving tours to prospective customers. Wear your lab coat and keep some distance.”
    Daphne finally caught up with Kensie at the elevator. “I have a chemistry background. I know my way around a lab.” The comment sounded full of herself, and she tried to recover. “When I was in Paris, I only used to dress up when we met with a client. I suppose that’s your area of expertise, so I won’t need suits here.”
    â€œDid you ever meet anyone famous?” Kensie asked as though she might hear a chewy morsel of gossip.
    â€œI did, but we’re under strict confidentiality rules at Givaudan. I can’t give away proprietary information.”
    â€œPlease. You’re kidding, right? Tell me who!”
    She leaned in, giving Daphne an up-close view of her absolutely flawless skin. So flawless, in fact, that Daphne forgot what she’d been asked.
    â€œDidn’t they fire you? I mean, that’s why you’re here, right? I doubt it matters if you tell me who you met there in your secret building.”
    â€œI wasn’t fired,” Daphne clarified. “They offered me a position, actually, but I left of my own free will.”
    â€œI’ve never left a company that didn’t beg to get me back.”
    Daphne wanted to ask how many jobs she’d had in her infinitely short career, but she bit her tongue. “That’s great. I hope it stays that way forever.”
    â€œWhy wouldn’t it? That guy you toured with the first time didn’t get the job, by the way. Turns out he lied on his résumé. I didn’t think you science sorts were sly enough to do that, but I have to admit, I was intrigued when I found out. A bad boy scientist is, you know, kind of intriguing.”
    â€œThat’s too bad,” Daphne said.
    Kensie pressed a slender manicured finger toward the elevator’s button. “I know, right? Because he was hot and he was totally flirting with me, and this office could use an influx of good-looking men. Well, what office couldn’t, right? The bores we have around here are not worth a second glance. Jesse would be hot if he