The private lounge gradually filled as more employees arrived.
By the time everyone had settled around the long table, the earlier excitement over the South Front contract had turned the evening into a genuinely pleasant one. There was none of the tension that had followed Loretta around the office earlier in the week. People were relaxed, laughing and discussing everything from the project to their plans for the weekend.
Loretta sat among several of her colleagues, enjoying the unfamiliar experience of having a meal with people she had only recently met.
She was halfway through a conversation when the door to the private lounge opened.
Julian walked in.
A few people immediately greeted him, but the room became noticeably quieter when they realized he wasn't alone.
Kevin walked in behind him.
Loretta's eyes widened slightly, she had not expected to see him after all this was a Carter group private event.
