Chapter 297 Double Happiness
Riley had no idea what Hollis was thinking.
What she told Finley wasn't just an excuse; the research institute really had been slammed lately.
With her wrist injury and the kids insisting, she barely got a day to rest at home.
Early the next morning, a team member's call woke her up. After a quick chat, she skipped breakfast and rushed to the institute.
The project was wrapping up. Both the start and end of a project were tough, so Riley had been practically living in the lab when it began.
Now, with the project nearing completion, the hectic days were back.
Deacon was still her assistant.
During the experiment, Deacon noticed her injured wrist and frowned. "Dr. Monroe, your hand..."
Riley had forgotten about her wrist. She glanced at it, then smiled. "It's nothing. Just a scrape from a parent-child activity at the kindergarten over the weekend."
Deacon looked relieved and took over most of the hands-on work.
Riley stood by, giving instructions.
They made a great team.
They worked non-stop for nearly a week.
When they finally got the results they wanted, everyone in the lab was thrilled.
Riley couldn't help but feel happy too.
While abroad, even though Riley was an independent physician, she still had her mentor's guidance. Many projects were technically hers, but she got a lot of help.
This time, it was the first project led by her!
"Dr. Monroe, are you free tonight?" Deacon asked with a smile as they left the lab.
Riley paused, looking confused and a bit wary.
Deacon laughed. "Judging by your face, you forgot. You promised to treat everyone to a meal once the project was done. The team’s been waiting!"
Riley smiled sheepishly and agreed. "Of course, I must've been too busy to remember. Can you let everyone know? Let's meet at Gourmet Haven at 8 PM."
Deacon agreed and went back to the lab.
Soon, Riley heard cheers from inside.
Just from the sound, she could feel everyone's excitement.
This project was tough, and finishing it was a big deal. The celebration dinner was the cherry on top.
Riley went to her office and asked her assistant to book a private room at Gourmet Haven. Then she called Harper to ask her to pick up the kids that evening.
Last night, Riley had promised the kids she'd pick them up today after the project was done. They were excited and even mentioned Finley.
Thinking of Finley, Riley felt a bit guilty.
The kids probably had told Finley about her promise. If she didn't show up tonight, they'd be disappointed.
With this in mind, Riley hesitated and told Harper, "If you see Finley, please apologize for me and tell her I got held up with something today."
Harper was puzzled but didn't ask questions and agreed with a smile.
