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February 15, 7:12 p.m. 09 seconds
(BirdsEye Office)
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Five more days, Kyle thought. It was Monday and on Friday he would be seeing Juniper. He was in his office with Evan and they were both reviewing the patent filed for HoloEye to become tiny and embedded into phones. But instead of working, Kyle was thinking about Juniper. It was 10:12 p.m. in Michigan and he wanted to wrap up this meeting and jump on the phone with her on the drive back home. Yesterday, they had had a bumpy conversation about her refusal to move in with him. It annoyed him that she did not feel as committed as he did.
How messed up is this? I’m more committed to a girl than she is to me.
A wrinkle marred Evan’s brow. “What’s up this time? Gotta a glitch in the Juniper matrix?”
“No. Juniper and I are good together. Like scary good—so no need for a discussion.”
“Then why the long face?”
“Fine, since you asked.” Kyle pushed back in his chair and put down the papers he was holding. “It’s just that Juniper is freakishly stubborn. I want her to live with me in Seacliff. But she says no.”
He thought about the many times his offer of moving in was met with a polite but firm rejection. If it wasn’t for how much he cared for Juniper, his ego would have been forever damaged.
God, I’ve changed so much. I’m almost unrecognizable.
“You want her to move across the country? Why do you need to live with her? So she’s easier to control?”
“No, bozo. I just want her near me. For convenience...no other reason.”
Evan threw his head back and laughed so hard it was possible his head would snap off his neck. “No other reason—he says. She’s got you bad, doesn’t she?”
Kyle smiled and went back to perusing the documents. “Are we all set for the Proto-Smash conference?”
“Yes. The marketing team and I fly in on Thursday. Stella has your speech ready and John will be there—so your keynote better be kickass.”
“Which John? Be specific.”
“Our board’s John Bertrand. Did you know he is now on the Proto-Smash board? Seeing you cheered on by the world’s top companies will get us the AI prototype funding.”
“He’s a master of deflection. So we’ll see.”
“Hey, is Juniper picking you up on Friday?”
Kyle nodded. “I’m curious. How long is she in Chicago?”
Evan picked up his tablet. “According to her calendar, she speaks at a few places on Thursday with a Dr. Dean Dillon. Loyola is the last talk on Friday. Then she drops him at the airport. After that, her weekend is marked Kyle-Kyle-Kyle.” He laughed. “A bunch of digital hearts all over.”
“That man.” Recalling the Skype call with Dean a few months ago, Kyle swore under his breath. “I don’t trust that Dean guy.”
“You know him?”
“He’s her mentor in London. I’ve a strong suspicion the gasbag’s in love with her. It’s the stalker way he talks to her. The phone calls, the emails, the texts. Nonstop, even on weekends.”
Evan tilted his head. “Strange. Never seen you as the jealous type.”
“I’m not jealous. I’m protective.”
“She’s with you. Not with him, you ass. Know what your problem is?”
“Not if you’re diagnosing it.”
“You’re not very good at this effortless thing called life, are you? You make everything harder.”
Kyle was about to respond, but there was a firm knock on the door.
It was Ted Baker, Kyle’s security chief. He came in and paused when he saw Evan.
Kyle waved him in. “Hi Ted, ‘sup?”
Evan looked on with interest as Ted came and stood close to Kyle.
“We found him,” Ted said in a low voice.
“Who?” asked Kyle.
Ted came closer and said in a lower voice, “The man. Drake.”
“Where?” Kyle hissed, face on alert. His security had finally found the asshole who had raped Juniper.
“In Detroit.”
“Good work. Why did it take so long?”
“He changed his name after he was arrested in Ann Arbor for credit card fraud and skimming. Moved to Chicago. Now back in Detroit. I emailed you my detailed report.”
“Good. Meet me downstairs in a few, before I go. Then follow my instructions to the dot. Thank you, Ted.”
Ted nodded, swiveled on his heel and left.
“What’s up with the cloak and dagger?” Evan asked, his eyes fixed on Kyle, his fingers making a raised steeple.
Kyle shrugged. “You’ll yell at me so I can’t tell you. Are we done now?”
“Just read this.” Evan pushed a document across the desk. “Final one.”
“Great. After this, I’m gonna head home.”
Kyle read the documents and Evan furiously typed away on his tablet and for 16 minutes there was nothing but silence between them. When Kyle got up to leave, Evan leaned back in his chair and gave him a solemn look.
“You know, I’ve been thinking. You know, the only way to get a girl like Juniper to move in? Put a ring on it.”
Dafuq?
“Damn it, Evan! First my father and now you. Neither Juniper nor I are interested in getting married.” Kyle picked up his smoke gray jacket and shrugged it on. He walked to the door and turned. “Maybe...after a year...we’ll see.”
“Wait, what? I was joking.” Evan shot up in his chair, face white as a fish underbelly. “You’re serious. Oh my God. Wow. That is big. I’m just glad you’re not going to die alone.”
Kyle walked out but not before Evan caught his secret smile.
