Page 84 of Just My Luck

“It’s not that simple,” he finally said. “I made an agreement. It’s the only way to protect everyone and keep that weapon from happening. I’ve already set things in motion.”

Any minute now, months of Higher Ground’s work would be heading into the virtual shredder. His father had promised to be thorough. Anything to get back at Tanaka.

“What if you had someone on your side who could back you up? An ally?” She beckoned to someone to join them—a blond woman in a leopard-print one-piece, wearing a starched white linen shirt as a coverup. With a shock, he saw it was Maureen.

Maureen, an ally? No, Zara had it all wrong. She didn’t know⁠—

He broke off that train of thought when Zara squeezed his hand. “You grew up in the same jungle,” she said softly. “You have more in common than you realize.”

The same jungle? No. His had been lonely and isolated. Hers…

He met Maureen’s eyes as she pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head. With her makeup washed away by the ocean, eyes reddened from salt, or maybe tears, and her hair freed from its smooth bob, she looked…vulnerable. Real. Nervous.

He remembered how she used to gnaw at her fingernails as a teenager, until Violet took her phone away, then her car. Anxiety? He wondered. Was that why she’d wanted that survival bunker so badly?

“She’s unhappy with how things have played out,” Zara was saying. “All she wanted was that bunker, and now she’s stuck with more than she expected. That’s why she came here to Hawaii. You said it was because of the hack, but I knew it had to be more. I told her about the CHUM.”

“What?”

“It’s okay.” She put a hand on his arm. “She wants to be part of developing it. We discussed it on the way over here. Of course it’s up to you, but she wants to talk.”

“What?” He couldn’t seem to think of anything else to say.

“She’s open to different possibilities. You can go back as CEO, or let her stay on and focus on the CHUM. She doesn’t want the company to miss out.”

Maureen cleared her throat. “It’s my fiduciary responsibility to bring you back onboard, Lincoln. The company isn’t the same without you. I can help you stop this Tanaka. He saw an opportunity with you on your own, with only Higher Ground’s resources to fight back with. Tanaka probably offered you a deal. But did he offer you an entire company?”

The prospect of getting Kerr Enterprises back danced before him. If he could really delve into the promise of the CHUM, the sky was the limit. The only problem was…

“Give us a minute,” he told Maureen, and drew Zara aside to speak more privately.

“Take your time. I know this is a shock. I’ll be on that cozy beach blanket up there.” She strolled down the beach.

When they were out of earshot, he said softly, “I appreciate what you’re doing, but it’s not going to work.”

“Why not?”

“For one thing, I already made a deal with Tanaka. I told him I’d sign Higher Ground over to him.”

“But is it done? Have you signed the paperwork?”

“It’s as good as done.” He’d never go back on that deal. To do so would be death. “Our agreement guarantees Rory’s safety, and yours, and your family’s.”

“Okay, but Kerr can do that too. They’re huge, much bigger than just Higher Ground, right?”

“It’s not just that. My father’s about to tamper with all of Higher Ground’s research. I told him to, to keep it out of Tanaka’s hands.”

“You’re sabotaging your own company?”

“Technically, my father is. But yes. We’ll be back to square one with the CHUM research. I’m banking on Rory’s Crystal Collective to keep the dream alive. All I want now is to keep Tanaka from making that weapon.”

Her eyes glowed like stars. “You really are trying to save the world.”

He made a face, since that sounded much more heroic than he deserved. “Also trying to keep you safe, because I couldn’t bear it if⁠—”

She flung her arms around him. “I love you, Lincoln.”

He trembled from the impact of her body against his, or maybe from her words. He’d craved those words from her, unsure if he’d ever hear them. “You do?”