Page 13 of Cold and Bitter Snow

“I’d rather hear about it from you. I take it you’re famous?” he said. He tried to think back to what Luc had told him about her but he hadn’t been paying much attention. All he’d retained was that she was some kind of IT expert.

“More like infamous,” she said. “At least in the UK. You know I’m in IT security, right?”

He nodded, letting her speak.

“Five years ago John, my boyfriend, and I, founded a small startup. There were only two of us at first—so of course we took the roles of CEO and COO, respectively. We started in security consulting and eventually built a new security management system for use in closed environments, like amusement parks, zoos … One year later we were a team of twenty people. Then fifty. A few months ago one of the technology giants called us and offered to buy the company. It seemed the opportunity of a lifetime.” She paused, taking a sip of cider.

“So you’re rich? Is that why you’re famous?”

She shook her head, looking pained. “Not quite. John said the company was his. He said I was his first employee, that it could have been me or anybody else. But it wasn’t like that. We did everything together. If anything, both the idea and the implementation were more mine than his. And we worked on it together for five years.”

“And this is your boyfriend?” Conor asked.

“Was my boyfriend. He broke up with me the day he cashed in the check for ten million pounds.” She paused. “Minus the hundred thousand that he thought I deserved for my contribution to the company.”

“So you took him to court?”

Siena shook her head. “He wasn’t just my boyfriend. He was also my best friend. I just wanted to be done with it.” She fiddled with the cider glass but didn’t take another sip. “Somehow the press found out and plastered my face all over the papers. It’s one of the reasons I took this job—I needed to leave London. Not that it seems to have helped much.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, speaking of the betrayal.

She waved her hand. “It’s just money. You know what the worst thing is?” she asked in a quiet voice. “I would gladly have paid five million pounds not to have to learn how little I really meant to him.”

Five million pounds. Conor pondered that for a moment. His family back in Colorado was rich but his grandfather, who’d made most of the money, would probably have been willing to kill, at least figuratively speaking, for that kind of cash.

“And then he said I was tooreliable,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make this evening awkward.”

The server chose that moment to come back with their burgers. She’d loaded their plates with extra fries and cornichons. He threw her a smile. “Thank you, Laurie.”

“It’s good you guys came tonight. We’re going to be fully booked for the next few days.”

“Really?” He asked, taking a large bite of his burger. He saw Siena take a much smaller bite of hers. Her face lit up with pleasure.

“You haven’t heard?” Laurie asked, balancing his empty cider glass on a tray. He nodded gratefully at Siena. “A Saudi princess is coming to town. With her retinue. It’s going to be huge for Le Miroir.”

“When is she arriving?” Siena asked.

“On Monday. They’ll be here all week. So enjoy your burgers, you’ll have to cook for the next few days!”

“Thanks, Laurie,” Siena said. “It’s delicious.”

Conor enjoyed watching Siena eat almost as much as he enjoyed the delicious food.

When it came time to order the check Siena wanted to split it with him.

“I didn’t tell you my sob story so you’d pay for dinner.”

He barked out a laugh. “I gathered. But I asked you. Let me pay, please. I promise I’m not old-fashioned. You can pay next time.”

“That means we have to have dinner together again,” she said, looking up into his eyes.

“I’d like that,” he said, helping her with her coat. They walked out into the cold together. He knew the hotel she was staying at was a short distance away so he started walking in that direction.

“Where do you live?” she asked. He tried not to read too much into her words.

“I share an apartment with Luc, another snow groomer.”

“He’s in a wheelchair, right?”