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Things at CalTek don’t just pick up after the holidays—they explode. With IntelliCon coming up, everyone’s scrambling to prepare for the big presentation Ryann’s giving at the convention. He and Declan have been so swamped they even hired Carpenter as their full-time PA. KC’s ecstatic about it. (Kidding—he’s absolutely livid.)
Even my own duties have ramped up. Liza has me working directly with the developers on aspects of AVA since they finally let me in on the secret: it’s a smart-home security ecosystem, apparently, called Advanced Vigilance Assistant. Cameras, alarms, locks, the whole shebang. Olivia owns the company that CalTek purchased the software from, I guess. Some mid-sized security firm.
I even help Carpenter with the PowerPoint he was tasked with, which was an absolute struggle—he’s probably the least tech-savvy person I’ve ever met. Seriously, why was he even hired? On his first day, he had computer issues and texted me in a full-blown panic. I told him to clear his cache and cookies, and he thought I was telling him to throw up. What even?
Ryann texted me on New Years, but I never responded, and I haven’t seen him since Christmas Eve. I’m still pissed about him hiding the fact that he was in a fake relationship the entire time we were…doing whatever we were doing. And I want to confront him about it, but there’s just been no time with everything going on. But I think I’ll get my chance because the morning they’re scheduled to leave on their flight to New York, he appears before my desk in the R&D department.
“Why aren’t you preparing to leave?”
I glance up with a yelp, hurriedly clicking off the YouTube video I’d been watching of one of his college games. “Huh? Leave where? I’m not off until noon.”
It’s been weeks since I’ve seen him, and he looks good. So good. I hate it.
His hazel eyes study me intently, lips thinning with disapproval. “Clearly, I’ll need to talk with Liza about reading her emails. You’re coming to New York, Shilo, and the plane takes off at eleven. Go home and pack a bag. I’ll pick you up.”
Wait, what? What the hell?
“Ryann, I can’t—“ But he’s already walking away, so I jump up to hurry after him. “It’s a week and a half convention. I can’t be gone for that long!”
“And why not?” Without stopping, he raises a brow down at me. “Your classes are online, are they not? Plus, it’s paid. I’ve added you to the project, and I’ll need your assistance with that damn friend of yours that Declan hired. He doesn’t know his own ass from his elbow.”
Okay, well… he’s got a point, but…
Almost two whole weeks?! Away from home? Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been away from my family that long, which sounds really pathetic. What if something happens while I’m out there? It’s New York, what if I get mugged? Or, like, lost? Like that kid in Home Alone. I’m not as bright as him, I would for sure have gotten kidnapped by those two goofy criminals. And then what? I’m not cut out for a life of crime.
Ryann sighs heavily, glancing around before cupping my cheek. “Shilo, you’ll be fine. Liza and I will stay by your side, along with a handful of devs and our useless PA. Go get ready.”
When his hand falls from my face, an embarrassing whine leaves my throat at the loss of contact. I want it back, want it all over me. His eyes darken before he turns away, striding toward the elevator.
“Go. Hurry. I’ll pick you up in thirty.”
I watch him leave, nearly panting because I haven’t came in forever, and the sight of his butt in those slacks is insane. But I don’t have time to think about that, I have thirty minutes to—
Wait, thirty minutes?! It takes me at least fifteen to get to the house!
Hightailing it out of there, I race home, cursing out traffic the entire time. Mom’s on the couch when I burst through the door, out of breath, and I shout over my shoulder that I’m leaving for two weeks on my way up the stairs.
“What do you mean you’re leaving for two weeks?”
“Can’t explain, work trip, gotta pack.”
I’m throwing anything I can find into a duffle bag when the doorbell rings, and Ryann’s scent floods my senses when he enters my room.
“We’ve got less than an hour to get to the airport. Let’s go.”
“I haven’t done laundry,” I panic, stuffing what I’m pretty sure is a pillowcase into my bag on accident.
“Jesus Christ, your room is a mess again.” He grabs the duffle from me, zipping it quickly as he heads for the door. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll send for housekeeping when we arrive. Hurry up.”
Ugh, I frickin hate being rushed. But I follow him out, hugging my poor, bewildered mother before telling her I’ll call when we land. Honestly, it’s a good thing Dad’s at work because he’d probably have a few strong words to say about this, and I’m glad I don’t have to deal with that.
We barely make it to our gate, where Carpenter greets me with a narrowed glare. There’s a brief hiccup with my last-minute ticket, but the airline sorts it out, herding us onto the plane like cattle. I end up sandwiched between Liza and Ryann, which wouldn’t be so bad if my arm and knee weren’t pinned against his the entire six-hour flight. He spends it glued to his laptop, anyway, doing work stuff. When I comment on him deigning to sit with us peasants in coach instead of first class, he throws me a threatening look that makes my stomach flip.
Liza and I attempt to watch her favorite movie, Code Breakers, but we start our descent before it’s over—mercifully, because it was terrible. I tell her that, and she laughs like I’m joking.
The last time I was in New York, I was ten, and my family hated it. Too loud, too crowded, too expensive—though, as a kid, the expensive part wasn’t my problem. Turns out, nothing much has changed. By the time we’ve crammed ourselves and our bags into the hotel shuttle, I’m already exhausted and completely overstimulated.
True to his word, Ryann stays close, even squeezing into the backseat next to me. Carpenter’s on my other side, unusually quiet, and when I ask him if he’s okay, I get a shrug in response. According to KC, the two haven’t talked since that picture on New Year’s. I still don’t know what’s going on between them, but I hope I didn’t hurt Carpenter’s feelings.
