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Chapter 27
“Man, it was thecraziestthing.” Nathan grabbed the beer Grant set in front of him at the Mousehole bar. “Like one of those…what do you call it…domino effects. I’ve never seen legal and publicity departments move so fast to denounce discrimination and harassment. I swear, there must have been tweets from every company in the fucking Silicon Valley announcing that they were planning to review their hiring policies, and how they’re so committed to inclusivity and diversity.”
He took a swallow of beer and shook his head with a laugh. “With all the tech executives shaking in fear, the Bay Area almost had an earthquake.”
“Good.” Grant began wiping down the counter. “It’s about time they took a serious hit.”
How they’d taken the hit, he didn’t know. Though Rory hadn’t been mentioned in any of the reports over the past week, he knew she’d had something to do with the explosive news that Digicore had fired five male employees due to allegations of harassment.
Shortly afterward, Edward Taylor had issued a statement announcing that Intellix was cutting ties with Digicore on a developing partnership deal. The two stories had sent shockwaves through the tech industry, prompting a panicked slew of statements from all the major companies about their own policies.
Itwasan earthquake, in a sense. The execs were now scared that backlashes and allegations could fuck up their business deals.
Grant hoped they would, if that was what it took to instigate real change.
“Dad is sitting pretty because everyone’s looking to Intellix as a model of an inclusive, respectful work environment.” Nathan hitched himself off the barstool and picked up his beer. “Mom is bursting with pride, of course.”
He started back to the booth, where Alice was sitting with her mother and sister. Then he stopped and looked at Grant again.
“So, Rory’s not working at Digicore anymore, huh?”
Grant shook his head. “She quit last week, I think. I haven’t seen her since before Thanksgiving. She’s still in San Jose.”
“Because I know she…well, Mom said there were some…” Nathan stopped and shrugged. “Anyway, whatever went down, it sounds like she can do much better.”
“She can.”
His brother hesitated for a second longer before walking back to the booth to rejoin his wife. Grant finished wiping down the counter and tossed the dishrag aside. He mixed an old-fashioned for a customer, refilled the peanut bowls, and set clean glasses on the shelf.
After checking on a few other customers, he indicated for his manager to take over the bar and went back to the kitchen. As he seared steaks, made burgers, and roasted potatoes, he tried to ignore the unease that had been simmering under his skin for the past two weeks.
The feeling had been subsumed by elation over all the news reports and the knowledge that Rory had somehow taken down the men who’d messed with her. No question she was a force.
But there was still another question.What happens next?
After the Mousehole closed for the night, he and the crew cleaned up. He unlocked the front door, and his employees headed out to their cars.
When everyone was gone, he went into the back and cashed out the registers. Taking his order forms, he returned to the dining room to inventory the liquor.
His heart almost stopped. Rory sat at the bar, her long hair loose around her shoulders and her pale skin glowing in the dim lights.
“Fried onion, please.” She smiled at him, though uncertainty filled her eyes. “With a side of cheese curds.”
For a second, he couldn’t move. Then his pulse bumped into life again. He fought the urge to leap over the bar and haul her into his arms.
“Kitchen’s closed.” He took a package of gummy worms from a box underneath the bar and set it in front of her. “I’ve got these, though.”
“My favorite.” She tore open the bag and chewed on one of the rubbery things.
“What are you…” He paused and cleared his throat. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, you told me I had to come and get the fried onion this time.” She shrugged, her blue eyes as bright as stars. “But what I really came to get isyou.”
He reached across the bar and grabbed the front of her T-shirt, pulling her closer until their faces were inches apart. His chest knotted.
“You have no idea what it cost me to back off and wait for you.” He fisted his hand in her shirt, his blood heating as her cherry-scented breath brushed against his lips. “To leave you alone. It’s like there was a part of me missing. And that pissed me off because my life was supposed to be complete. I didn’t want anyone around, remember?”
“I remember.” She lowered her gaze to his mouth and then back up to his eyes. “But you always thought I could be the one to change your mind.”
