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What business is it of yours?
She stopped the sharp retort. She’d learned a lot about Grant’s inner life in the past few days—seen more than she’d seen in two years—and their intimacy was increasing exponentially. There was no reason she couldn’t give him the truth. It wouldn’t change the facts or her plans.
“Because I’ve dealt with a lot of shit as a woman in the tech industry, and I don’t want to put up with it again.” She leaned forward and turned off her laptop to give herself something to do. “But I also hate letting them push me out, and I love the work, so…I have to figure out a way to deal with it. Again.”
Grant frowned. “Sexual harassment and discrimination? I’ve heard plenty of stories. All reprehensible.”
“I knew about it going in, and it’s no big secret.” Rory rubbed her temples against a growing tension. “I’ve always been the only woman in the room, and when you pair that with a non-inclusive culture and a lot of men…not all of them, of course, but plenty…who use sex as power, you’re stuck in a toxic atmosphere. I filed a lot of complaints to no avail, especially if the fucker who put his hand on my ass or invited me to a strip club was astellar performerwhom the company didn’t want to penalize. I learned quickly that if I wanted to stay in the industry, I had to develop an armor as thick as steel. So I did. I ignored sexist comments, didn’t let anyone get close to me, and worked as hard as I could even when I was passed over for projects I deserved.”
“Hell, Rory. I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “I did have jobs where I was treated well, and I worked on some incredible systems. A lot of the guys were good people…or at least, not total scumbags. And for what it’s worth, I know that Intellix is one of the few companies making a conscious effort to right the balance by hiring and promoting women who’ve made great contributions to the industry. But several of the places where I’ve worked haven’t done that.
“I did make good money, though, so after I left a job because my boss made no secret of wanting to have sex with me, I took some time to pursue my own project. I’d had an idea about designing a system for integrating medical software. I called it MedCure. After working on it for about a year, I decided to seek funding. I approached a venture capitalist who requested a meeting and a presentation. Turned out he wasn’t interested in the system.”
Grant’s jaw tightened. “What happened?”
“You can guess.” Rory sighed, battling back old, raw anger and hurt. “He propositioned me, I rejected him, and he got mad. Not only did he turn down my idea, he blackballed me to other VC firms and blocked other potential funding opportunities.”
Grant pushed away from the counter, his shoulders stiff. “And he got away with that?”
“I had a record, so to speak, for filing complaints and being labeled a troublemaker, so, honestly, it wasn’t the first time someone had undercut me. That didn’t make it suck any less…obviously, it was worse because I’d been trying to strike out on my own…but that kind of shit happens all the time. I can’t say I was surprised. Disgusted, furious, disheartened, sad…but not surprised.”
“Rory, that’s sickening.” Grant flexed his hands, anger burning in his eyes. “It’s evil, what that asshole did to you. He can’t get away with this.”
“It’s too late, and I’m over it now.” She rubbed her chest, where grief still coiled tightly. “My father died not long after it happened, and that was an infinitely worse blow. But in some ways, his death put the whole mess in the past where it belongs.”
Living in Bliss Cove again, close to her mother and sisters and surrounded by everything familiar, had been exactly the balm she needed to soothe all her blistering pain.
“What happened to MedCure?” Grant asked.
“Another company came out with a similar system that took off commercially, so I missed the mark. It was bad timing and worse circumstances.”
“And having to go back into that hellhole…is that why you were so angry when you came into the Mousehole last week wanting a scotch?”
“Sort of.” Rory leaned her elbows on her knees and sighed. “I wasn’t all that thrilled about returning to the corporate world to begin with. Then I got a sexist come-on message from a guy I’ll be working with, which made it worse. I’ll deal with it again, and I’ll file complaints and take a stand, but I wish I didn’t have to.
“I haven’t been able to tell anyone because my mother and sisters are all being so supportive about the job. In fact, my mom has been gently telling me for at least six months that it’s time for me to move on. She’s right. I’ve just been too much of a coward to take the step until now.”
“You’re not a coward.” Grant crouched beside her, and the darkness in his eyes seared right into her heart. “Cowards don’t go back into the battle.”
Her throat constricted. “I want so badly to get back to the work, to find out what else I can do, to make my ideas come to life, but I’m scared, too. Of losing. Of being considered less. Of doubting myself.”
“Being scared and still going forward makes you the bravest person I know.” He put his hand over her wrist and squeezed. “Cowards run away and hide. Sometimes in Mouseholes.”
“You’re not a coward either, Grant.” Rory turned her hand so their palms touched. “You stood up for what you want, and now you have the life you chose and created. There’s nothing stronger than living an authentic life.” She wiped away a stray tear. “I might’ve gotten that from Oprah.”
A smile tugged at his mouth. “Maybe we’re both braver than we think.”
She looked down at their loosely clasped hands. The calluses on his palm rubbed against hers. He had beautiful hands—long fingers with square, blunt nails and a dusting of dark hair on the back. There was a slight nick on his thumb.
She wanted his hands on her body.
Her heartbeat increased. She lifted her gaze to his, wondering if he could read the desire that had been brewing inside her for so long that she didn’t even know when it had started. Maybe the moment he first pushed the button on the singing fish to make her smile.
A shutter descended over his expression. Tugging his hand from hers, he started to rise. “I’ll get you a fork for the cake.”
Rory closed her hand around his wrist. “I don’t want the cake. Well. Not rightnow.”
