One Sizzling Night(19)
“That’s what it’s supposed to do.”
“Artificial intelligence, right?”
Sam winced in a way that told Kensey she was close but no cigar. “Yeah. Kind of.”
“Wow. Also, the shower? The bathtub? Everything in that gigantic bathroom? I’m going to cry when I have to leave. It’s perfect.”
“That makes me really happy. Thank you. I keep fiddling with it. I’m using all the guys as guinea pigs, which is great because it means I get to see them without having to get on an airplane.”
This was the second time Sam had referred to “the guys” and now Kensey was curious. “I assume you mean Logan and other college friends?”
Sam nodded. “I was only fourteen when I started at MIT. I didn’t know anybody. And no one wanted to hang out with a kid. But that was okay. I wasn’t very social, anyway. Well, until I met Logan.”
“How long have you two been friends?”
“Since freshman year, so that would be almost fifteen years.”
“Wow. Long time.”
“We were a gang. Logan, Rick, Matt and me. None of us were studying the same thing, but we all lived in the same dorm at MIT. There was a big screen TV in the lounge and we kept showing up for the same shows—stuff like Adult Swim, Family Guy, The Tick, Buffy. We all laughed at the same jokes. Then we started hanging out. After Logan went off with the army, Matt and Rick decided to rent a house together, and they included me.
“When I met them, it was the first time I really had friends. I didn’t realize until later how much they looked out for me. Logan would get mad when I would forget to eat or lost track of time on the computer and stayed up too late.” Sam grinned. “I used to call him Mom.”
Kensey smiled. It wasn’t easy talking about Logan. “Are you still close to the other two, as well?”
“Yes. Rick for sure.” Sam frowned. “Is something wrong?”
“No.” Kensey straightened, aware she might have sounded wistful, which wouldn’t do at all. “Nothing. I was just thinking about how much we have in common. I didn’t have friends either when I was growing up—I still don’t, really.” She shouldn’t have added that last bit. It was her own fault she wouldn’t let anyone close.
“You? No way.”
“Well, that isn’t true. I have Neil. He’s great. I don’t know what I’d do without him. He’s not just my boss. He’s a good friend.”
“For me, too,” Sam said. “I adore Neil. But I can’t believe you didn’t have friends in school. Or now.”
“I was serious about my studies.”
“Oh, I see.” Sam rolled her eyes in a good-natured way. “If not for the guys prying me away from my computer, my only social life would’ve been watching TV four times a week. And the weird thing is we aren’t alike at all. Logan was so into the whole ROTC thing. He really believed in all that stuff—serving his country and making a difference. Not that I didn’t, but back then I was too selfish. I’m still too selfish, probably. Then he was recruited away. But he should really be the one telling you this.”
Kensey doubted he’d be telling her anything about himself at this point. “Has he changed much?”
“Not really. He had a tough time leaving the service. Went through a year that could have ended badly. Instead he found something else to believe in. Helping other vets come home and adjust. So, same Logan, different uniform.”
Something tugged at Kensey’s heart. Logan had gone through a bad year? She wanted to ask for details. She wanted to know everything...
No, she didn’t. What she needed more than anything was to stay focused on what she was here to do. “What about you? Have you changed much?”
“Ha.” Sam grinned. “I thought you were going to ask me about my love life.”
“Oh, I was.”
Sam choked out a laugh and looked relieved that their coffee order had just arrived. They each sipped their ventis in silence for a minute.
“I should go and let you get back to work,” Kensey said. “But don’t think I’ve forgotten about our conversation.”
“What?” Sam blinked. “Oh. I’m still a card-carrying introvert who’d rather be in her lab than going on dates. But I love what I do. Guess you could say my work is my one true love.”
“Oh, come on. That’s just sad.”
“And you should talk?” Sam said, laughing when Kensey muttered, “Touché.”
“You have to come back and we can hang out sometime,” Sam said. “You can stay in the apartment. I’ll even take a couple days off.”
“I have a feeling that’s saying a lot.”
Sam nodded as she stood up. “Don’t tell anyone. Now I have to go talk to the chief information security officer for HBO. Call if you need me.” She looked over Kensey’s head. “Hi, Logan. Perfect timing, because I have to go.”
Kensey stood, too, taken completely by surprise. Although she should’ve guessed he might show up. She had told him where she was headed.
Sam hugged him hard. “Be nice, okay? Be the sweetie I know you are.” Then she let him go and spoke to them both. “Talk to you guys later.”
* * *
THE SILENCE WASN’T really a silence because there wasn’t any such thing in this crowded hall. But Kensey hadn’t moved, or even sipped her drink after she’d seen him. She just stared.
“I confess I was glad I didn’t know you were coming to my presentation. I would have been twice as nervous.”
“You were amazing,” she said, putting her coffee down on the chair without looking away. “I didn’t even hear it all, but you made a big impression. I could tell. It was quiet. No one coughed. No texting. You had them riveted, and I imagine you’ll get some good connections now, if not good offers.”
Whoa. The last thing he’d have guessed Kensey would say was basically what she’d just said. The way it had all rushed out of her, as if he’d lifted a gate. If it was bullshit, or even practiced, he couldn’t tell, and his life had depended on detecting things like that. Then again, this was Kensey, and his track record with her was lousy.
“Thank you,” he said. “I imagine it works because I believe in what we’re doing.”
“Yes, you’re right. But you also have a gift.”
He shrugged, trying his damnedest to quash a grin. “I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to talk last night.”
“Me, too,” she said, and something had changed. Awareness flickered in her eyes.
“Do you have plans for this evening?”
She opened her mouth, but shut it again. Picked up her coffee, but didn’t drink any of it.
“I have something I might have to do,” she said. “But there’s a chance it’ll fall through. I should be home by six. If you’re there...”
“I should be. I won’t have to leave until around nine tonight, if I go. So, okay. We’ll meet...maybe.”
“Maybe,” she said. A definite improvement, seeing as how they were both still staying under the same roof.
11
AT 5:20 P.M., Kensey returned to the apartment and the most incredible bathroom known to humankind. It had an open shower that curved in a gradual downward spiral and made her feel as if she was at a spa the moment she started walking down the beautiful tumbled stone steps. The walls were made of glass tile, and as she passed, they—like the walls in the rest of the apartment—started changing colors.
A little farther on, there was a towel station and an amenities bar with everything from razors to salt scrubs. Then, as the path continued to curve, the wall colors got darker, greener, and the sounds segued from new age calm to a rainstorm with a dash of jungle.
Finally, she reached the shower itself. It had every possible kind of jet. The one that most impressed her was at the top of the enclosure, a big metal rectangle with lots of holes for the water to come through. The temperature was perfect. It was all perfect. The room smelled verdant and clean and, God knows, she hated to waste water, but this experience was like nothing else and she was going to enjoy the heck out of it.
She closed her eyes and all her troubles vanished. At her fingertips was yet another shelf loaded with soaps, body wash, shampoo, loofahs and sponges. It all reminded her of Willy Wonka for hedonistic grown-ups.
She took her time smelling everything before she decided on what to use. It was a toss-up, but in the end she went with the coconut-scented body wash.
Lathering up awakened her senses to even more pleasure. Thoughts of Holstrom tried to take over, but she fought them back, not wanting to spoil a single moment.
When thoughts of Logan knocked, she threw the doors open in welcome. After hearing his presentation and talking to Sam, Kensey was feeling more relaxed about Logan. Given his goals, it made sense he’d want to hook up with Holstrom. He had all the connections: military, political and the private sector. For Logan to succeed, he’d need as many of those connections as possible.
Of course, if her suspicions about Holstrom and the stolen paintings turned out to be true, Holstrom and his company would certainly take a beating. Jail wasn’t out of the question, although she doubted his corporation would fold. Logan could still come out of this a winner.