The New Guy

by Kathryn Freeman

  Ryan instantly felt the change of atmosphere in the room. The collective shift from bloody hell, to no problem, boss, we’ve got this. Such was Sam’s authority, her magnetic pull.

  ‘I can get the results from the public beta testing back by tomorrow.’ Becky started the ball rolling. Soon everyone was pitching in, committing themselves to absurdly tight deadlines.

  ‘Ryan?’

  Sam’s eyes swung to him. Clear, huge. The colour of the ocean he saw in all those travel adverts. Eyes it was impossible to say no to. He knew there was a major bug he still couldn’t solve, knew he was already so strung out from sixteen-hour working days that the likelihood of solving it was shrinking rather than improving. ‘Sure.’

  She smiled, warm, trusting, and his heart swelled. ‘Great, thank you, everyone. Your commitment to this project, to the company, is humbling.’ She cleared her throat, and Ryan could see the emotion on her face. ‘Before we go, one final item. Employee of the month.’ As her hand grasped the plaque, her gaze sought out Alice. ‘I’m delighted to announce that this month, our award goes to’ – her eyes swung in his direction – ‘Ryan.’

  He sat bolt upright. ‘Pardon?’

  Sam’s mouth twitched as she glanced down at the sheet of paper in front of her. ‘Ryan was nominated for this award for his support of a colleague that went beyond what was reasonably expected. In fact, what the colleague actually said was “Ryan really looked out for me. He saw things even my friends had missed.”’

  As Sam stood and placed the plaque in front him, his eyes strayed unconsciously to Alice. She stared back, her expression full of such gratitude, he felt a boulder-sized lump jump into his throat. ‘I …’ He had to work hard to squeeze even that word out. ‘Thanks.’ It was all he could manage, but Alice’s shy smile told him it was enough.

  The meeting came to a close and everyone gathered their things and started to walk out. Becky paused as she walked by him. ‘Seems I was wrong.’

  ‘Not like you. Are you sure?’

  She shoved at him. ‘I’m trying to be serious here. A few months back I remember saying self-nomination was the only way you’d get the award.’

  He was still too embarrassingly overcome by it all. The last thing he needed was Becky being kind to him. ‘Maybe you weren’t wrong. Maybe I’m more cunning than you think.’

  She laughed, giving him another hefty push. ‘You’re not cunning, Black.’ She paused, her expression sobering. ‘But you are sort of, kind of, surprisingly, nice.’ Just as he feared his emotions would overwhelm him, she ruined the moment, thank God, by winking and adding, ‘Sometimes.’

  Sam frowned as she listened to what Kerry was saying over the phone. ‘Right, thanks.’ Remembering what happened at the last visit, how Ryan had accused him of spying, Sam added. ‘Would you do me a favour and escort Damien to my office?’

  She sighed as she put down the phone. What the flipping heck was her ex doing, darkening her door yet again?

  Hastily she cleared her desk and made sure there was nothing of interest on her computer screen.

  A few moments later, Kerry tapped on her door. ‘Are you ready for him?’

  ‘As I’ll ever be.’

  The Damien who walked into her office was different to the one she was used to. This Damien stepped inside hesitantly, his manner no longer that of the ex-owner but of an uninvited visitor. ‘Is now a good time?’

  She laughed incredulously. ‘You’re seriously going to ask me that, when you know very well you’re stealing market share from me left, right and centre?’

  He stilled, his expression pained. ‘I’m not, actually.’

  ‘That’s not what my sales information tells me.’

  ‘May I?’ He nodded towards the spare chair.

  She wanted to make him stand. To make him feel uncomfortable. To pay him back for the way he’d treated her in whatever nasty, small-minded, vindictive way she could. But he’d already damaged her confidence. He wasn’t going to damage her decency, too. ‘Of course.’

  He crossed one elegantly tailored leg over the other. ‘I wanted to tell you in person, before you heard it elsewhere. I sold my share of Privacy Protect.’

  Sam gaped. ‘Why?’

  Damien glanced away, the muscle in his jaw working overtime. When he turned back, all trace of arrogance, of aloofness, had gone from his face. He looked like the boy she’d fallen for that first year at university. ‘I couldn’t bear the thought of being in competition with you any longer.’ He leant forward, clasping his hands together, his face earnest. ‘We were meant to work together, you and I. It’s what we do. You’re the brains, I’m the tech brawn. We inspire each other, motivate, encourage.’ He shook his head. ‘Without you, it doesn’t work.’

  ‘You seem to be doing just fine.’

  ‘Sure, we’re taking market share away from you, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. The app was your idea, I just copied it. The modifications were your idea, too. I got lucky, getting your new-join to blab about what you were doing.’

  Sam had stored up so much anger against him, it was hard to see through it. ‘You’re telling me that was luck?’

  He had the grace to look embarrassed. ‘Okay, not entirely luck, but I didn’t browbeat her, if that’s what you mean. I just asked the right questions.’

  Was he tricking her, like he’d tricked Alice? ‘This is quite a turnaround.’ She didn’t try to hide her scepticism. ‘A few months ago, you waltzed in here gloating about what you were about to do to me.’

  Shame filled his eyes and he hung his head. ‘I know. I wouldn’t trust me, either. I was such a bastard to you. But’ – he jerked his gaze up again – ‘and it’s not an excuse, just an explanation. You don’t know how difficult it was, living and working with someone smarter than I was.’ He swore, climbing to his feet and starting to pace. ‘Sorry, that sounds like a real pity party. I was the luckiest bastard that ever lived, being able to go home with you every night. I know that now, but for an awful few weeks, when you were basically running the show and I felt more like the forgotten underling than the partner, I lost sight of it.’ He let out a short, bitter laugh. ‘My ego was snared by a woman who treated me like I was a god.’

  Sam’s mind was reeling. There was so much she hadn’t realised, yet did it justify his affair? Or his treatment of her afterwards? And what did it say about her chances of anything more serious with Ryan, who would surely at some point feel exactly as Damien had?

  ‘I know I hurt you by having the affair, and that I compounded that hurt by setting up a rival company.’ Damien’s words continued to wash over her as she fought to focus on what he was saying and not on the dread now churning her stomach. ‘I felt bitter that you wouldn’t give me another chance. We’d been together for eight years and it was one lapse in judgement. At least that’s how I saw it. So I harnessed the anger – it was better than feeling like the bastard who’d cheated on the woman he loved – and fought back. I wanted to prove I could do it without you.’ His eyes filled with remorse. ‘But now the anger has faded, and I realise all I’m doing is continuing to hurt the woman I still love.’

  He still loved? Shocked to her core, Sam played for time, taking a sip from her now cold coffee. Finally she glanced up at him. ‘I don’t know what you expect me to say.’

  He gave her a faint smile. ‘It’s a lot to take in, I know. I just wanted to tell you I’m not your rival any more. I’m your … friend. If you need any help, anything at all, then shout.’ Leaning over the desk, he kissed her cheek. ‘I want the business we started together to succeed. I want you to succeed.’

  Her brain too muddled to come up with a reply, she simply nodded, her gaze wandering over his shoulder.

  When she caught sight of who was staring at them through the glass door, her heart plummeted.

  Damien stood and followed her gaze, nodding stiffly at Ryan as he opened the door to let him in. Sam held her breath, waiting for Ryan to make some sarky remark about following Damien out
to ensure he didn’t pinch anything, but he remained tightlipped and stony-faced.

  It was only when they’d watched Damien walk round the corner, that Ryan spoke. ‘I’d ask if he was bothering you, but you didn’t look bothered.’

  ‘I wasn’t.’

  He inclined his head in one tight, sharp movement, then turned and began to walk out.

  ‘Hey, wait.’ He stopped but didn’t turn around. ‘What did you come to my office for?’

  ‘Nothing important.’

  When he took another step forward, she hissed in frustration. ‘Stop acting like a jerk.’ She rose to her feet, causing him to finally turn and face her. ‘Damien came to let me know he’s pulled out of Privacy Protect.’

  Surprise shot across Ryan’s stubborn features, quickly followed by understanding. ‘Don’t tell me, he’s sorry he cheated on you, sorry he set up a rival company to ruin you. He realises what a dumb shit he’s been and now he wants you back.’

  It was so accurate, Sam could only nod.

  Ryan cursed crudely.

  ‘It doesn’t mean I believe him.’

  ‘Of course. What sane woman would?’

  ‘And I’m not just sane, I’m smart, remember?’ Except where you’re concerned. His expression eased slightly, and she squeezed his arm. ‘Come on, Ryan, forget him. Tell me what you came to say.’

  He sighed heavily, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. ‘I still haven’t fixed the screen freezes. It happens too randomly; I can’t find the cause.’

  If you want any help … Damien’s words bounced back at her. It would be like pouring petrol on a slow-burning fire, but time was running out. ‘Damien offered to help, if we needed it.’

  Ryan reared backwards, as if she’d smacked him hard around the face. ‘Tell him he can piss off. I don’t need his blasted help.’

  With that he stalked away, all burning anger and bruised male pride.

  Nobody was more surprised than her when Ryan appeared at her apartment later that evening.

  ‘I wasn’t expecting you,’ she told him as she opened the door.

  He huffed, eyes darting away from hers. ‘You can tell me to go.’

  How little he knew the hold he had over her. She opened the door wider and he took one step inside, then stopped. ‘I don’t want to talk about it, okay?’ She must have looked confused because he added. ‘You and Damien. Whatever’s going on. I don’t want to know.’

  Did it mean he didn’t care? Or that he cared too much? Taking a chance that it was the latter, she reached up to kiss him. ‘Fine,’ she whispered against his lips. ‘We won’t talk about the fact that nothing is going on between me and Damien.’

  He groaned, his whole body shuddering as he wrapped his arms around her. ‘I’m knackered.’

  She smiled against his chest. ‘Me too.’

  ‘Wanna go straight to bed?’

  Laughing, she peered up at him. ‘I bet you say that to all the girls.’

  He smiled, but there was a weariness to it, a sadness that tugged at her. ‘There’s no other girls, Sunshine Sam. Only you.’

  Chapter 34

  Sam shifted to snuggle into Ryan’s chest, limbs heavy in the way that only a blissful orgasm can achieve. They’d been doing this for ten days now. Working late, coming back to hers. Usually he stayed at the office an hour or two later than she did, leaving her to rattle around in her flat, feeling restless, guilty and frustrated with him. He was battling to make sure all the changes from the user testing were implemented, sure, but that wasn’t what was forcing him to work later and later, arriving on her doorstep increasingly more shattered.

  The bug was still in the programme, and he was too stubborn, and too proud, to ask for help.

  ‘Ryan?’

  ‘Yeah?’ He sounded half asleep, the soothing strokes of his hand up and down her back becoming slower and slower.

  ‘Have you made any more progress on the random screen freezes?’

  The hand stilled, and his body tensed. ‘No. But I will.’

  ‘I know.’ She inched up so she could look at him. ‘But will you find it in time?’

  When he turned his gaze away from her, eyes staring at the ceiling, her heart sank. If even he wasn’t convinced he’d do it, there really was only one solution. ‘You know we have to get this sorted, don’t you?’

  ‘I know,’ he replied heavily.

  ‘Should I ask Damien if he can come over tomorrow?’ Ryan sat up abruptly, almost pushing her off him in his haste to get out of the bed. With quick, jerky movements he dragged on his jeans. ‘Where are you going?’

  ‘Just … out.’ His abs rippled as he reached up to tug on his T-shirt on. Finally he looked at her, face haggard, dark eyes glittering. ‘I need some air.’

  As he strode out of the bedroom, Sam flopped back on the bed, annoyed, yet at the same time hurting for him. His ego was bruised, she could see that, but what was she supposed to do? Let the company fail because he was too proud to admit he needed help?

  It was half an hour later when he buzzed on the doorbell. Slipping on a robe, she went to answer it. ‘Feel any better?’

  He sighed, resting his arm against the door frame. ‘No?’

  She pulled him inside, leading him back to the bedroom. There she pushed him onto the bed and leant over him. ‘Now listen to me. Asking Damien to help us doesn’t mean you’ve failed. This version of the app is light years better than the original. Thanks to you.’

  ‘The changes were your idea.’

  Sam held his face, making him look into her eyes. ‘You made them a reality.’

  He hesitated, his dark eyes holding a hint of worry now, along with the frustration. ‘Are you sure you can trust him? He’s betrayed you before.’

  ‘I know.’ Damien had lied to her face, gone behind her back to cheat on her both professionally, via Alice, and personally. ‘Honestly, I can’t say for certain. My judgement isn’t what it was. All I know is he has sold his shares; I saw the press clippings. And you’ll be watching him every step of the way.’

  Ryan closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling as he heaved out a sigh. ‘I frigging hate feeling like this.’

  ‘Like what?’

  Slowly he opened his eyes again. ‘Like I failed you.’

  Oh, man. Her heart crumpled painfully in her chest. ‘God, Ryan, you haven’t failed me. You haven’t failed at all. If we had longer, you’d fix it, but we don’t, so we need a fresh pair of eyes on the job. That’s all.’

  He nodded, but she sensed it was just to shut her up.

  ‘Are you staying the night?’

  ‘Are you chucking me out?’

  ‘You know I’m not.’ Shifting off him, she climbed into bed and pulled back the duvet. ‘Now get in here and go to sleep. You’re shattered, and tomorrow is another long day.’

  She watched as he pulled off his jeans and T-shirt, his movements weary. He felt like this because of her, because he wanted to help. Once he’d climbed in beside her, she reached for him, kissing him softly. ‘One more thing.’ He eyed her warily and she smiled. ‘Why don’t you bring a change of clothes with you tomorrow so we can have breakfast and get ready together in the morning, like a normal couple.’

  ‘Normal couple,’ he repeated. ‘Is that what we are?’

  She couldn’t read his expression. Was he questioning it because they were dating in secret? Or because as well as dating her, he worked for her? And why did either of those things matter, if what they felt for each other was real? ‘I’d like to think we are, yes.’

  Though she didn’t expect a reply, it still hurt when he didn’t say anything. Yet when he curled his big body around her, hugging her as if he never wanted to let her go, she wondered if maybe he had replied, in his own way.

  Ryan knew he had to put up with Damien sitting at his desk, rifling through his code, but he was damned if he was going to let the bastard poke his nose around all the workings of the new app. So he spent the first hour before Damien’s arriva
l making sure the guy only had access to snapshots of Privacy 2.

  The realisation caused Damien’s first frown of the morning. In reply, Ryan raised an eyebrow – his version of an up yours, dickhead.

  Their working relationship didn’t get any better, though Ryan had to concede, most of the angst was on his side. It wasn’t just that he felt a failure, the pretender to the crown, left to watch uselessly as the real genius sorted out his mess. No, sitting next to Damien caused every one of his insecurities to rear up and laugh sarcastically down at him. This guy was better looking – if you liked smooth, with an unbroken nose. Better dressed – although, come on, what muppet wears a tailored suit to sort out a programming error? Better qualified – that cut deep. Not as deep as the knowledge that the man was far more Sam’s type than he’d ever be.

  Yet he’d cheated on her, something Ryan knew he’d never do. Not in a million years.

  ‘You want a drink?’

  Damien looked startled by the admittedly abrupt question. ‘Thanks. I’ll take a white coffee. Number three on the machine, if I remember correctly.’

  Yeah, Ryan knew exactly what that little remark was all about. Damien’s snide reminder this had once been his stomping ground.

  Ryan muttered to himself as he shoved the cup under the machine and jammed his finger on the buttons.

  ‘Ouch.’ Lucas appeared at his side. ‘What has that poor machine done to upset you?’

  ‘Nothing. Yet.’ Ryan slid the cup out and put the next one in more carefully, making a conscious effort to unclench his muscles.

  ‘Then it must be our visitor that has you all tense and quivery.’

  ‘Quivery?’

  ‘Sure.’ Lucas was totally unfazed by the glare Ryan was giving him. ‘You’re trembling like a newborn lamb.’

  ‘For Christ’s sake. Do not compare me to a frigging lamb.’ He yanked the other cup out, slopping half the contents in the drip tray. ‘Sod it.’ Lucas tutted and slowly removed the cup from his fingers before dumping the contents into the nearby sink. ‘Hey, that’s my drink.’

  ‘Watch the master.’ Lucas proceeded to gently press the button, then carefully remove the full mug, placing it next to the other one on the worktop. ‘Now, tell Lucas why you’re letting Douchebag Damien get you all riled up.’