His chest rose and fell, exhale filling the room. “Me too. Are you coming back to Salt Lake after your contract is up?”
She bit the inside of her cheek. “Until now I hadn’t planned on it.” She’d considered it, but shot the idea down as insanity so many times she’d learned to ignore it before it even became a fully-formed thought.
“You won’t cut me off though, right?” There was a trace of hesitation in his question she didn’t think she’d ever heard before. “We’ll still do this long distance?”
She nodded against his skin. “Absolutely.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Nervous energy thrummed through Zach. His foot tapped against the concrete and he checked his watch again.
Chloe hopped onto a nearby stool, feet swinging back and forth. “That doesn't make the time go any faster, you know.”
“I know.” As much as he was grateful to have her assistance, he couldn’t help wishing Rae were there instead. And he had no idea how Chloe was so calm.
Scott sat on a second stool behind the one of the tall tables they'd set their demo stations up on. He stretched and popped his neck. His shirt matched Chloe's. White, obnoxious logo stretched across the front, but about three sizes bigger. “You know it's too late to worry, right? I mean, it either goes well now or it doesn't? Besides, it's not like anyone's going to be this far back the room when the doors open.”
“You're not helping.” Zach couldn’t keep his expression stern long enough for it to make an impact. His clothing matched theirs. He couldn't believe they had talked him into the casual outfits. It was an industry affair. He should be in a suit and tie. He should be mingling. He should be headlining the large Cord/DM booth positioned directly in front of the entrance to the exhibitors’ hall instead of hidden in a corner like a nobody.
That was a bad road to go down. He was over that need. He had moved past it. But part of him still remembered the attention they'd drawn two years before. The memory brought back another, more bitter one: Kelly turning down his marriage proposal in front of thousands during their game launch. On second thought, he was definitely better off tucked out of sight with his friends.
Chloe moved from one demo station to the next, loading up the game on each. “We'll be fine. Amazing even. You have a good team.”
Scott cleared his throat. “And they’re so modest, too.”
She glanced over her shoulder, but didn't stop working. “I learned it from the best.”
Scott laughed. “Flattery still doesn’t equal raises.”
She turned back to Zach. “That’s not what you told me.”
Zach shook his head, the banter pushing aside some of his tension. “Bullshit it’s not.”
“Pst.” A stage whisper interrupted.
The four of them spun in unison.
Jordan — the one person they’d lost to Digital Media — stood at the edge of the booth, DM button-down tucked into beige slacks. “Hey, guys.”
“Hey, traitor.” Chloe winked at him. She stepped forward and straightened his collar. “You look like a proper corporate tool.”
Jordan rolled his eyes and raked his fingers through his hair. He grabbed his crotch. “I've got your corporate tool right here. What you have is amazing, right?”
Scott tossed him a shrink-wrapped demo disc. “Like you haven't seen it already. Had to get some old-school hack to build the engine.”
Jordan snagged the square out of the air. He studied the package, smirking. “I'm sure you did fine. You even rocked the artwork. And the logo.” His gaze fell to Chloe's chest. “Definitely rocked the logo.”
She cleared her throat and snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Are you allowed to be over here?”
Jordan smirked and took a step forward. He whispered something in her ear.
Chloe snorted with laughter. “Still looking forward to it.”
He nodded. “You didn't tell, right?”
“Of course not.” She giggled.
He handed her the demo disc. “I've got a copy on my laptop. I probably shouldn't let them see me with it.”
Zach sighed, not surprised. Even when Jordan hadn't had friends on the inside, back before they’d hired him, he hadn't had a problem getting his hands on pre-release demos of their games. He watched the developer disappear before asking, “What are you two up to?”
Chloe didn't look at him, hands shoved in her pockets. “I'm not allowed to tell. Don't worry, it's not bad.”
“Not reassuring.” Scott's comment echoed Zach's sentiments. “It's ten, by the way. Doors are opening.”
The earlier nervousness returned, pulsing through Zach's veins and sitting heavy in his stomach. He pasted a smile on and paced to the edge of the booth, watching the media and attendees spill into the exhibit hall.
And they waited. The minutes turned into hours. The occasional person came by and grabbed a demo disc off the stack, but didn't make eye-contact with any of them.
Chloe sighed and leaned back against a nearby table, hands shoved in her pockets. “How much longer 'til the courtesy suites open?”
Zach rolled his eyes. “One, no courtesy suites. Rae will kill me if I let you get drunk. And two, it's barely noon.”
Maybe mentioning Rae had been a bad idea. A whisper of longing floated through him. It didn’t feel right she wasn’t there. Even if he didn’t miss her so much, she’d earned it as much as any of them.
Chloe scrunched up her face. “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt me.”
“Excuse me.” A smooth tenor interrupted the light-hearted exchange. “I’m looking for a Scott McAllister or a Zach Johnston?”
Zach started to correct the older gentleman out of habit. Except he’d gotten Zach’s last name right. Nice change. He extended his hand. “I’m Zach.” And nodded to his left. “This is Scott.”
“Gentlemen.” The new arrival was about the same build as Zach, wearing a tailored suit — silk probably — complete with cuff links and topped off with a leather briefcase. He shook everyone’s hands. “Grant Lent. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Zach’s smile froze. That had never meant good things. And why did that name sound familiar? “I’d like to say the same.”
Grant gave a deep chuckle. “Don’t worry, all of it was good. Do the two of you have a moment?”
“Sure. Step into our private office.” Sarcasm traced Scott’s reply and he nodded to the empty space behind the wall of their booth.
If the tone bothered Grant, it didn’t show. His wide smile never wavered. “Fantastic. I won’t take you away for long.” The three of them crossed the short distance to out of sight. “I hear you have fantastic things on the horizon.”
Zach bit back the question on the tip of his tongue.
Scott didn’t. “Who told you that?”
Zach wanted to be bothered by the blunt approach, but at least it might mean an answer.
Grant shook his head. “The word is out, here and there. Thing is, I like what I’ve seen, and I’m impressed with what you’ve done with so little.” He pulled a card from his shirt pocket and handed it to Zach. “And I want in on the ground floor.”
No way. That’s why Zach knew the name. Grant owned one of the largest private investment groups in the country. He pocketed the card. Damn it he didn’t want to say this, but continuing the conversation would be a mistake.
“I’m sorry.” Scott spoke up first. “We’re not looking for funding. Whatever you heard must be skewed.”
Zach bit the inside of his cheek. He might not have been able to turn it down so easily. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or bad.
Grant didn’t flinch. “Completely understand. If anything changes in the future, hold onto my card.”
This was too easy. This man was amicable, polite, and hadn’t once talked down to them. Zach was starting to feel comfortable around him, and that made him nervous.
“Humor me, though,” Grant said. “If we’re not talking money, pretend I’m like an
yone else you’ll meet today. My grandson loves these games. Tell me why he should play yours.”
“Because it’s awesomely unlike anything out there.” Scott didn’t miss a beat.
Zach shrugged. “Not how I would have put it, but pretty much.”
As the conversation shifted from one topic to another, Zach realized he and Scott were both getting along splendidly with Grant. It was the first time he could remember at one of these shows where he’d actually enjoyed a conversation with a suit instead of just chiseling on a smile to make it through the day. It felt good.
“Sorry to interrupt.” Chloe poked her head around the corner. “But we’re kind of slammed out here. You know, if you’ve got a minute or two?”
“I’ll let you go.” Grant shook their hands again, already stepping away. “My grandson will be thrilled to know I met you and you aren’t assholes.”
Zach couldn’t help but laugh at the parting words. His smile was still genuine as they rounded the corner. And then he paused, eyes growing wide. Chloe hadn’t been kidding. Every single demo station was filled, and lines were forming. She was fielding questions left and right.
Two more guys approached, demo discs in hand.
“Hey, she was right.” The skinny one took his place in one of the demo lines.
“You guys really helped write the original Legion?” The larger one asked Chloe.
“Helped, yeah.” Scott's response was flat. He didn't have time to get into it as a girl approached. And then a group of three. And then someone wearing a press pass for an online review site.
They spent the next half hour answering questions, giving demos, and making small talk with the sudden onset of people. Zach engaged a couple of visitors in conversation and managed to learn, “the flirty girl Rinslet gave the shirt to was talking them up and handing out discs.”
He grabbed Chloe. “You’ve been here the whole time, right?”
Chloe stared back, mouth twisted, brows raised.
“Right. I know.” Of course she had. Zach shook his head. “Then who are they talking about? Who else has one of our shirts?”
Chloe turned away from his gaze, toes tracing a line on the ground. “I might have given one to Jordan. He is kind of pretty.”
A whisper echoed in the back of his head. He shoved it aside. Even pretending for a second Rae was there would get him in trouble. Still, what was Chloe keeping from him? He grabbed Scott's attention away from a blogger asking intense questions about their coding methodology. “Hey, I'm gonna go find us some lunch. Will you be okay for a few minutes?”
Scott pursed his lips. “Five tops.”
“I promise.” Zach extracted himself from the crowd. They needed to eat, but food was just an excuse. Too much was happening. He needed to walk away, clear his head, and convince the nagging part of his brain that wouldn’t shut up that Rae was nowhere in the building.
Seven minutes later, over-priced hot dogs and drinks in hand, he returned to the finally ebbing flow of interest. Of course he hadn’t seen her. Because she wasn’t there. So why wouldn’t the hopeful and suspicious part of his brain shut up?
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Zach slid into the back of the auditorium next to his friends. He didn't want to be there. He wanted to be as far away as possible. The thought made his feet twitch and he tapped his toes on the ground to keep from indulging the compulsion. He would have settled for drinking in the hotel bar, but Chloe had insisted they needed to go. She said it would give them closure.
The same sick feeling churned in his gut that had been there two years ago. Except then it had been because he was planning to propose to Kelly to launch their new game. This time it was because someone else was launching their game and their names wouldn't be anywhere on it.
“Hold still,” Scott hissed.
Zach knew he was in trouble if that was coming from Scott. Zach clamped his jaw shut and folded his arms. He leaned against the back wall, hiding in the shadows and trying to calm down. It didn't help.
Chloe stood a few feet from both of them, feet shuffling back and forth. “It'll be fine.”
“How can you promise that?” Scott asked.
“Because I'm not the one with bad memories attached to that stage.” She nodded toward the front of the room.
That wasn't helpful.
Jordan stepped on the stage, and the audience erupted in cheers.
“DM let him do this?” Scott was surprised.
“He's their rebel poster-boy,” Zach replied, voice low. Something about this felt wrong. It was just his imagination, right? Bad memories were making him paranoid. “Of course they did.”
“Good evening, Los Angeles.” Jordan's voice carried through the crowd. “I hear you're here to see something epic.”
More applause rolled through the room, punctuated with a few yells and whistles.
Zach's gut sank further. The whole thing was too familiar. Even the working of the crowd was almost identical to two years ago.
Chloe moved further away. “Try not to throw up before this is all over.”
That wasn't helpful either.
“You're going to have to wait just a little longer,” Jordan continued.
“What the hell?” Scott straightened up, echoing Zach's thoughts.
A hush fell over the audience.
“There's a special young lady in the audience this evening.” Jordan stepped away from the podium.
The speech wasn't just similar to two years ago; it was identical to Zach's.
“What the fuck is he doing?” Scott looked at Zach.
Zach frowned. “No clue.”
Chloe was gone, vanished out a side door without another comment.
“Chloe, sweetheart, are you out there?” Jordan called into the dark auditorium.
Scott coughed.
“What?” Zach asked. They couldn’t be.
Except a familiar head of black hair had emerged from the audience and was walking toward the stage.
Jordan kept talking. “You have to understand, this woman is amazing. She's the reason I can wake up in the morning, and the reason I can do what I'm doing today.”
Zach was going to be ill. He knew it. This wasn't funny. He could tell from Scott's expression he was in agreement. Murmurs spread across the crowds as others started to draw the same connection to what was happening.
Chloe stepped onto the stage and Jordan walked to meet her. He took her hand and led her into the spotlight. Coming to a stop, he kissed her on the cheek. He dropped to one knee and the quiet roar in the audience increased several decibels. He kept going. “Chloe, you've been a constant source of light in my life since I met you. You've shown me opportunities I never imagined existed.”
Zach wanted to turn away, but his gaze was fixed on the stage. Morbid fascination threatened to make him lose his lunch.
“I know this is sudden, but I was wondering, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Fuck me,” Scott muttered. “I'm going to kill him with my own hands. I don't care if the entire internet sees it.”
Zach placed a restraining hand on his arm, not trusting himself to speak.
Chloe shook her head and pulled away. “I don't think so. I mean, really. Who wants to be married to a game programmer?”
And Zach's gut sank further. The déjà vu was painful. The success of the last forty-eight hours was evaporating.
But where Kelly's no had stopped there, Chloe’s didn't. “I mean one that works for Digital Media, anyway. Eww. Is it true they pay you monkeys in bananas?”
Scott's eyes grew wide. “Did she just...really?”
Zach snorted. This was going to cause them so much trouble. There was no way anyone would believe they hadn’t set the whole thing up. And it was so funny to watch he didn’t know if he cared.
Jordan sniffled into the microphone, expression flat. “Peanuts actually.”
Chloe pulled him to his feet and stepped closer, draping her arms around his ne
ck. “I can make you a better offer.”
Something caught Zach's attention, and he realized the media reps for DM were standing off stage, fighting desperately to get Jordan's attention. Cameras turned toward the new commotion.
Jordan smirked and leaned into her. “Really? Better than peanuts?”
She leaned forward, whispering right next to his mike. “Ditch the losers and I’m all yours.”
Jordan stepped away, grinning.
The media reps had given up trying to catch his attention and were converging on the center stage.
Zach felt relief wash over him. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Scott was laughing. “Oh my hell. He's going to get in so much trouble. I can't believe he put her up to this.”
Someone grabbed Jordan’s arm at the same time as another person took hold of Chloe. Vance stepped up to the mike, laughing nervously. The lights exaggerated the sweat dripping down his red face. “Very clever. Thank you, Jordan. Who wants to see our new game?”
The crowd wasn't listening. Attention was focused on the scuffle off-stage. Jordan's microphone was gone so no sound filtered through the room, but he was gesturing wildly to the cronies accosting him. He yanked away from the one holding his arm and grabbed Chloe's hand. He said something else and tugged her toward the back exit.
Scott nudged Zach with his shoulder. “We should probably make ourselves scarce, no?”
Be furious or laugh? Zach wasn’t sure which he wanted to do first. “We should take care of our people. You find them and keep them off the radar for a few hours. Take the two of them and lock them in your room if you have to.”
He stopped short of reaching for his smokes. That would have to wait. “I’m going to get a hold of marketing, see if we need to do damage control and how much, and put legal on standby. Don’t let them make it worse.”
“Got it.” Scott was gone, head ducked and phone out, tapping on the screen as he walked.
Zach took off in a different direction, looking for a quiet corner to start making phone calls. His phone vibrated in his pocket. Vance. Great. That voice mail could wait. This was insane. How were they going to convince the press, or even better, any irritated lawyers, they hadn’t known about this? He needed to get his people ready for damage control, depending on how the entire thing spun.
Holding Her Close (Bits and Bytes, Book 0) (Bits & Bytes) Page 16
