Her Airman

by Allyson Lindt

  Zane crossed his arms. “It never works out. You destroyed that friendship a long time ago, and you keep trying with him. When you and Archer are together, he’s this controlling, possessive jackass, and you keep going back to him anyway. It doesn’t bother me that you’re looking for something special, but you keep investing so much in these fucking losers. They’re not right for you—it’s obvious—and you still dive into it. It always ends with both of you miserable, and it wouldn’t have to be that way if you recognized it from the start.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t realize you thought so little of me. So... what? This friendship is your version of pity for the girl who can’t make up her mind because she’s delusional about finding her Prince Charming? Or maybe you’d prefer I ran my choices by you first.”

  “That’s not what I meant. I’m just saying you’re too good for these guys. The same way I tell you every time you end up with another doorknob.”

  “Really?” She couldn’t keep the hurt coursing through her from leaking into her reply. “Because it sounded like you were accusing me of being a heartless devourer of souls.”

  “You’re being melodramatic.”

  “You’re being a jerk.” This was all wrong. It wasn’t supposed to go this way. Six years apart, and they’d kept in touch... until two years ago. They’d remained friends while he had a psychotic fiancée. Now they’d been back together for less than an hour, and it was tearing them apart.

  “Riley.” He reached for her, but she pulled away. His frown deepened. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

  “Drop it. Don’t make this worse.”

  “Please?” He grabbed her hand, holding her fingers between his. “You’re this amazing, beautiful soul, and I get it—you see good in people who don’t deserve it. It gets painful to watch sometimes.”

  That’s what she got for dissecting her relationships with him online. A tiny voice whispered she was overreacting, and most of her agreed. That didn’t stop Zane’s words from digging deep, echoing with her own fears and insecurities. She swallowed it all, leaving a lingering bitter taste in her mouth. “I don’t mean to do that to you. Dinner?”

  “Yeah. All right.”

  The foot between them as they walked to his truck felt wider than the thousands of miles that had been there a week ago. Riley wanted to see this from his perspective. Most of her failed relationships were meh at best, but she wouldn’t have known that if she’d walked away without giving them a chance.

  Zane, though. If they could get past whatever this was, things could go back to right. She wouldn’t let her mistakes bleed over into their friendship.

  Chapter Three

  Zane didn’t know what to focus on first as he parked his truck on the street in front of the remodeled Victorian. Frustration? Hurt? Annoyance? Dinner conversation was stilted, and the meal had barely started before he and Riley both made their excuses to get back.

  He never had to watch what he said around Riley before, but apparently things were different now.

  He made his way up the sloping lawn to the storefront. Archer had inherited the house in The Aves from his grandmother. It had taken a lot of petitioning to get the city to license the project, but Archer finally got the permits to turn the main floor into a comic-book shop. The top floor was Archer’s pad, and he’d converted the middle floor into two apartments, one of which was Zane’s until he found a new source of income.

  Work. The single word added another layer of dread to his dark mood and made his phone feel heavier in his pocket, weighing down his thoughts with the ignored text from Sabrina. A job offer.

  Zane pushed into the store and snarled at the chime that echoed through the open room. He made his way past rows of wooden backlog cases and metal shelves full of toys and the latest comic editions. He slid onto an empty stool, behind the glass counter, and waited, jaw clenched.

  Archer was arguing with a brunette about whether or not the DC Comics reboot was a bad thing for the franchise. The words sounded like an argument anyway. Their smiles said it was anything but. She looked familiar. One of the five billion people Zane had met in the last day or so. Victoria, maybe?

  “Your friend needs you more than I do.” She gave Zane a smile. “His scowl will drive off customers.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Right.” She pushed a dress wrapped in a dry-cleaning bag toward Archer. “I’ll be back later.”

  As she left, Zane leaned against a shelf. “She’s cute.”

  Archer hung the dress—it looked like a Renaissance recreation made of velvet—on a nearby rack. “She’s not Riley.”

  Fuck. There was the conversation opener he needed. “That’s the point.”

  “I take it you didn’t get a happy reunion.” Archer turned, using the counter to mirror Zane’s posture.

  “Did you possibly forget to mention something?”

  “I wouldn’t say I forgot. As far as I know, she hasn’t told anyone else. What makes you special?” Archer sighed. “Never mind. Forgot who I was talking to.”

  Zane rubbed his face. “What in the entire history of anything that has ever happened between the two of you made you think proposing was a good idea?”

  “You vanished, and things between Riley and me were going better than before. I know she’s got this vision of happily ever after. I figured maybe a ring was what was missing from the equation.”

  “Except the one thing that hasn’t changed is she keeps dumping you.”

  “Yeah—well—I get it now, but that’s not why you’re pissed.” Archer turned away at the sound of a chime, focusing his attention on the two teenagers who came in.

  “Apparently more changed than I thought.” Zane didn’t want another fight.

  “After all the time the two of you spent verbally jerking each other off, I’d figure things would be perfect between you.” Sarcasm hung heavy in Archer’s voice. “Or did one of you think that wouldn’t change anything?”

  Betrayal rocked inside Zane. “She told you about that?” So much for keeping it between them. What he and Riley had done was no-strings stress relief, but he hadn’t expected her to think so little of it—and his friendship with Archer—that she’d... No.

  Archer twisted his mouth. “Jen might have accidentally stumbled on an e-mail or two, when she was looking for something on Riley’s laptop.”

  “You let your sister go through Riley’s email?” Zane kept his disgusted tone low. Even if half their friends already knew, no reason to let the teenagers in the back of the store in on it, too. “And you wonder why the two of you never work out.”

  “You know what’s made my life a whole lot happier?” Archer adjusted his position when the two teens disappeared behind one of the shelves. “Realizing Riley’s all talk. She may be entertaining to hang out with, but she doesn’t know what she wants out of life or the people around her, except that she wants it all to conform to her fantasy utopia.”

  Anger rushed through Zane. Archer had betrayed her trust, and was insulting her now? Is he doing any worse than you did earlier? Zane bristled at his mental question. “Really? You’re blaming her for your inability to move on?”

  “I’ve moved on.” Archer tensed when the teenagers headed back toward the exit, one of them carrying a box with a bikini-clad figurine in it. “It’s funny how, for someone who doesn’t take sides, you always jump to her defense.”

  “Whatever.” Zane pushed off the stool. A tiny part of him hoped the boys would bolt with the toy. Give him a justified confrontation. He couldn’t ignore his disappointment when they set it on a shelf near the front door, before leaving.

  The two kids paused halfway out, and turned to watch the woman walking in. If she noticed, she never flinched. She looked at Archer and grinned.

  She was cute. Pixie-like face framed by short, dark hair that had a bright red streak running through it.

  “Hey.” Archer returned turned the smile. “How much of your stash do you want this week?” He
let a lot of people pre-order things like special editions, but was generous about holding them until customers could pay. He had boxes under the counter and in the back room of comics and toys waiting for their unofficial layaway to end.

  She stopped in front of the counter, and her gaze flicked to Zane, then a second time and her attention lingered. “I’ll take it all.”

  “Does this mean you got the job? Am I wishing you farewell and best of luck?” Archer pulled a plastic bin from under the counter that held several books, and almost as many pieces of merchandise—a blanket, a T-shirt, a hat.

  She glanced at each piece, but kept returning to look at Zane after. “Yes, and no. Atlanta wasn’t in the stars for me, but I got my second choice and I’m staying here.”

  “Bummer, about Georgia. I know you really wanted the Skriddie position,” Archer rang all the items up, and set them back in their crate.

  Skriddie? Odd name for a company.

  Mikki clacked a barbell tongue piercing against her teeth. Her boyfriend—girlfriend?—probably loved that. “Yeah, but nah. At least this way I don’t have to find a new comic shop.”

  She handed Archer her credit card. Or tried to. She was watching Zane so closely, she jammed it into the register instead. She pulled back with a giggle, and adjusted her trajectory.

  Archer shook his head. “Mikki, this is—”

  “Zane Petrov,” she said, extending her hand. “AKA, The Taurus. I’m such a huge fan.”

  “I have fans?” Zane didn’t know how to react to that. Especially when she addressed him by a screen name he didn’t really brag about. Not these days, anyway.

  Archer chuckled. “Mikki has an elite and unique list. Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, Jared Tippins...”

  Zane raised an eyebrow. How’d he make a list of tech’s most notorious? “How do I hook up prospective employers with this passion of yours for... my work? What is it you think I did?” Since all of it was supposed to be classified. And none of it had been as The Taurus. His teenage hacking activities had landed him on one too many government watchlists, and he’d ditched the identity when he enlisted.

  Mikki clacked her piercing against the top of her teeth. “Hacked Cord’s servers. Released their game ahead of schedule. You’re a legend.”

  “I don’t exactly make that information public.” Not that he could ignore the flush of pride that came from someone knowing. He’d done it in high school. To prove he could. It had been bragging rights when he was a teenager.

  And impressed the fuck out of Riley. Her name flitted inside with ambivalence. They needed to find their center again.

  “Like Archer said, I’m weird.” Mikki ducked her head. When she looked up again, excitement shone in her eyes. “How’d you do it? Forced SQL injection string? Pulsing DDOS?”

  “What is it you do?” Zane asked.

  “Ethical hacking, for NetSafe Systems.”

  Zane wouldn’t mind getting in on a job like that. “Drop my name?”

  “Are you serious?” Mikki’s eyes grew wide. “Yeah, of course. Oh my god, that would be amazing to work with you. Give me your number.”

  Zane scribbled his information down on a scrap of paper.

  “I’m still new.” She tucked his phone number into a small pocket on her purse. “Duh. You probably guessed that. I don’t have a lot of pull, but I’ll tell my boss. Because seriously. Wow. You’re just... I meant it, how did you do the Cord thing?”

  Given her job, it probably wasn’t impressive, but it had been top notch a decade ago. “I hopped a series of paths until I found the directory with the install files, and used a randomizer to guess the password. Network security wasn’t the same back then.”

  “I want details. All the details.” She glanced at her watch, and sighed. “But later.” She grabbed one of Archer’s business cards, scrawled on it, and handed it to Zane. “In case you want to follow the job stuff. Or go sing karaoke with me sometime, or get a drink... Whatever.”

  “Thanks.” Zane stuffed her phone number into his wallet.

  She grabbed her purchase, said her goodbyes, and was on her way.

  “She’s cute, right?” Archer asked when she was gone.

  “Adorable. High energy. Seems smart.” She’s not Riley.

  “Are you going to call her?”

  Zane paused. He was on the other side of the conversation he’d just had with Archer about Victoria. What was going on in his head? “I don’t know. Maybe.” But he wouldn’t. Not like that.

  “I’m gonna cut out for a while.” Zane pushed away from the counter and headed upstairs. How badly did he fuck up tonight with Riley?

  Chapter Four

  Riley sank back in her chair. She’d been staying in her sister’s condo for months, but it still didn’t feel like home. It didn’t help that most of the furniture was Kenzie’s, and a lot of it was more for show than comfort. She squirmed on the wooden seat. Maybe it was time to get some better cushions for the Ethan Allen dining set.

  She was trying to get some sketching done. It usually helped her relax, but now she couldn’t focus. Every few seconds, she glanced at her phone. Zane had texted her a few times since their awkward reunion two nights ago. Generic how are you, and job interview, wish me luck stuff. Her replies were just as terse and empty. She wasn’t sure what to say.

  He’d only been back a few days, and they’d destroyed a lifetime of friendship. Or he was right about her being melodramatic.

  She took a deep breath, to steady her shaking hand.

  What do we need to do to move past the other night?

  She set the phone back on the table and stared at it, willing it to give her good news. Still, she was startled when it vibrated against the polished oak a few seconds later, sending a loud hum through the condo.

  I was a jackass. Give me another chance?

  A whisper of relief trickled through her. Always :-)

  I’m coming over.

  She grinned. She wasn’t sure how these few words felt more meaningful than every other note they’d passed in the last few days, but she wouldn’t argue. She’d tease him a little, though. She replied, You’re assuming a lot.

  Yup. Give me fifteen minutes.

  Already feeling infinitely better, she turned her attention back to her sketching. With the looming cloud of frustration gone, she sank into the lines and figures as they met and blended and became recognizable shapes.

  When a knock rattled through the apartment, she jumped. She laughed at the empty room and pushed her sketchbook aside. She was on her feet in an instant to yank open the front door.

  Zane stood on the other side, raking his fingers over his short black hair. He gave her a hopeful smile. “So I can bask in your presence again?”

  Once upon a time, Zane’s combination of self-effacing jokes and pretending to put her on a pedestal made her uneasy. She learned it was just words, though. His way of keeping things light.

  “I suppose.” She intertwined her fingers with his and tugged him toward the kitchen table. A warm tingle spread through her at the contact, and she let the touch linger longer than needed.

  He dropped her hand the moment she loosened her grip. She bit back a frown. He’d never been as physical as her, but he’d also never pulled away from her before.

  No big deal. They needed to find their comfort zone again. “Are you free for a few hours? You can stay and help me plot and just hang out.”

  “Sounds fantastic.”

  “Good, you can cheer me up.” She flopped into her chair, relieved when he took the seat next to her instead of across the table. She winked.

  “Are you okay? What happened?”

  Apparently, she needed to tease harder. True, a random person would stare at her blankly for most of her incomplete comments. Things were different with Zane. Or at least, before he left, he would have gotten her. “I'm not seeing eye to eye with my best friend.”

  “We’ll get there.” A faint hesitation cut through his words.

&nb
sp; Instead of overanalyzing the situation, she pushed her sketchpad toward him. “What do you think?”

  He turned the pages. “I’d forgotten how amazing you are at this. I mean, I’ve always known you were good, but your talent still floors me.”

  “It’s only a rough outline.” Heat flooded her cheeks, and she ducked her head, even though he wasn’t watching her.

  “That makes it more amazing. Is this... This isn’t me, is it?”

  She followed his finger. “Technically, yes. I’m using photos of you to create him.”

  “You’re sure?”

  Had she done something wrong? Had the compliments been lip-service? “Why?”

  “He’s blond.”

  She rolled her eyes and tugged the sketchbook away. “It’s not supposed to literally be you. You’re just a point of reference.” She liked to keep fantasy Zane all for herself. The one on the page had to be different.

  He tilted his head, still studying the image, though it wasn’t in front of him anymore. “You made him all wiry. Like skinny but muscular. How is that even possible?”

  It was an exaggeration, based on the art style, but the form was one thing she knew she had right. She watched Zane, not successfully hiding her amusement.

  He finally met her gaze. He finally looked up. “What?”

  She made a show of raking her gaze over his defined chest and sturdy arms. His martial-arts training kept him in shape before he left, but his time in the Air Force had honed his form more. Too bad asking for nude shots—strictly for reference purposes, of course—wouldn’t be appropriate. “You tell me. How do you pull it off?”

  “Is this the one you’re going to sell? Or is this for your portfolio, to get that teaching job? Both?”

  Her amusement wavered, uncertainty sinking back in. Times like this she wished she’d never mentioned she wanted to do something professional with her art. It was a nice fantasy, but he’d grabbed the idea and clung to it, reminding her whenever he could that she needed to do it. It was the big reason he’d agreed to model for her. She suspected his reminders would become more frequent now he was back.