Someone Like You

by Karen Rock

  Niall raised an eyebrow at the business name, wondering at its significance, before his mind snagged on something more riveting.

  “But I spoke with someone last week,” Kayleigh said, a hand smoothing the wisps of hair falling out of her bun. “And I apologize for being late, but a delivery truck blocked traffic so I had to leave my cab and run the rest of the way.”

  “Did you call Mr. Carlton ‘Major’?” Niall asked, joining them in three anxious strides and interrupting whatever the irritated receptionist had been about to say.

  The woman peered up at him, her face softer than it’d been with Kayleigh. “Yes. Sometimes I slip up and call him that. He just got back from his army reserves tour in Afghanistan.”

  The information banded around his chest and made it hard to breathe. “And was he stationed in Kunar?”

  Her eyes widened, and Kayleigh looked at him sharply. “Yes. Do you know him?”

  “I was a signal combat officer in Kunar.” As much as he hated bringing it up, if it got them beyond that closed door, he’d do what it took—for Kayleigh’s sake.

  “I see,” said the secretary primly, her face relaxing into friendlier lines. “Did you serve with him?”

  “No,” he forced himself to say as he willed back thoughts of that time. “But he’d be disappointed if he knew a fellow officer, Lieutenant Walsh, had been turned away at his office.” Or at least, he guessed so. Either way, it was an excuse to get the receptionist to bend her rules. If it weren’t for Kayleigh, however, he’d rather see anyone else. The ghosts of wartime past assailed him at every turn.

  The secretary’s eyes grew round. “Hold on. I’ll call him.”

  Kayleigh’s gentle tug steered him away from the hushed phone conversation. Her eyes were as dark as slate and wide with concern. “Did you meet him before—ah—” She gave his left leg a fleeting look, then her eyes flicked up again, as fast as quicksilver. “Before you were discharged?”

  He shook his head, mute, a stillness in his body and a terrible silence clenched between his teeth. Memories slashed through him, so clean and sharp he had to be careful not to cut himself. Reflexively, he drew away from them the way he would have pulled back from a fire, but they trailed him anyway.

  He’d been another man then, sure of his mission, himself, his life. Now he wasn’t certain about anything except that he wanted out of here. Giving Kayleigh’s partnership idea a try was a mistake. He worked from home to avoid these kinds of encounters that brought back his past.

  Kayleigh steered him to a fichus tree and lowered her voice, her gentle, determined tone a portrait of her soul.

  “Why don’t you go? If the receptionist lets me in, I’ll handle the meeting on my own and call you with the rundown later.” She twisted a small gold watch, the band narrow on her delicate wrist. “Or I’ll email you, if that’s better. Okay?”

  Her tender voice moved through the deep places in his chest when she spoke. Something in her decision not to push him, to put his needs ahead of hers, affected him. No man left behind. Conviction tightened within like a cold fist. He straightened his back and set his jaw. He’d see this through.

  Before he could answer her, a door opened behind them and a voice boomed.

  “Lieutenant Walsh! My secretary just let me know a fellow veteran was here. Sorry for the wait.”

  Niall turned, his body growing numb. It felt as though he were trying to think through syrup. His prosthetic dragged on the industrial carpet, and Kayleigh’s hand gripped his, steadying him before she discreetly let go, her angled body shielding the momentary awkwardness. He advanced toward the man and extended a hand that was caught in a firm shake.

  “Always happy to meet a brother in arms.” Major Carlton clapped him on the elbow with his other hand before letting go. Niall studied the tall man, whose clipped, salt-and-pepper hair and sharp, ice-blue eyes commanded as much attention when he was in a suit as they must have when he wore a uniform. The major’s smile revealed large ivory teeth.

  Niall forced himself to return the grin and relax the tension that made every tendon strain and stretch. His time in Kunar flashed in his mind’s eye, Chris’s loss punching holes in his guarded mask.

  “We appreciate your time, sir.” He gestured to Kayleigh, who stepped up beside him, her shoulder touching his. “And this is my business partner, Kayleigh Renshaw. There’s some confusion about our appointment, and we’d be grateful for a few minutes of your time.”

  “Of course. And pleased to meet you, little lady.” He thrust out a hand to Kayleigh, then dropped it after a perfunctory shake. He turned and beamed at Niall, not seeing, as Niall did, Kayleigh’s slight frown. “I wouldn’t miss this opportunity to speak with another officer. Come right in.”

  He gestured for them to precede him, and Niall suppressed a groan as he waited for Kayleigh to pass him. Trading war stories with Major Carlton was like tossing a grenade. One wayward throw and the careful life he’d constructed would explode.

  Kayleigh marched by, her set jaw and closed-off expression ringing alarm bells. She seemed angry, yet she should know that the business world was all about connections. Major Carlton’s attention toward him wasn’t an insult to her, yet she seemed to be taking it personally.

  “Have a seat,” said the major, who paced behind his desk, grabbed a bowl of cashews and offered them. The room was lined with dark wood, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, an impressive view of the New York Stock Exchange and ambient light that reflected off polished surfaces. It smelled of old leather, coffee and cigars, one of which was burning in an ashtray beside the phone. The no-smoking rule didn’t apply to men at Major Carlton’s level, it seemed. “Where were you stationed?”

  “I was a signal combat officer in Kunar serving with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.” Niall tossed back a few of the salty nuts despite his churning gut, his eyes returning to Kayleigh.

  She sat beside him with her ankles crossed and her hands tightly clutching the briefcase on her lap. Her skin was the color of moonlight. She could have been a statue of herself, her expression stony, her body rigid. He hadn’t planned on taking center stage in this meeting, yet with a fellow veteran, what choice did he have? Was it bothering Kayleigh? Why, if the end result was the same?

  The major pushed on a pair of dark-framed glasses and cleared his throat. “Glad you made it back from the field. We lost too many good men over there, but you landed on your feet.”

  Niall coughed uncomfortably and kept a firm grip on his expression. If this conversation thread would lead into a discussion of Niall’s civilian life, he needed to nix it, fast. He’d lost his leg, flunked out of rehab and now scraped by doing remote IT work from home. End of story. Until Kayleigh...

  “Of course, sir,” he said nonchalantly, but it came out almost strangled. Time to steer this back to his partner. “Which is what brings us here. Ms. Renshaw has a presentation to show you about a revolutionary dating app. We wanted Capital Central to have the first chance at funding what promises to be a bestselling product.”

  He nudged Kayleigh, who seemed to give herself a shake before pulling her flash drive from her briefcase along with a presentation folder labeled with Capital Central’s logo. Impressive. A nice touch. He gave her a sideways smile, but she appeared not to notice. Well. He’d done his job. Now it was time to back off and let Kayleigh shine.

  “Yes. You see,” Kayleigh began in a brusque voice, “market research, as is referenced in my report, demonstrates that a growing portion of those seeking a partner are using technological means to do so. Our app will capitalize on this trend by allowing customers to determine their compatibility with one another, beating website-based programs because of its mobility and real-time interactive quality.”

  Major Carlton brushed his upper lip with his finger before he began, slowly, to speak. “That sounds like a promi
sing idea, Ms.—”

  “Renshaw,” Kayleigh supplied, her crisp voice more serious than Niall had ever heard it. Being around the officer shredded him. But Kayleigh must be struggling, too. She’d said this was a test, and he wanted her to pass. Yet with the major practically ignoring her and forgetting her name, she must feel that she was failing.

  “Yes. Well.” Major Carlton puffed on his cigar, then blew smoke over their heads, the earthy aroma bringing him back to his war days and the nervous smoking that had helped his buddies pass the time. “Unfortunately, I don’t have the time to go over your plans today. But if you’ll leave your materials with me, I’ll give them the consideration they deserve.”

  A quiet sigh escaped Kayleigh, who stood and held out her hand, every inch the poised professional. “Thank you for this opportunity, and please accept my apologies for the appointment mix-up. I’ll look forward to hearing from you.”

  Her voice was like a sheet of smooth slate, without the barest hint of inflection or emotion to betray her disappointment. Her control was impressive. She was more than the woman who believed in magic lists and perfect men. This was a savvy businesswoman who deserved more respect than the major—or he—had given her.

  The major stubbed out his cigar and got to his feet. When Niall joined them, he pressed his hand on his traitorous prosthesis. So far, he’d avoided any pity from the major, and he meant to keep it that way.

  “Some of us vets get together on Thursdays for poker. How about joining us?” Major Carlton arched his back in a stretch, the muscles in his arms straining against his dress shirt. Then he relaxed with an explosive sigh and tossed another handful of nuts in his mouth.

  Niall could practically feel the heat coming off Kayleigh, and her white-knuckle grip on her briefcase betrayed her. She was peeved, and for good reason. The major had dismissed her like a subordinate, choosing instead to focus on games rather than business. Niall’s unease dissolved into irritation.

  “I’m hoping to win your investment, not poker chips,” he joked, although he was dead serious.

  Major Carlton’s bray of a laugh echoed in the high-ceilinged room. “Losing money at cards is a lot more enjoyable.” This time Kayleigh’s disgusted exclamation was louder, though the major didn’t seem to hear it. Instead, he glanced down at Kayleigh’s business card, then up at Niall. “Is your number on here?”

  “Not my personal number. You see—”

  A clicking sounded as Major Carlton raised a pen. “The guys are getting together next week. I’ll call you with the details.” He pointed at Kayleigh’s materials. “We’ll talk more about your venture then.”

  Niall opened his mouth, then closed it, formulating a polite refusal that wouldn’t give away his ire. This was Kayleigh’s brainchild, not his. Yet the major was behaving as though he was the point man. And he couldn’t have been more mistaken. Besides, dealing with another officer was bad enough. A night of listening to glory-filled war stories from other veterans was not going to happen.

  “The best person to follow up with is—” he began, but Kayleigh interrupted and gave the major his number. He stared at her, alarmed at her tense, determined expression. Why was she going along with this farce?

  The reservist jotted down the number, then tucked the paper in his pocket. “Thanks, little lady. You’ve hitched your wagon to a good one here.” Niall cringed when the major gestured his way. “Signal combat officers are expert coders. Wouldn’t have known what to do without mine.” His blue eyes shot Niall’s way. “Perhaps if this venture doesn’t work out, we can talk about you coming to work with me.”

  “Thank you, but we’d appreciate your time in evaluating High Dive Enterprises’s business proposal.” He slid his flash drive across the desk, fuming. He didn’t blame Kayleigh, but this was exactly why he worked from home. One meeting had morphed into a poker night and a possible job offer from the kind of person he’d hoped to never see again.

  “This is some preliminary code work and a mock-up template of what the app might look like, though it hasn’t been fully approved by my partner.”

  Kayleigh gasped, then covered her mouth and shot him a withering look that made him swallow. Hard. He should have run it by her first, or emailed it to her. She’d said she wanted to collaborate. Have an equal partnership. Yet he hadn’t considered that in his rush to get this done for today’s meeting. This gesture of his was as dismissive as Major Carlton, and he winced at the false impression it gave her.

  The major barely glanced at it while he rechecked his pocket for Niall’s number. “You’ll be hearing from me soon.” They followed him to the door, shook hands and strode to the elevator, where a tense silence grew between them.

  When the metallic doors slid closed, Niall turned to Kayleigh. She was close enough that he could feel the warmth of her, yet her remote expression left him chilled.

  “I’m sorry for not telling you about the app materials,” he began, his hands gripping the side of the elevator since its lurch made him unsteady. “I finished up after midnight, but I still should have sent them to you. As for the major, I apologize for that, too. If I’d known an Afghanistan vet was Capital Central’s CEO, I would have warned you to leave me out of this one.”

  She moved to the front of the enclosed space, her shoulders stiff. “I think it went very well. You and Mr. Carlton can play poker and arrange the universe for the rest of us little ladies.”

  He let go of the rail, stepped forward and gently turned her toward him. “We fought in the same war, Kayleigh. He was just being friendly. That’s all. He’ll give your proposal his attention, and when he makes his decision, you’ll hear from him.”

  Her eyes were a sea in a storm, and he drowned in them. “And what about your prototype of my idea? What if he likes it? Wants to go with a version that had no input from me?”

  He nodded. “That was stupid, and you’re right. He shouldn’t see anything we both haven’t approved. I figured bringing it was the lesser of two evils, better than trying to cram in a last-minute meeting between the two of us.”

  An errant curl sprung free of her bun, and she flipped it back. “The lesser of two evils? You think a meeting between the two of us is an evil? Conferences are a part of business. I’d hoped that today would show you that, but it only confirmed what you know and I need to learn. It’s not how hard you work. It’s who you know. Enjoy your poker game. And your new job. As for me, I have a water-aerobics class to teach.”

  When the elevator doors chimed, Kayleigh strode onto the marble-floored foyer teaming with people, her heels clicking. He hurried after her, pushed his way through the revolving glass door then burst out onto the sidewalk, nearly losing her in the milling crowd.

  “Kayleigh!” He felt his prosthetic slip farther and cursed it for acting up when he needed speed. He ignored the sharp pinch and pushed himself harder. “Wait.”

  “For what, Niall?” She whirled and waited for him to catch up to her. He stopped fast enough to make a man bearing shopping bags swerve. Her expression was thorny; her eyes as hard as iron nails. “Go play poker. Or don’t. It doesn’t matter. I’m calling the shots in my life, and I’m not waiting for you to make up your mind or anyone else. Goodbye.”

  A snap judgment had him catching her wrist through a closing tunnel of people. Her surprised gaze flew from their clasped hands to him.

  He opened his mouth and struggled to speak, his thoughts snarled. He couldn’t let her go. Reentering the work world, seeing a veteran, had been tough. Yet Kayleigh made him see life, and himself, differently.

  A protective instinct to shield Kayleigh from others, like Major Carlton, who’d underestimated her, took hold. She had a decent business idea that could set her and Chris’s family up for life. He should be there to help. And that wasn’t possible, he now realized, by sitting on the sidelines at home.

  When she wrenche
d free, his words tumbled out. “You don’t have to wait. I’m in. On your terms. No remote partner. No doing things without both of us giving input. Okay?”

  Her pained look made cold sweat pool at the base of his neck, despite the summer heat.

  “I don’t appreciate being kept in the dark about things.”

  Despite her firm tone, something about her expression reminded him of the day her parents announced their divorce and how their secret-keeping had destroyed her. If she ever learned the truth about Chris’s death...

  No. He pulled his mind back from that brink. Declassifications could take years. He would have helped her business get off to a solid start and returned to his old life by then.

  “Everything will be aboveboard from now on.”

  He felt a stab of guilt at that white lie, but to say anything less wouldn’t convince her to keep him. He’d attended the meeting to change her mind about doing things separately, but had his beliefs shaken instead. Kayleigh deserved a partner. A real one. Not someone like Major Carlton, who’d dismissed her, or like her fiancé, who’d stolen her ideas.

  She needed someone she could count on, and he now understood why she saw him, her old friend, as that person. He knew, deep down, he couldn’t go back to the man he’d been before the war. Kayleigh made him want to go forward. To find out what kind of man he could become. And he’d never discover that holed up in his apartment. Maybe someday, when she learned about Chris, he’d explain his reasons and she’d understand. Her forgiveness, however, he didn’t expect.

  When a child jostled her, she bumped into Niall and put a hand on his chest. They stood together for a long moment, his eyes searching hers until her lids lowered and she backed away. For a moment, he’d imagined taking her in his arms and kissing her. Crazy.