Ava's Prize

by Cari Lynn Webb

  He pressed farther into her space. “I will for you and your mom.”

  But she wasn’t asking. “You have a lot on your plate.”

  “As do you.” He touched her chin, tipped her face up to meet his. “I’m going to help, Ava, whether you ask me to or not.”

  He didn’t play fair. One small shift and she could press her lips against his. Quick and brief. Taste his lie. “I think it’s best if I tell Sophie that Mom can’t do this.”

  It was best that she walked away from Kyle. Now.

  He motioned her toward the game room and joined her in the theater room doorway. He nodded at the group gathered around the Skee-Ball lanes. “Do you really think that’s the best thing for your mom?”

  They’d included her mom. Wyatt had maneuvered her wheelchair at the perfect angle for her to take a turn. Everyone else lobbied to be beside her mom, while the others took their turns as if each one wanted to protect her. As for her mom, Ava hadn’t seen that kind of joy light up her pale cheeks or filter through her laughter for so long.

  But how long would that last? Would this one night out force her mom to remain in bed for the rest of the week? Would her mother tell her that the fallout was worth it?

  Ava already knew the fallout of a broken heart wasn’t worth it.

  She adjusted her stance to steady her uncertainty.

  This was about her mom, not Ava’s heart. She hadn’t asked her mother what she wanted or needed in quite some time. She’d made the decisions, assuming she knew best. Had she been making the best decision for her mom or herself? “I’ll talk to her when we get home.”

  “For now, everything stands as it is then.” Relief and surprise circled through his voice.

  Ava nodded. Although she had the sudden sensation as if nothing would be the same ever again.

  Kyle unbuttoned his suit jacket. “It could be fun working behind the scenes of an event.”

  Or a disaster. Looked like Ava would be getting involved in the fund-raiser, too. She had to watch out for her mom. Now there was one more thing that’d put her in close contact with Kyle. One more reason to spend even more time with him. What she really needed were more reasons to stay away from him.

  “Iris was serious about playing a full tournament.” The frown in his voice eased into his face.

  Ava glanced at him and grinned. He wasn’t as accommodating as he pretended to be. “Did you want it to be an early night?”

  “That’d been the plan.” His frown never softened.

  Her plan had not been to be part of a we. In any sense. Plans changed. She had to adjust. Now, so could he.

  She stretched her arms over her head as if prepping for her gold-medal match. “Well, I’m going to enjoy beating you in Ping-Pong before I leave. You should know that I’ve been practicing racquetball at the gym.”

  His head dropped back, shooting his laughter toward the ceiling. He walked toward the Ping-Pong table. “Impressive, but that’s not going to help you now.”

  “Want to bet?” Ava challenged. He deserved this for inserting himself into her life.

  Kyle turned the handle of his paddle and eyed her across the table.

  Ava blamed him for that pull inside her that she fought to ignore. She’d been tempted to give in tonight. To give in and discover what was going on between them.

  This was all Kyle’s fault. The man was too nice to her friends. Too kind to her mom. His worst offense: he made her want to sigh. She wanted to beat him at Ping-Pong. Just maybe she’d bang her attraction to Kyle out of her system once and for all.

  “What kind of bet do you have in mind?” His mild tone contrasted to the blast of interest in his blue gaze.

  Ava’s cheeks warmed. The heat swept down into her chest and stole her voice.

  His smile, satisfied and confident, kicked up one corner of his mouth. The blue in his eyes only intensified.

  “No side bets,” Iris chided. “We’re all playing for the same prizes tonight and I intend to win them all.”

  Kyle’s soft laugh curled around Ava.

  “Can’t deny that my sister can be irresistible sometimes.” Kyle’s love for his sister braced his one-sided grin.

  Ava knew what he meant. Iris’s brother could be irresistible, too, if she let her guard down. Fortunately, Ava never let her guard down.

  CHAPTER NINE

  THIS WASN’T A get-to-you-know meeting. Or the game Twenty Questions.

  This was the first official meeting of the contest crew: two finalists and three mentors. The first day that would launch the next four weeks. Yet no one seemed in any hurry to begin developing the very thing Kyle was reimbursing the mentors to do and the very thing the contestants had to do in order to win the prize money.

  Kyle stood in the hallway. A lively conversation flowed from his conference room. The group had more than enough time last night over Ping-Pong, pinball and cards to learn everything they needed to know about each other. But it was as if they’d pressed Pause on last night’s conversation and this afternoon simply pressed Play to resume right where they’d left off. They’d circled back around to continue their debate over the best places in the city for Grant to live. And discussed potential part-time jobs for Ava. They talked like they’d known each other longer than twenty-four hours.

  Was Kyle the only one who understood that the finalists had to remain strangers? Fleecing friends had never been part of his plan. Not that Kyle was conning anyone. Last night, he’d decided to increase the prize money. He expected that more money would’ve offset any guilt. Kyle was wrong.

  He never should’ve allowed his sister to invite the contest group into his home last evening. He should’ve ushered everyone from the rooftop garden the same way he’d escorted the reporters and other guests down to the street and into waiting taxicabs. Instead, he’d let Iris step into the hostess role, welcoming everyone into his place and offering more food and drinks. Then he’d joined Ava’s Ping-Pong team as if he belonged beside her. He hadn’t even minded that he’d lost to her twice at Ping-Pong. Worse, he liked being with her. He’d have to get over that immediately.

  Ava wasn’t interested in what his money could give her. She’d probably expect him to give her something impossible, like his heart. But opening his heart always ended in pain. Always left him even more empty. He’d locked down his heart and made no exceptions these days. One impromptu game night and one particular redhead would not change anything.

  Besides, this group had been assembled for the contest. One professional to another, working together to fulfill the terms set forth in the contest rules.

  Ava’s warm voice wrapped around him. Joy brightened her story about the latest odd job postings she’d found that morning: one for a superhero sidekick, another looking for a time-travel companion and one in desperate need of a pretend girlfriend. Questions were launched around the room about wages, best time periods to travel to and the benefits of a pretend relationship. Their laughter swelled. A smile relaxed through Kyle before he censured himself. He’d smiled too much, too freely last night. No thanks to Ava. There was nothing wrong with laughter and smiles. He enjoyed a good joke, even liked to laugh. But he preferred to be in control of his emotions, and this was business. Everyone knew emotions had no place in business transactions. He’d treat everyone, including Ava, like a professional acquaintance. He’d be polite, but single-minded and centered on their purpose for being together: the contest.

  Kyle strode into the room; his brisk greeting stifled the laughter. Time to focus. “Ava, the clear choice is superhero sidekick. What’s your superpower and superhero outfit?”

  Not quite the professionalism he’d been reaching for. No matter. It wasn’t as if he was biased toward Ava. That would be bad. He looked at Grant and repeated his question. That proved he was fair, impartial and totally unfocused.

  Grant O’Neal, former
army counterintelligence officer, looked like a drill sergeant in civilian clothes. Kyle expected Grant to yell, “Drop and give me twenty,” at any moment.

  Grant’s grin faded, his eyebrows pulled together and his face shifted into serious. As if the question had been about national security, not superhero powers. After several quiet moments, Grant said, “I’d have super power tattoos and keep wearing my jeans and sweatshirts.”

  “I’d be your sidekick, Grant, with my invisibility powers and business suit outfit.” Chad, one of the mentors, swiveled his chair and dunked a piece of his donut into his coffee mug.

  Chad Green, with his wide baby blue eyes, round glasses and cropped blond hair, looked like he hadn’t reached voting age yet. Chad was in his midthirties and, on second consideration, would make the perfect sidekick for Grant. Kyle rubbed his forehead.

  “I’ll stay behind and run the command center like Alfred, Batman’s butler.” Sam picked up a croissant from the plate of pastries in the center of the glass conference table.

  Sam Bentley was always the sensible one. One of the reasons Kyle chose him as a mentor. Sam always stopped and considered every angle to every situation before he responded. What had happened to the man who’d hired Kyle as an app designer right out of college? That Sam wouldn’t have continued this conversation.

  “I’ll be The Healer and wear scrubs.” Ava grinned and slathered cream cheese over a bagel. “At least we have our Halloween costumes covered.”

  This wasn’t a Saturday afternoon coffee date with friends. Who’d been considerate enough to bring snacks? He glared at the pink box with the silver imprint of Chateau Dough on the cover. Chateau Dough catered to people like Kyle with food allergies and sensitivities. He blamed Barbra for her thoughtfulness.

  Grant tapped Ava’s phone on the table. “Call that guy from the employment ad. See if he’s interested in the Super Squad we just created. Tell him we’ll work for a group rate.”

  Super Squad? Kyle had wanted to be a part of a secret squad in grade school. Not now.

  His gaze tracked back and forth between Grant and Ava. The pair made the perfect superhero match—her red hair and strength a complement to Grant’s defined features and inner self-assurance. Just like Barbra had mentioned at the contest party. Kyle dialed back the jealousy knob. What had gotten into him? Ava and Grant looked good together. No big deal. Now he needed to drop and do twenty himself until he regained his focus.

  Maybe if he referred to Ava and Grant as Finalist One and Finalist Two, that’d create some much-needed detachment. He’d create even more distance if one or both of his current finalists dropped out of the contest. All he had to do was give the pair the right incentive, and he’d replace his current finalists with strangers. That’d end the talk of Super Squads. And sever any temptation of his to join in.

  He walked to the oversize dry-erase board, away from the pastries and the group. “With the part-time jobs settled, let’s get serious. I want to talk about the very long evolution of an idea, like the Medi-Spy, from concept to prototype to product.”

  “So, you didn’t get the idea to build the prototype and become a millionaire overnight?” Sam asked, a light tease in his usually sober voice.

  “Sam, you know full well that didn’t happen.” Not even close. Kyle added, “Maybe if you’d designed for me back then, we’d have been that lucky.”

  Sam could’ve earned the award for one of the top innovators in the city if not for his poor choice of employer. Sam threw up his hands as if he was guilty. “I admit it. I chose to work with the design team at Corsky over Kyle.”

  “Corsky, as in the technology company that filed for bankruptcy last month?” Grant asked.

  “One and the same.” Sam’s voice was grim.

  “Ouch.” Ava rubbed Sam’s shoulder as if he was a family member of a victim she transported.

  Grant winced.

  “But that’s the point.” Kyle pointed a dry-erase marker at each one of them, stepping into his role as leader of the Harsh Truth Squad. “No one knows what ideas will take off and which ideas will flatline.”

  Barbra smiled and nodded. “I might make a professor out of you yet, Kyle.”

  But teachers encouraged. Teachers inspired.

  “That’s not inspiring.” Ava crossed her arms over her waist.

  Exactly. Kyle was eager to explain. “That’s the reality. Even with a functional prototype, test runs and loads of data, your idea may never make it to the market. Your idea may never make it out of the design lab. All you’ll have to show for your hard work is lost hours in the lab and a depleted checking account.”

  “Then we have to make sure we have the one idea that hits.” Determination firmed Grant’s chin and voice.

  Wait. Why hadn’t Kyle discouraged them? His gloom and doom depressed him.

  Ava’s quick chin nod and straightening shoulders made her look even more determined than Grant. “We have the same odds as everyone else. We just have to be better.”

  “What if your best still isn’t good enough?” Kyle pressed. “Will you look back and regret the four weeks you spent in this design lab? Will you consider all the endless hours and sleepless nights a waste of your time?”

  Kyle didn’t regret his time spent in the design lab. He only regretted that he had nothing substantial to show for those hours. Nothing to give Tech Realized, Inc. to fulfill his contract.

  Ava and Grant looked at each other and nodded as if their Super Squad had just accepted a mission. More likely this was their military training coming to the front line. They wouldn’t back down. They wouldn’t give up. Yet the third- and fourth-place finalists could be slotted into the top spots if Ava and Grant pulled out. To be honest, he’d have been disappointed in both Grant and Ava if they’d given up that easily. Still, he wasn’t backing off yet, either.

  “I specialize in sleepless nights,” Ava said. “At least I’ll have something to work on the next four weeks.”

  Kyle wanted to know what kept Ava awake. He concentrated on Grant and dismissed his interest in Ava. “Didn’t I see you exchanging contact information with Brad Harrington last night?” Surely Grant wanted to build his résumé and receive a real paycheck rather than work on a contest that might not payout.

  “Brad offered me a position at his investigation firm.” Grant rubbed his hands together. Anticipation widened his gaze. “He’s willing to wait and hire me after the contest ends.”

  Could Brad have been any more accommodating? One more reason why Kyle liked Brad Harrington. He frowned. He wasn’t building a friend list. He was building a case for Grant to drop out. Neither Grant nor Ava looked ready to walk away. They looked like they’d settled into their chairs, as if fully prepared to defend their positions. “Grant, I thought you overextended your stay on your friend’s couch? A job on the rental applications will help with a landlord’s decision to lease to you.”

  “I promised if I won the contest, I’d buy new living room furniture for my friend and pay the back rent I owe,” Grant said.

  The guy was sincere, honorable and intelligent. Kyle pinched the back of his neck before he offered Grant the sofa bed in his apartment—free of charge. Talk about trespassing outside those business boundaries. Bad enough he liked Ava. Now Grant, too.

  “Since Grant sounds as if he might need the prize money for first and last month’s rent, as well as his friend’s furniture, why don’t we move to the lab and get started.” Barbra stood and motioned toward the door.

  Kyle accepted defeat. He wasn’t replacing his pair of finalists. His judging panel had picked the right candidates. “Ava, you’ll be working with Sam. Grant, you’re with Chad. Barbra and I will float between the two teams.”

  Kyle would have to come up with a new plan to save his contract. The contest was supposed to be his backup plan. With that safety net, why didn’t he have ideas pouring out of him
as if someone had opened a floodgate? Even the coffee had failed to induce a caffeine rush of new ideas.

  Still, he had time to come up with his own idea. Twenty-five days exactly. Not impossible. Just challenging. Kyle had always liked challenges. He usually won. But the stakes had never been so high before. Nor had the outcome affected so many other people.

  Sam tapped Grant’s shoulder. “We can talk rentals over lunch.”

  “I might know someone at the hospital who needs to sublease her place.” Ava rolled her chair into the table and smiled. “She’s getting married soon and moving into her fiancé’s place south of the city.”

  Kyle only ever hit up his contacts for potential job offers for Iris. Business only. His mouth had other ideas. “I can check with a few people, too, for possible rentals.”

  “Thanks.” Grant shook Kyle’s hand; his grip was firm and reliable. Relief eased into Grant’s voice. “I wasn’t expecting to get much more out of this experience beyond an idea.”

  Neither had Kyle. He’d expected to work on prototypes, not to want to spend time with the finalists beyond the lab.

  Barbra extended both arms like a mother bird wrapping her wings around her babies. “We’re going to be working closely together for the next few weeks. It helps if we can get along and support each other.”

  There was the problem. Kyle hadn’t anticipated the ramifications of such a small group. He hadn’t considered that it might be impossible to remain distant and disengaged.

  He’d hoped for inspiration from the finalists and mentor panel. He’d planned to use the winner’s idea. Making friends had never been a consideration.

  He had to find a new tactic to stay ahead of his emotions and keep everything in the business-transaction box. Starting now.

  CHAPTER TEN

  AVA WALKED INTO her apartment, dumped her backpack on the counter and dropped into her usual chair at the small kitchen table. Thanks to Joann, Ava’s tea was already steeping in her favorite mug. Ben had given Ava the unicorn mug when she’d returned from her last deployment. She used it every morning. The unicorn’s mane changed colors with hot and cold liquids and always made her smile.