by Thorpe, Kara
She calculated the distance between her chair and Robert's position on her cluttered desk. With the right trajectory, leaping over the debris scattered over the floor wouldn't be a problem. The landing could be a problem. A knee to the groin would ruin the point of tackling him.
A flash of platinum and purple caught her attention. She stared at the ring twinkling on her left hand. The reminder of her tie to Robert, fake but dangerously tempting to believe, slowed her thundering heart. When they had an audience, Robert enthusiastically played the devoted, affectionate fiancé. She had mentally alphabetized the periodic table to keep her cool when he kissed her after a quick lunch in the Collier Analytics' cafeteria. Too many moments like that and she would forget they weren't truly planning a winter wedding.
"We're not right," she murmured, hoping to knock sense into her lust-fogged head.
"What's not right, Gigi?"
Georgiana winced. She didn't want to explain that they weren't right; that she wasn't right for him. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain, and actually articulating the words would be humiliating. "This part," she lied, holding up a cylinder of metal and melted plastic. "It doesn't look like it belongs with either vehicle, and NORA's having difficulty identifying it."
Robert leaned forward to take the piece from her hand. His fingertips grazed her palm; electricity sparked and raced up her arm. She gulped several mouthfuls of icy water from the bottle by her foot. She was going to instruct NORA to analyze his aftershave to see if it contained pheromones. It was the only logical explanation for why she was acting so out of character.
"Do you - ," she croaked, paused to clear her throat, "do you know why I picked out the Mercedes for Tab? The stability control was a main factor, naturally. It's not the fun coupe he wanted, but we were going for safety over style. Not that it did us any good."
When Robert opened his mouth to speak, she swiped at the tears trickling down her cheeks and continued. Cars were science, and science was her stability control. "We compromised and got the ML63 AMG, which has a V8 engine. They say it displaces 6.3 liters, but it's really 6.208. Marketing." She shook her head, crossed her arms over her chest. "The seven-speed automatic transmission's pretty sweet. Of course, short acceleration time is always sweet. Mercedes calls it the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 engine, but what they mean is it’s the most powerful commercially available V8 engine. Give me a gallon of coffee and a few hours, and I'll spec out something that’ll blow your mind."
As expected, Robert’s eyes glazed over. "Actually, doll, I have a bit of work to do. You don't mind, do you?"
She smothered a grin at the sight of his faintly overwhelmed expression. It was nice to get payback after the over-her-head conversation between Robert and Tab she'd watched like a ping-pong game during the move. She didn't mind him leaving, either. It would give her a chance to have NORA flush the air in the room. "Nope. Tell Cedric I've emailed him directions to both Quattro and the symphony. Yvonne has the tickets already, as well as a corporate credit card."
Once she heard the door at the top of the stairs close, she settled on the floor, leaned back on her elbows, and crossed her ankles. "NORA?"
"Yes, Georgie dear?"
"Open all the vents and circulate clean air in here. All these male pheromones are distracting."
"I do not detect any trace of foreign chemicals in the air."
Georgiana slammed her eyes shut. She was infinitely grateful NORA wasn't programmed to detect pheromones. She could only imagine how mortified she'd be if NORA were to announce a sudden spike while they were eating breakfast or with the others. "Just trust me, NORA, I need fresh oxygen."
"Vents open and circulation started. Is there anything else you require, Georgie dear?"
"I'm in the mood for a little H.C. Start with the early instrumentals and then you can move on to the vocals." The familiar trombone start of 'Bourbon Street Parade' filled the workshop. Tapping her foot along with the music, she let the stress that had piled up on her shoulders throughout the day roll off and dissipate in the air. She pushed the mental image of Robert’s piercing eyes fade into the background, and concentrated on vehicle schematics and Harry Connick, Jr.'s Dixieland music.
In the smaller of the house’s two home offices, Robert booted up his laptop and checked his email. He scanned the dozen messages, forwarded half of them to Cedric, and pulled up the latest report on a graphics company on the verge of a meltdown. They'd rejected his first generous offer. His second offer wasn't going to be nearly as benevolent. There wouldn't be a third offer. He'd pick up the pieces of whatever was left once the courts were through with them and absorb their client base and talent into the Norwood conglomerate.
Eyes already aching after hours spent going over reports at the Norwood office, he tried to print the report only to discover the ink cartridge in the printer he'd borrowed from his father's home office had dried out. He searched the drawers of his desk and bureau. Grumbling, he stalked down the hall towards his father's office.
A faint whimper coming from behind Tab’s closed bedroom door stopped him in his tracks. Unwilling to burst inside only to discover he'd misheard, Robert pressed his ear against the door and waited. He didn’t have to wait long for a second, more frantic whimper.
Robert was no stranger to nightmares. It was something he’d only confided in his father. For two years after his mother was killed during an attempted carjacking, he’d been plagued by night terrors. Robert had been nowhere near the incident, but his young mind had been far too eager to fill in the blanks. After months of therapist visits and trying every method in the book, his father had stumbled on the answer to the problem. The least Robert could do was pass that knowledge along to Tab.
He rapped on the door. As expected, there was no answer. Once inside, he immediately flicked on the light switch. Tab jerked upright, blinked furiously at the sudden onslaught of brightness.
“Whas goin’ on?” Tab scrubbed his eyes with his forearm.
“I’m sorry, Tab. I thought you were awake. I was hoping we could play a game.” Robert smiled conspiratorially. “Your sister’s working on one of her top-secret projects. You know how she gets when she’s in the zone.”
Tab grunted in agreement. He tossed aside his blue plaid comforter and scooted over to the edge of the bed. "I have two copies of Zorkamoid, and NORA can access my private server. We could set up in here if you want to play that." He scratched the back of his neck, a nervous gesture he'd copied from his sister, and blinked up at Robert. "Or, I brought my GameMania console. You could show me that cheat for level six of Zombie Spring Break Babes Apocalypse II."
Robert had already put off finalizing the proposal for the graphics company twice. There was an issue with the personnel at the Brussels office he needed to examine. His personal project, a more efficient and more secure way to link the international offices to the main hub, hadn't received attention in over a week. Cedric was going to start sabotaging the coffee supply if Robert didn't at least glance through the stack of memos piling up in his email inbox.
A few hours of mindless, bloody entertainment wouldn't hurt. He could use the decompression time. It would help with Tab’s nightmares, too. Keeping his mind occupied and staying busy until he was utterly exhausted when he fell asleep had helped Robert overcome his nightmares. He had a strong suspicion that Tab went to bed so early every night because he didn't have the energy or will to do much else. That much time to think gave the brain ample opportunity to torture a person with nightmares.
"I'll show you the cheat for level six if you show me how you managed to find the Bra of Brains in the bonus level," Robert said.
"Deal!"
“You set up the game in the media room. You’ve never played ZSBBAII until you’ve played it on a large screen. Everything is bigger.” Robert backed out in to the hallway. He wanted to grab that printer cartridge and print out the proposal so Cedric wouldn’t be completely miffed when he returned from the Norwood office. “I�
�ll talk NORA into rustling up a snack.”
“I saw Gigi grab a couple of bags of Oreos from the house before we left,” Tab supplied, straightening his pajama pants. “Since she won’t surface until NORA reminds her about breakfast, I say we claim them. We’ll call it an abandonment tax.”
Robert reached out and ruffled Tab’s sleep-mussed hair. Tab batted his hands away, a broad grin stretched across his gaunt face. Robert felt his ties to the Collier family strengthening.
“I like the way you think, kid.”
Chapter Seventeen:
Still dressed in her coveralls, Georgiana stumbled into the kitchen as the early morning sun reflected off the chrome appliances and filled the room with light. Her back and neck ached after several hours spent sleeping on the cold workshop floor. She automatically opened her mouth to instruct ERIC to start a cup of Pep blend, but snapped it shut when she remembered she wasn’t at home.
“NORA,” she moaned, glaring at Dan’s complicated coffee machine. For years she’d had a love-hate relationship with the device. It was intricate enough to make her mechanic’s heart flutter, but she didn’t like having to work for her early morning fix. “I have to get you hooked up like ERIC. This is just unacceptable.”
Once the coffee was brewing, Georgiana hopped on the counter beside the machine in hopes that the coffee fumes would help clear away the traces of sleepiness fogging her brain. “Turn on the main monitor, please. Split screen. I want to check on Tab, and I need you to pull up the recipe labeled ‘Mailloux Red Beans and Rice.’ Check pantry inventory against ingredient list and highlight anything missing. Thank you.”
The eighteen-inch screen imbedded in a modified cabinet door came to life. The camera in Tab’s bedroom showed him sprawled facedown on the bed. She didn’t need the audio to know he was likely snoring loud enough to wake the dead. She tapped the screen twice to minimize the video feed. “How long has he been sleeping, NORA?”
“Tab Collier has been asleep for approximately four hours and twenty-seven minutes.”
It was the longest he’d gone without having a nightmare in six months. She didn’t know what had changed, but she was grateful. Tab deserved a decent night of sleep.
She was on her knees with her head stuck in the recess of a cabinet when a throat cleared behind her. She jumped, jerked, and smacked the back of her skull on the top of the cabinet. Stunned, she didn’t protest when warm hands settled on her shoulders and dragged her away from the cabinet.
“Are you all right?” Robert brushed his fingers along the bump forming beneath her hair. He exhaled softly in relief when he didn’t come across any blood. “I didn’t realize you were so jumpy,” he teased.
She willed her flushed cheeks back to normal. She grabbed the heavy stockpot she’d been searching for and accepted his help up. Once on her feet, she was reluctant to let go of his hand. Even sleep-rumpled and barefoot, he set her heart rate into overdrive.
“I thought you’d still be asleep. You and Tab were up pretty late last night.” She forced herself away from Robert’s side and set the pot in the sink. “Tab doesn’t have a bedtime, but on school nights you’re going to have to cut your sleepovers a little short.”
“Has he had any nightmares?”
“No.” Georgiana flashed a weak smile and started filling the pot with water. “This is the longest he’s gone without one. I’m just waiting for the inevitable.”
'I wouldn't hold my breath.” Robert retrieved two white mugs from the cabinet by the sink. He hovered by the coffee machine waiting for it to stop brewing. “When he started yawning, I talked him in to another game. He could hardly walk up the stairs by the time we were through.”
“You kept him up so he’d go to sleep too tired to think,” she said, smile blossoming into a rueful grin. “I can’t believe I never tried that. Some sister I am.”
"Don't kick yourself too hard, doll. You've never had experience with nightmares. It takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what works. I took a chance with Tab and got lucky."
At the hint of long-buried grief in his tone, Georgiana bumped the faucet with the back of her hand to turn it off. She sucked in a deep breath to steel herself against his intoxicating scent and threaded their fingers together. "After your mother?"
Robert nodded abruptly and squeezed her hand. He tugged her closer, pressed his lips to her forehead. He never discussed his mother with his girlfriends. He had no stomach for false sympathy or morbid fascination. Bringing her up with Georgiana seemed natural, possibly because she’d known his mother. He could trust her not to go blabbing to the tabloids or press him for every gory detail.
"Tab’s a good kid," Robert said, releasing Georgiana and reaching for the coffee mugs. He set one mug of steaming, black coffee by the stove and cradled the other between his hands. "He reminds me a lot of you."
"Which is just ridiculous because he's been trying to copy you for ages. I swear he could beat out Dan for president of your fan club. He even cut his hair like yours two years ago. You're both computer geeks, you both have an insane fanaticism for video games, and you were raised by your fathers. "
"But Tab had you." Robert winked at her over the rim of his mug. "Don't discount your influence over him, doll."
"Joy," she groaned, lugging the pot to the stove and setting it on a burner. "He'll be a workaholic with no social life and a house full of robots. I know nothing about raising a teenager and it shows."
"You were right about the pet. Tab seems lonely, but he also seems uncomfortable when faced with too much attention. A pet would provide companionship and give him a sense of responsibility. It might help break him out of the rut he's been in."
"And by pet you mean a real, living, breathing animal and not something I created in my lab."
"Well, yes," he chuckled, "that is usually what one means when one talks about getting a pet. I thought we could go to the ASPCA today."
"Today?" Georgiana dumped the dried beans in the pot. "But... we should do research first. I don't know if Tab’s a dog person or a cat person. It's a big decision. You can't rush it."
"You can make decisions without examining every possible outcome, Gigi. Live a little."
Her eyes narrowed at the challenging tone. "I live plenty."
"Prove it."
Lips compressed tightly and fists balled, she whirled on Robert. His smirking face was just begging for a fat lip. A flash of color in the doorway caught her attention. "Fine, I'll prove it."
Robert spread his arms, flicked his tongue across his top lip. "I'm waiting."
"Tab, darling," she cooed, shooting a grin over Robert's shoulder, "how would you like to head down to the ASPCA today and see about getting a pet?"
“Sure.” Tab sleepily shuffled forward into Georgiana’s ready embrace. After kissing her cheek, he kept an arm slung around her waist. He had to slouch so his head could rest comfortably on her shoulder. “A dog would be cool.”
Georgiana wrinkled her nose at the sour-cream-and-onion chips and stale Oreo breath wafting out of her brother’s open mouth and across her face. “A dog’s a lot of work. Maybe we could start with a cat.”
“Cats are boring.”
“They are not. We’ll get one of those penlight lasers, and you can race it up and down the hallway.”
“Bo-ring.” As if for emphasis, Tab yawned widely.
“You could get one of each,” Robert interjected, amusement twinkling in his dark eyes.
Georgiana winced, rubbed the back of her neck. Beside her, Tab’s hand also crept towards his neck. His mouth was twisted in a replica of her scowl. Robert swallowed a chuckle. For as much as she claimed he was Tab’s role model, it was obvious the boy took at least some of his cues from his sister.
“Let’s see what they have, okay? Just remember that you’re going to have to take care of whatever we come home with. “Georgiana tapped the end of her brother’s nose before returning to her beans.
“We’ll go out for breakfast before a
nd then to the pet store afterwards. We’ll make a day of it.” Robert refilled his mug and perched on the edge of a barstool. Tab, a tall glass of orange juice in hand, followed him.
“That sounds great,” Tab enthused. He poked his tongue out at his sister. “No offense, Gigi, but breakfast isn’t your forte.”
“You’re just picky.”
“The eggs were like rubber and the toast could have been used as shielding on a space shuttle! The bacon was practically incinerated. I asked for crispy, not cremated.”
“Picky,” Georgiana repeated, flicking water at both her grinning brother and Robert. “Give me thirty minutes to shower and change and we’ll go out. Tab’s choice.”
“That place with the all-you-can-eat waffles?” Tab rubbed his rumbling stomach. He felt like he hadn’t eaten in years. “I could easily down a stack or three.”
Once her beans were set, Georgiana dashed up the stairs and into her bedroom. While stripping out of her coveralls, she mentally selected a comfortable but not too casual outfit. Going out in public ensured there would be at least one camera around somewhere. The gossips would have a field day with their “family” outing, and she wasn’t going to give them any ammunition against her. She wasn’t going to let anything ruin Tab’s first outing in months, either.
Alone in the kitchen with Robert, Tab set his empty glass on the counter and traced his finger around the rim. “She’s been happier lately. Since you came back, I guess. She didn’t seem so sad this morning. It was nice.”
“Tab,” Robert said, bracing a hand on the younger man’s shoulder.
“No, let me…” Tab scratched the side of his nose while he gathered his thoughts. “I haven’t been… I’m a mess. I know it. And I know what it does to Gigi. She doesn’t sleep, and she worries all the time, and I see all that. I’ve missed out on a lot of time, but I know what she’s done for me.”