Chapter Five
Michelle
“The newest batch are showing positive results so far,” Jacob said as they pored over the data on their computer, looking for the slightest hint as to how they could refine their formula, and where it was going wrong.
“So have most of our other tests,” she said glumly. “It’s only after day three to five that things start to go haywire. We won’t know until the end of this week, or maybe next, if things go wrong.
“Just trying to stay positive,” he said cheerily.
“I know, I’m sorry.” She bit her lower lip. It wasn’t like her to be that sour about things. This was science. A million different tries just to get it right once. But once was all it took. She knew that. So why was she lashing out at Jacob today?
“That investor guy really got to you yesterday, didn’t he?” Jacob asked, pitching his voice lower, like he was a friend she could confide in.
Which he was, and she’d done it before. How the hell did she explain Kase, and the odd way he seemed to infiltrate her mind at every junction if she wasn’t actively thinking about something else? Even as the years went by without hearing from him, vivid memories would still reappear in her mind far more frequently than they should.
It was one reason why she’d not dated since, because every time she flirted, all she could think about was him. Eventually she just stopped flirting, because it was easier to do that than to try to push aside thoughts of him. His presence in her mind was just as big and hulking as his physical one. No matter how hard she shoved, he never moved.
“It’s…a long story,” she said softly.
Jacob frowned. “He didn’t do anything inappropriate, did he? You need to go to the police, Michelle. Don’t just let him get away with it.”
She smiled gently. “That’s not what I meant, Jacob. It’s just…” She sighed. “That’s him.”
“Huh?”
“That’s Kase.”
Jacob’s jaw dropped open. “That’s Kase? The guy you went on a few dates with, let him into your house, and then had him vanish as you gave him a tour before you went to…you know, with him?”
She nodded. “Yeah. That’s the guy.”
“That’s one hell of a coincidence that he wants to invest in our lab now.”
“I know.”
Her desktop beeped softly. Another email. Lazily, she pulled up the program, wondering what it was now. Emails were rare enough that she usually addressed them right away, so that they didn’t become an unbearable pile.
“Well, fuck me,” she said, reading the title. “He wants to come back.”
Jacob was instantly at her side. “What? Why? Does he actually want to talk to any of the rest of us this time?”
She laughed, grateful for the humor. “It would appear so. He requires some more time to discuss his investment, and wishes to review the personnel, now that he’s reviewed the lab.”
“Reviewed the lab? He was here for all of half an hour yesterday and didn’t take a look at anything. I don’t like this guy, Michelle. If he’s the same guy, he really was mean to you. Now he’s back? Why? What’s his angle?”
Michelle had no answers to any of the questions. Kase hadn’t given her a reason, either. Nobody had.
“The way Molly worded this makes it seem like he wants to take you out for a business dinner,” Jacob said, reading the rest of the email.
“That was my first impression,” she said sourly. “I don’t have time for this. I have research I need to be doing.”
Her work was her priority. Well, family was her first priority, but these days those were one and the same. Michelle needed to be at the lab; she couldn’t let herself get distracted by Kase. Not when she was so close to achieving the goal they’d started working towards four years earlier.
“Dinner isn’t during work hours,” Jacob countered slowly. “He’s got you there.”
“If it’s not during work hours, then I’m not obliged to go,” she said firmly. “And I won’t.”
She intended to remain firm on it. This was a matter of principle to her. Going to dinner with Kase wasn’t actually something she’d be against, in a different setting. He was tall, handsome, well-mannered, and positively enjoyable to stare at. That was one of the reasons why she’d let him into her life, and her house, half a decade ago.
“Idea,” Jacob said.
“Yes?”
“If you take him up on the offer, and get him cornered in a public setting, maybe you could finally get an answer as to why he left you like that way back when? Finally have some closure between the two of you.”
It wasn’t a terrible idea. Her only concern was that if she did go along with that, there would be anything but closure between them. Not with the way things had started to devolve yesterday before Kase abruptly fled the lab. No, there was still something there, some sort of ingrained chemistry that she knew they wouldn’t just be able to shake.
“I don’t know, Jacob. That seems like a bad idea.”
“We need the money, though.” And just like that, he dropped the hammer on her.
“Fuck.” He was right. They’d been lucky to have no funding problems since opening, but how long would that last? If she could get him to invest his money, then they could have some more stability.
A smile started to spread across her face.
“What is it? I don’t recognize that look,” Jacob said nervously.
“I think it’s time that Kase got a dose of his own medicine,” she said evilly. “I’ll go to dinner with him. I’ll play the part. Get his money, and then poof, I’m just Head Scientist Michelle Barden again.”
She laughed, and Jacob eventually began to chuckle with her.
“Let’s see how he likes that!” the other scientist agreed, and they high-fived.
“How he likes what?”
Michelle whirled in her seat. “Kase!” she gasped.
The big man standing in the open doorway from the outer hallway looked apologetic. “Sorry.” He knocked on the wall. “I forgot to announce myself.”
“What did you do to Lindsay?”
“Nothing. I think she was in the washroom or something. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Michelle cast Jacob a glance, wondering how long Kase had been standing there, eavesdropping. Jacob just shrugged at her. He didn’t know either. Shit.
“What are you doing here?” she asked suspiciously. “I just got the email from Molly that you wanted to talk to the personnel some more.”
He nodded. “Yup. Starting with you. Come on.”
She frowned at him. “You didn’t even wait for me to give my approval.”
The lopsided grin that made her weak in the knees and set certain other places ablaze flashed into being for a moment. “I had a suspicion that you would say yes.”
“I see. Well, I brought a lunch.”
Kase raised his palms in question. “Are you going to share with me?”
She made a pointed effort of looking him up and down, noting his size. “No, but you can go get one and join me during my lunch break if you must.”
Behind her, Jacob snickered, but a sharp glance from Kase shut him up. She heard the chair wheel back to his desk, and tried not to laugh at the byplay between the two men. So typical.
“I must insist,” Kase said emphatically. “We’re going for lunch.”
She began to protest again, but he cut her off. “If I’m going to invest here…” he said, his lip curling in what she thought was distaste.
It must be something else. Why would he have such a hard time pulling the power card? Regardless of the hidden meaning behind his facial expression, Michelle couldn’t see any way out. She would have to go with him.
“Fine. I have some work that I must finish first.”
She expected him to say okay and then to ask when he should come back. Instead, Kase just found a chair from a nearby desk and sat down.
“No,” she said firmly. “You aren’t going to do that.”
“Do what?” he asked innocently, spinning around.
“Hover over my shoulder.”
Kase frowned. “I’m sitting in front of you.”
“Just go wait in the lobby.” She shook her head. “No, on second thought, I can’t do that to poor Lindsay. Go wait outside, please.”
“I’m comfortable.”
She glared at him. “You aren’t going to leave, are you?”
Kase shook his head.
“Fine. Let’s go.” She got up. “Sorry, Jacob, looks like I’m pulling an early lunch today.”
“Enjoy,” he said in a mildly suggestive tone that had Kase struggling to cover a smile.
Michelle promised sweet, sweet revenge in her mind. She walked past Kase into the hallway and headed for the exit. “Come on then,” she called. “Maybe with food in your mouth, I can enjoy some silence.”