Me And Mr. I.T. (Kupid's Cove Book 2) (4 page)

“Evening, Ellie. What did I tell you about calling me sir?”

I scrunched up my nose and sighed. “You said to call you Gideon, and not sir, sir. I mean, Gideon.”

He laughed openly and his shoulders relaxed as he shook his head. “You’re improving, you used to call me sir every other word. Now you only do it once in a sentence.”

“It’s habit after living with a military family for years,” I explained, forcing my tongue not to say ‘sir’ at the end.

“I love teasing you about it. I suppose I’ll be sad when you finally remember to stop using it. What brings you back to the office?”

I motioned behind me at the door. “I have to go computer shopping with M… Maltrand, but I had to grab a quick change of clothes from my office and a flash drive. I have the invitation Katie is waiting for on it. I’m hoping he can put it on a computer, so we can print it for her. She’s anxious to see the finished product.”

He steepled his fingers in front of his lips and tapped them on his lips as I spoke. “I’m sure that won’t be a problem. Mally’s good at his job and so are you. I know Katie appreciates everything you’re doing to help her with the event.”

I shrugged and lowered myself to a chair opposite his desk. I noticed his eyebrows go up when I got comfortable, and I almost second guessed myself and left, almost.

“Speaking of Katie, I just ran into her on the beach with Katie-bug,” I said as a lead in. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk.

“She’s watching her while Flynn works. Poor little thing is teething and wearing her auntie ragged, but Winifred comes home tomorrow.”

“That’s what she said, but…” I paused and he motioned with his hands for me to finish.

“But, what?”

“Forgive me if I’m overstepping, but she seemed a little off, and not because of Katie-Bug. I saw either deep sadness or fear in her eyes.”

His shoulders and chest deflated instantly with my words and he leaned back in his chair, air whooshing out of him.

I stood. “I’m sorry for saying anything. I better get ready for the great computer hunt.”

He pointed at the chair and then at me and I sat, my butt on the edge ready to dart if need be. I wasn’t afraid of Gideon, but personal situations made me uncomfortable.

"Katie's one-year check-up with her cardiologist is the day after tomorrow."

"Is she having problems with her heart again? I was under the impression they had fixed it."

"They repaired the holes and placed a defibrillator and pacemaker, but it will never be fixed."

"Is she worried the doctors are going to find another problem?"

He shook his head, his lips held in a tight line. "She feels great and all the diagnostics from her device always come back stellar. What she's worried about is the problem of having a baby."

"Because of her heart?" I wasn't familiar with all of their personal situations and didn't want to pry.

"Katie can't carry a child. Her uterus was malformed and they removed it, but she still has ovaries that produce eggs."

"So you're thinking about getting a surrogate?" I deduced.

He nodded faintly. "Her doctor said we could talk about starting the process of harvesting her eggs a year after her surgery. She wanted to make sure Katie could withstand the rigors of it."

"That makes sense, but I still don't see the problem."

He tapped his fingers on the blotter on his desk. "If we use her eggs and a surrogate does carry a child for us, there's a chance the child would have the same heart condition Katie has. Tetralogy of Fallot is hereditary." 

"Oh, that puts a different spin on things." 

He held his hand out as if to say, 'I know, right?'

"I guess it would be stressful for her to think about passing it onto her child, considering what she’s lived through.”

"I think a good part of it is my fault. When she ended up in the hospital last year, I asked the doctor right after her surgery if she would still be able to undergo the egg harvesting. I wasn't asking for me; I was asking for her. I thought it was something she really wanted, but before I could talk to her about it gently, Winifred told her it was the first thing I asked once I knew she would be okay."

I grimaced a little. "Best friends," I said somewhat sarcastically.

He shrugged. "In all honesty, Winifred thought she wanted to go the surrogate route, too. Now I'm not so sure."

"You think it’s because she’s worried about the risk of having a child with the same condition?"

"That's what my gut tells me even though every time I try to talk to her about it she quotes numbers and cases about mothers with her condition that have babies with normal hearts. I've told her hundreds of times I would be happy adopting children. I just want to raise a family with her."

"She's against adoption?" I asked surprised. Katie struck me as the kind of woman who would be all for it.

"No, but if we adopt a baby it won't be genetically mine, and therefore I will be the end of the Armstrong line, at least in her eyes."

"So, go with the best of both worlds. Find an egg donor and surrogate, but you’re the sperm donor. That makes you the genetic father and problem solved." I couldn't believe I was having a discussion with my boss about his sperm. I eyed the door to see how long it would take me to sprint for it.

He threw his arms up in the air. "That's the thing, Ellie! I don't care if the child or children are genetically mine. If they can't be both of ours genetically then why go through the agony and expense of surrogacy? Especially when we know we could adopt a child who very much needs a home."

I froze for a second at his words but forced myself to open my mouth after a few seconds. "I can't argue with you there. If you don't care that the child doesn't have your blood running through its veins then adoption seems like a whole lot less stressful, and guilt ridden, for Katie."

"I can't even begin to explain to you how she's gone from beating herself up for something beyond her control to a deep sadness I can't break through. I find it ironic that you noticed it just by chatting with her for a few minutes. I don't know what to do."

I sat quietly for a few moments and watched him, running over in my mind what he had told me. “So what you’re saying is she isn’t against adoption, but she thinks you are, so therefore she’s depressed because she knows ultimately she’s between a rock and a hard place. No matter how much you say it doesn’t matter to you, and adoption would make you just as happy, she doesn’t believe it.”

“That’s exactly right. She mentioned the same thing you did about having a surrogate carry a child that would only have my genes. There was something in her demeanor that told me she would find that as much of a failure on her part to give me a child. This isn’t all about the genetics. It’s about how desperately she wants a baby like Katie-Bug, but she knows she will never get to experience pregnancy and the birth of her own child.”

I shifted uncomfortably in the chair, the wet dress sticking to me. It didn’t help that the discussion was making me anxious. “I have a little experience in this department, Gideon. While I’m not Katie, I can speak for myself. It’s one thing to not want something when you can make the choice. It’s a whole different ballgame to be told you can’t have it. Does that make sense?”

I could see him working through the idea for a moment before he spoke. “You’re saying if she had her uterus, but chose not to have a baby, that’s different than knowing she physically can’t?”

I brushed at the sand on my dress a little. “Essentially, and added to it is the fact that she knows you want something she can’t give you. It’s a little bit of an endless circle for her. She wants to please you, but it breaks her heart knowing no choice will please her.”

He ran a hand over his face. “All I can do is pray every night that He gives her heart some kind of relief, and not physically.”

“Has she gone and talked to anyone about this? It sounds to me like maybe some counseling by someone trained to help people with chronic health conditions is in order.”

“I think you’re right. I haven’t pushed it because we haven’t seen the doctor yet, but something tells me I’m going to have to if we want to move forward with our life, with or without a child.”

He picked the frame back up off his desk and stared at the woman in the picture. It was of their wedding night as they kissed after their vows. The backdrop was the beautiful Pacific Ocean and the white sand beach of Kupid’s Cove, the name Gideon had given the property where Katie had nearly died. Immediately after he proposed, his crazed assistant shot her while aiming for Gideon. After her recovery, she insisted Gideon buy the property as he had been planning, and in turn, he named the beach where she accepted his proposal and married him, after her family.

“I’ll help any way I can, Gideon,” I said pushing myself up. “I need to head over to my office before Maltrand comes looking for me, but I know you and Katie will make great parents no matter what path you take. Maybe it will help to talk with the doctor this week. I’m sure part of her anxiety stems from fear that something else has gone wrong with her heart. She hasn’t had the greatest history with that.”

I stopped by the door and he stood, coming around the desk and sticking both hands in his pockets. “That’s the truth. Maybe you’re right and once we get through the visit with the cardiologist it will be easier to reason with her. Anyway, enjoy your night and thanks for listening. It helped more than you know.”

I didn’t think I had done much, but I smiled and patted his back before I headed down the hallway.

“Ellie?”

I turned back to his office where he leaned against the doorway, his shoulder propped up against the wall. I didn’t answer, but waited for him to ask his question.

“Have you ever told Katie your story?”

I took a few steps toward him before I answered. “No, I haven’t. I don’t tell anyone my story.”

“You told me,” he volleyed.

“I told you because of a situation with a friend of yours, no other reas-” I paused and thought about the discussion I had with him about six months ago. It hit me then and I put a hand on my hip. “That friend was Katie, right?”

He looked sheepish, but smiled a little. “Guilty as charged.”

“So you’ve already told her about me.”

He shook his head. “No, I haven’t, actually. After you shared so openly about it, I felt like it would make much more of an impact coming from you.”

“So what you’re saying is, I’m your secret weapon.”

He grinned, even if it was tentatively, and lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Now might be the time to deploy that secret weapon is all I’m saying.”

I wiped my palms on my sandy dress and nodded my head a little. “I’ll be seeing her tomorrow. Maybe we’ll have a chat.”

I turned and walked away, but not before I heard him say, “Please Lord, let this work.”

As I walked into my own office and turned on the light in my bathroom, I leaned on the sink and took a deep breath. I would prefer Gideon be the one to tell Katie my story, but it seemed like he didn’t want to steal my thunder. I turned my face to inspect my right cheek.

“Maybe it’s time you take your own advice, Ellie, and be more open about who you are.”

Immediately my mind conjured up the look on Bain’s face as he walked out of my life, and I turned from the mirror, shaking my head. “Not in this lifetime,” I whispered to the empty room.

Chapter Three

I tossed my wet dress in the corner of my personal bathroom, where it would wait for me to give it some dignity back and wash it. I stepped into a pair of white wide-leg pants and slipped my now dry feet into a pair of loafers. I ran a brush through my hair and gave my lips a new coat of Summer Sparkle lip shine. The woman in the mirror looked back at me, mocking my activities. I stuck my tongue out at the mirror.

“I know this isn’t a date, but that doesn’t mean I can’t look good.”

“What’s not a date?” someone asked from the doorway.

I spun on my heel to see Mr. I.T. lounging on the doorjamb, not a care in the world.

I crossed my arms over my still bare chest. “Get out!”

He didn’t. He had the gall to finger wave at me while looking way too relaxed in my space.

“I ask again, what’s not a date?” He was grinning, but at least his eyes held mine instead of wandering my body.

“Nothing,” I huffed, “I’m going to have to slap you with a sexual harassment lawsuit if you don’t turn your back.”

He gave me that annoyingly sexy grin and turned around. I grabbed my blouse and pulled it over my head, my cheeks red with embarrassment.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to hide, Ellie. You look gorgeous in that outfit. I liked the dress you had on earlier, but this tells me more about you. You like to sparkle.”

I fought against the eyes trying to roll to the top of my head. “Yeah, that’s it. And how would you know, your back is turned.”

“It is, but I have a perfect view in the mirror behind me.”

I groaned and then laughed against my will. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re infuriating?”

“Once or twice in my life,” he said as he walked out and leaned on the edge of my desk.

“To answer your question, I make it a habit of always looking my best whenever I’m out and about. I represent Kupid’s Enterprises at all times. Even when I’m not technically on the clock.”

He folded his arms across his chest. “All work and no play makes for a very boring Ellie.”

“I like to play. I just make sure I look good while doing it. Now then, where are we going?”

I shut the lights off in my office and grabbed my purse, tossing the small chain over my shoulder as I waited by the door. He pushed himself off the desk and followed behind me as we walked to the elevator. I was mute as we stood waiting for the elevator to make its way down to the very bottom of the hotel.

“I don’t bite, Ellie,” he finally said, bumping his shoulder into mine. I took a step farther to the left and clutched my purse.

“That’s what Gideon said, but I’ve yet to decide if that’s true.”

The elevator dinged and we both stepped into the empty car. I was glad that we only had to go up one floor or I might have died of awkwardness.

“I’ll have to prove it then.”

Keeping my back to him, I waited for the doors to open and let us out.

“Where are we going to get this computer?” I asked again, grateful when the elevator came to a stop with a ding.

“My plan was to go to Queen Ka’ahumanu Center. There’s a RadioShack there, and if they don’t have what we need, there’s always Costco.”

“Costco? For a computer?” My voice was skeptical and he didn’t miss the sarcasm in the question.

We stepped out of the elevator and he sidled up next to me, his arm around my waist. “Hey, there’s more to Costco than economy size packages of toilet paper and fifty pound bags of rice. Here’s the thing, Ellie. Normally, when Gideon asks me to replace a laptop, I have time to order one through my usual channels. However, this time, the loaner laptop I have is slower than the one you dropped, so I have no choice but to get you something in town. If we can’t find a perfect fit for your needs, we’ll get something that will work long enough for me to get a custom-made one sent to us and then I’ll use the one we buy tonight for a loaner.”

I stopped near a potted mini pineapple plant. “So what you’re saying is most people don’t drop their laptops and I’m a real pain in the tuckus.”

“What I’m saying is, we will have to make do with what we can find. If we happen to find a computer that fits your needs, fantastic. If not, we’ll get something you can use until we order one in for you. That’s all I’m saying.”

I felt a little bit better that he wasn’t acting put out about having to help me find a new computer. I know I’m behind the eight ball when it comes to the latest and greatest in computers and tablets, but I’m not interested in the nuts and bolts of the computer. I’m interested in using it to do, make, and promote. All a computer is to me is a tool. Todd held the door for us and we walked out into the salty Hawaiian air.

“I’ll never get tired of living here. It’s so beautiful all the time,” I sighed, following him down the walkway.

He turned and waited for me until I was next to him before we continued. “I can’t imagine living anywhere else. With the new apartments Gideon put in it’s been so nice to wake up and go to work, play on the beach a little, and then go home. I haven’t seen you around on the resident’s floor.” I stumbled, but he grabbed me before I fell. “You okay?” he asked concerned and I nodded, straightening my shoe.

“Sorry, my shoe caught in the carpet.” That was such a lie and he probably knew it, but I didn’t care. “Anyway, I’m there, but I’m up early and home late, so that’s probably why you haven’t seen me around.”

“Again, all work…”

“And no play, blah blah. I get it, Mr. I.T.” I said in a huff.

“Mally, for the love of God, it’s Mally,” he said exasperated.

I bit back the bark of laughter building in my chest. It was so easy to rile his feathers; it was almost no fun.

“Where are we going? Aren’t we taking the resort bus into town?”

“Nope,” he answered dragging me by my arm down the carpet walkway and around to the small employee parking lot in the back of the hotel. We didn’t need a big lot, since most people drove a scooter or used public transportation, so I wasn’t surprised to see the lot all but empty.

He kept a hand at the small of my back as we walked past empty stall after empty stall. I know it was a protective matter; dark parking lots not being the safest place to be walking at night, but the heat of his hand was unnerving me. I wanted to be far away from this guy because touching him would only lead to me being embarrassed again. He stopped in front of an old Crown Vic, the color indiscernible in the dark.

“This is your car? Is it an old cop car?” I asked as he held the door for me.

He leaned in before he closed it and grinned. “No, it’s an old taxi cab, but for you, the ride is free.”

The display in front of me was overwhelmingly technical and I felt hives breaking out on my arms. Mr. I.T. was browsing through the technical aspects of each computer as he went down the line of laptops spread out like a buffet at Costco. I didn’t say anything, following behind him afraid to interrupt his concentration. I kept my hands clasped tightly in front of me, every so often glancing to the right or left looking for a way out of this situation.

The car ride here had been…wonderful? Relaxing? Comfortable? I was trying hard not to let myself use those words, but the truth was hard to ignore. He’s comfortable to be around, because he doesn’t put on airs. He doesn’t look down on me for not knowing the difference between processors and gigabytes anymore than I look down on him for not knowing the difference between short and long-term market forecasts.

“See anything you like?” he asked, tearing me from dissecting the car ride and back into reality. I reacted more than I should have at his voice, jumping as though someone had zapped me.

“Maybe I should ask you that question,” I answered, scolding myself for using a flirtatious voice instead of a professional one.

“Oh, trust me I see a lot of things I like, and I’m not just talking about computers, but that’s what we’re here for, so I’m going to stick to those. I don’t see anything that will fit your needs exactly, so we’ll have to run with option two and buy one tonight to hold you over until we can order one in.”

I frowned, clutching my purse to my side. “Now I feel bad. You had to come out tonight and still do more work to deal with it tomorrow, not to mention how much this is going to cost Gideon.”

He chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s my job, honey bunches. As for Gideon, he’s not going to care. Buying two laptops to replace one is a drop in the bucket to his operations, considering he depends on you and your department to bring the guests to the resorts. Now, turn that frown upside down little lady, we’re almost done here.”

Honey bunches and little lady. Great, so he clearly remembers the drunken woman he helped home a few months ago. He probably remembered the drunken woman who threw herself at him for no reason, too. Considering the woman was drunk, horny, and clingy, he probably remembers better than the woman does.

“Aloha, can I help you two find anything?” a Costco employee asked, stopping near the computer displays.

Mr. I.T. pointed at the computer he was interested in. “Aloha, from what I can see we’ll have to take this one. It’s not ideal, but the only thing you have that will fit her needs.”

I checked the employee’s nametag and it read, Aka. “I’m a marketing director and sadly, my old computer wasn’t able to keep up, Aka.”

“Especially after she dropped it,” Mr. I.T. added and I groaned.

“All that did was put it out of its agony considering how it locked up nonstop. The little hourglass would spin forever.”

Aka’s head was going back and forth between us and he chuckled, “You guys are too cute. Hang on, let me check on something.”

He grabbed a handheld scanner and started punching at something on the screen with his stylus. I glanced at Mr. I.T. and hated that I liked the smile he wore as he leaned nonchalantly on the computer display shelf. I wanted Aka to make like a tree and leave, but he was staring intently at the screen.

“I have a Lenovo Ideapad in the back. It’s got the latest processor and sixteen gigabytes. It was a special order, but the customer never picked it up.”

I saw Mr. I.T.’s eyes light up like a kid who found a piece of candy in the couch cushions.

“Can I take a look at it?” he asked, his fingers wiggling at his sides.

“Sure,” Aka agreed. “I’ll grab it from the back. Hang loose.”

He left and I leaned against a display of keyboards. “You look like you just won a million dollars.”

He rubbed his hands together. “We may have. If it’s set up right, this computer will do everything you need it to do and more. You can have all your programs running and still do a presentation without a glitch.”

I shook my head. “Don’t even joke about something like that. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if my computer actually worked.”

He put a hand on his hip. “If you’ve been having so many problems with that computer, why did you wait so long to say something?”

I shrugged. “I didn’t want to bother you. I know you have a lot on your work plate as it is. I didn’t want to add to that. I know how it feels when people come to you asking stupid questions all day.”

“Telling me your computer isn’t working does not qualify as a stupid question. I’m inclined to believe you’re one of those people who try to do everything themselves rather than ask for help.”

“You can believe anything you’d like,” I replied, my tone more than a little sarcastic.

Aka came jogging toward us with a box and I was never happier to see another human being in my life. He stopped near the display and moved one computer out of the way, so he could set the computer box on the shelf.

Mr. I.T. looked at the box for half a second before he did a fist pump and gave a sigh of relief. “What a stroke of luck, this is perfect.”

Aka gave him a fist bump and motioned at the computer. “My boss says since its specs are custom the price was sixteen hundred, but he’ll give it to you for fourteen if it walks out the door.”

Mr. I.T. picked up the box and tucked it under his arm. “Sold! It’s a steal and exactly what she needs.”

Aka addressed me. “Do you want to make sure it’s what you want?”

I gave him the palms up. “I wouldn’t know. I have to take Mr. I.T.’s word for it. If he says it’s perfect, then it is.”