His soft question startled her, but there was no reason to hide anymore. “How much I’m going to miss you.”
He pulled her closer. “If I thought even for a minute it wouldn’t make you completely miserable, I’d ask you to quit and just come stay with me. I could take care of us both.” A deep tremor ran through his voice.
Her chest ached. They both knew neither of them would be happy like that. “If you’re good—like really, really good—even if, for some strange reason, the response at E3 is only lukewarm, you can stay solvent until you start turning a profit. That means a hiring freeze and minimal pay raises.”
“You say the sexiest things in bed.”
“I can’t help it. I don’t want to watch you leave again, and I can’t think of a way to change it.”
“Technically, I didn’t leave last time, so I can’t leave again.”
She shook her head without lifting it. “I still wish there was another way.”
“Me too. Are you coming back to Salt Lake after your contract is up?”
She bit the inside of her cheek. “I don’t know.” She’d considered it, but shot the idea down as false home so many times, she learned to ignore it before it even became a fully-formed thought.
“You won’t cut me off though, right?” There was a trace of hesitation in his question she didn’t think she’d ever heard before. “We’ll still do this long distance?”
She nodded against his skin. “You couldn’t stop me.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Nervous energy thrummed through Zach. He tapped his foot against the concrete and checked his watch again.
Chloe hopped onto a nearby stool, feet swinging back and forth. “That doesn't make the time go any faster, you know.”
“I know.” As much as he was grateful to have her assistance, he couldn’t help wishing Rae were there instead. And he had no idea how Chloe was so calm.
Scott sat on a second stool behind the tall table they'd set their demo stations up on. He stretched and popped his neck. His shirt matched Chloe's. White, obnoxious logo stretched across the front, but about three sizes bigger. “You know it's too late to worry, right? I mean, either it goes well now or it doesn't. Besides, it's not like anyone's going to be this far back in the room when the doors open.”
“You're not helping.” Zach couldn’t keep his expression stern long enough for it to make an impact. His clothing matched theirs. He couldn't believe they had talked him into the casual outfits. It was an industry affair. He should be in a suit and tie. He should be mingling. He should be headlining the large Cord/DM booth positioned directly in front of the entrance to the exhibitors’ hall instead of hidden in a corner like a nobody.
That was a bad road to go down. He was over that need. But part of him still remembered the attention they'd drawn two years before. The memory brought back another, more bitter one—Kelly turning down his marriage proposal in front of thousands during their game launch. On second thought, he was definitely better off tucked out of sight with his friends.
Chloe moved from one demo station to the next, loading up the game on each. “We'll be fine. Amazing even. You have a good team.”
Scott cleared his throat. “And they’re so modest, too.”
She glanced over her shoulder but didn't stop working. “I learned it from the best.”
Scott laughed. “Flattery still doesn’t lead to raises.”
She looked at Zach. “That’s not what you told me.”
Zach shook his head, the banter pushing aside some of his tension. “Bullshit, it’s not.”
“Psst.” A stage whisper interrupted.
The three of them turned in unison.
Jordan stood at the edge of the booth, DM button-down tucked into beige slacks. “Hey, guys.”
“Hey, traitor.” Chloe winked at him. She stepped forward and straightened his collar. “You look like a proper corporate tool.”
Jordan rolled his eyes and grabbed his crotch. “I've got your corporate tool right here. What you have is amazing, right?”
Scott tossed him a shrink-wrapped demo disc. “Like you haven't seen it already. Had to get some old-school hack to build the engine.”
Jordan snagged the square out of the air. He studied the package, smirking. “I'm sure you did fine. You even rocked the artwork. And the logo.” His gaze fell to Chloe's chest. “Definitely rocked the logo.”
She snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Are you allowed to be over here?”
Jordan smirked and took a step forward. He whispered something in her ear.
Chloe snorted with laughter. “Still looking forward to it.”
He nodded. “You didn't tell, right?”
“Of course not.”
He handed her the demo disc. “I've got a copy on my laptop. I probably shouldn't let them see me with it.”