Page 27 of Totally Played (Love In Play #5)

Calvin is gone for twenty minutes when I finally peel myself away from Red and the prospective investors.

They listened to the info on the tech, but in the end, they didn’t think it was a suitable time for them to invest in anything, having just expanded into Europe themselves.

Like, why let me go on about it all then?

Just say you’re not interested and let me go find my man already.

But I don’t because while they might not be interested now, they might be later.

I follow the path through the gallery rooms, finally spotting him sitting with an older woman with gray hair in front of what he said was one of his favorite pieces.

When we walked around the first time, he had us loop back past just so he could see it again.

It’s nice. It has some cool lines and textures to it.

It’s not something I would normally gravitate to, but I love the way it makes him smile.

I’d buy it for that alone. But most of the art in this place costs more than my apartment building. Maybe I can get him a framed print.

I hear them talking as I move closer.

“And you just knew?” she says, and he nods.

“Yeah. It was like there was an energy about him that drew me in. I’d never felt anything like it, and even though I had no idea what it meant, I just knew I didn’t want to let it go.”

“So what do you do?” she asks.

“I play baseball in the Banana Ball league.”

“And Ash?”

“He works at this amazing tech company,” Calvin begins, and I stop and listen to him explain all about the sensors, the tech behind them, the impact on the farms, the animals, all of the numbers.

He knows it all. He’s remembered everything I’ve said about the trails, about my trip to the farm, and he connects it all together into this amazing story.

To hear him talk, you would think I was single-handedly responsible for the success of Red Tech.

He glances back and spots me.

“Oh, Ash, hey, sorry, we got caught up,” he says, standing.

“It’s no problem. I thought I’d find you at your favorite piece,” I say, and he blushes.

“Umm, Ash, this is…, sorry I don’t think I got your name,” he says, turning to the woman. She stands and turns toward me, offering a soft smile.

“Lynette.”

“Oh, nice. My mom’s name is Lyn. Lynette’s brother painted this,” he says, turning back to the artwork, and it brings the same instant smile it did when he first laid eyes on it.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she says. “It was lovely meeting you both. I should probably be getting back.”

“Yes, sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you,” Calvin says, but she chuckles and shakes her head.

“It was the joy of my night, dear. Have a good evening,” she says, kissing him on the cheek and leaving us.

“She was sweet,” I say, and Calvin hugs my side.

“She really was. I told her why I like this painting so much.”

“Why’s that?”

“It makes me feel seen, like how you do.”

I want to tell him I heard what he said. That I heard how he raved about me, and my work, and my love of this company, and what it is trying to do. I want to tell him how amazing it feels to see myself through his eyes.

“I feel seen by you, too,” I say instead, but what I really want to say. The words my heart is screaming are, I love you.

***

Calvin is back on tour, and I’m shopping for cat trees in one of the biggest pet shops I’ve ever been to in my life.

CALVIN: Why not just order something online?

His messages were followed by three links to different options online.

ASHLEY: They have those ones here, they aren’t big enough, and they look like they would fall over. I want something more solid for when he grows. Where did Tim and Lion get the enclosure thing?

I don’t have a huge rooftop, but maybe I could get something that fits a window.

CALVIN: They built it. The shelves in the apartment, too. Lion and his friends are really handy.

ASHLEY: Well, I don’t even own a hammer.

CALVIN: Yeah, you do. *** Winky face ***

I laugh out loud in the store and catch a few stares.

ASHLEY: Not helpful. I might have to get a person in to build me something custom, too. Can’t have the little guy trading down.

CALVIN: He’s going home with his favorite person in the world, fairly sure he’s not trading down.

When I told Lion I’d adopt the little gray kitten, I swear he squealed, “Yes!” like he’d just won the lottery. Apparently, the little guy hid from every other person who came to see the kittens. I hope he doesn’t hide from me now, too.

ASHLEY: I will ask Lion what he thinks will be good for my place when he drops him off. I have to get to work. Have an amazing game.

When I get to the office, everyone is in a frenzy.

“Did you hear who’s coming?” Jennifer asks the second she spots me.

“No, I just got here.”

“The owner of Futuresque.”

“Like the airline?”

“Yes.”

“What would they want with Red Tech?”

“That’s what Red’s preparing to find out now. Every department is on alert in case she wants a tour. Do you know the recent numbers on the tech? Oh, is that video done? The one you had made for the Millers?”

“Take a breath, Jennifer.”

“I can’t. Do you know what someone like her could do for this company?”

“Probably a lot, but with what strings attached. Red’s had offers in the past from super wealthy people, and they’ve almost always wanted controlling interest. He won’t give up this company, and he shouldn’t.”

“Well, we’ll know soon enough. The video?”

“Riggs should have the long and short version, just ask him.”

“Right. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to check on our boss to make sure he’s not spiraling like the rest of you.” I laugh and head toward his office. Just as expected, he’s not like them at all. He’s lying back on his couch, reading something in a magazine.

“Nice to see you aren’t freaking out like the rest of them,” I say, and he lowers the magazine to his chest and smiles over at me.

“Did you know she started her first company all on her own?” he asks.

“Just like you.”

“Exactly.”

“Did she say why she’s coming?”

“No. Her people reached out and asked for a meeting.”

“Well, I’ll be around if you need me.”

“No, you have to stay.”

“Why?”

“They asked for a meeting with you.”

“They what now?”

“They asked to speak with you. Apparently, they heard you were the guy I sent out to talk up the tech, so they asked you to be there.”

“You know more than I do.”

“Sure, I know that.” He chuckles, and I flip him off.

It’s only a little true. I have been with him from the start, and I have knowledge of every way this tech works, but he designed it.

He knows how it works, not just what it does.

“You’re better at the people part, so it would be handy if you stick around. Do you mind?” he asks, and I nod.

“I’ve got time before the game. Calvin has a part in the opening number. I promised I’d watch.”

“I still can’t get over how much you denied coming to any game with me, and now you’re streaming them from across the country. What has love done to you?”

“Made me better,” I say, shoving his legs to make room for me on the couch. He sits and closes the magazine. “Just remember, we got this far keeping the company under your control, we need to keep it that way.”

“Under our control, you mean.”

“It’s been a long road. My share in RED Tech is small, so I don’t mind if I end up further down the ladder of the decision makers, as long as you don’t.”

“The latest investors you and Jennifer signed have given us enough funds to get us to production, if we manufacture overseas. If I want to keep it in the country, I need major money backing us. What if it’s worth the risk?”

I can see he’s been really thinking this over. His eyes are drawn, tired.

“We will get the funds and your US manufacturing plant.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I believe you can make anything happen. Look at what you did with that first ten thousand we raised back in college. You had no idea how we could do what we did with that, and yet, you built the first prototype, paid for my economy flights to the AgTech firm in Sweden, to boast all about its possibilities. They were our first investors, and we only grew from there.”

“That was because of you. All of it was. You set up that fundraiser and found the Swedes.”

“Okay, it was us. Look at what we can do together?”

“Yes. Us. We can do anything we set our mind to. We can change the world.”

“And we will.”

The door opens, and Red’s secretary is there.

“Ms. Lynette Collins,” she announces, and then in walks the woman from the gallery.

“How lovely to see you again.” She beams as we stand. “So, I hear your tech is doing amazing things.”

“We are trying,” Red says, crossing the room to shake her hand.

“You were at the fundraiser,” I say, and she nods.

“Yes, my company often buys plates at dinners like those. It’s good to give back, don’t you think?”

Red offers her a seat.

“It really is. Umm, is that how you heard about us? Did one of our staff talk to you at the event?”

She shakes her head.

“I met a lovely young man in the gallery who spoke nothing but praise for Red Tech, and more pointedly, for Ashley here.”

“She met Calvin,” I say, and realization crosses Red’s face.

“Oh, yes, well, he would have nice things to say about Ash. He’s his boyfriend, after all.”

“Hey, I’m also a great guy,” I say, suddenly feeling the need to defend myself and Calvin’s opinion of me.

“Yes. I mean, I didn’t…” Red begins, his face warming to near match his name. He’s never been great with the people part. Unless he’s talking about the tech itself, then he kind of finds his groove. “Calvin doesn’t work here, is all I mean.”

“Yes, well, work here or not, he certainly knew a lot about your technology. I take it that’s your doing?” She looks at me.

“We talk about everything. I guess he listened more than I realized.”

“He did. And now I want to listen. So tell me, Ashley, why should I invest in Red Tech?”

I spend the next ten minutes going over the tech itself, its applications, and performance in the field. Jennifer arrives then and shows the video we had made for the Millers.

“Looks like the farmers are loving it.”

“They’ve been waiting for tech like this for years,” Red says, and she nods.

“I agree. But the applications of it go beyond farms, don’t they?”

I frown. Red and I haven’t talked about other applications. I mean, we discussed horse ranches, but that’s still agriculture.

“I’ve toyed with human applications,” Red says, and I spin to face him.

“You have?”

He shrugs.

“The tech isn’t there yet. I ran a simulation to test feasibility. Technically, we could develop sensors to help track people’s health the same way we track cattle.”

“With an ear tag?”

“No, we’d look to do something wearable, a bracelet, or ring, maybe.”

“That is what I am interested in funding,” Lynette says, pulling out a thick stack of papers from her bag. “My investment proposal. Have a look and see if you’re interested. I think we could do a great thing together.” She stands, and we follow.

“Thank you, I’ll look it over,” Red says, and she nods.

“My contact details are in the proposal. When you have an answer. Oh, and Ashley, I hear Calvin has a game today. Do, wish him luck for me.”

“I will. Umm, thanks,” I say, and she leaves.

Red is already flicking through the papers when I turn back around.

“What is she asking for?”

“Only fifteen percent.”

“That’s good, will her investment be enough to manufacture the sensors here?”

He looks up at me, eyes wide, mouth agape in a wide smile.

“She’s willing to invest ten million.”

“Dollars?”

“Yes.”

“For fifteen percent?”

“Yep, with one condition.”

“And that is?”

“Only a third can go toward agricultural applications, the other two-thirds is to be used to further the advancement of human applications. Specifically on monitoring mood conditions.”

“What, like depression?”

“Yeah. Exactly like that. When I was thinking human application, I was thinking about blood and oxygen health.”

“Do you think the sensors could track mood?”

“The brain gives off electrical impulses for everything, so it’s possible.”

“With six-point-three million dollars, almost anything is possible,” I reply, and he laughs.

“I think your boyfriend just found us our new partner.”