Beaming, Doug disappeared again, popping back out a moment later with another box. “There ya go. These are like, beat units? Won't be commercial for a couple months. They run on Tmo.”
“Beta units.” Dar took hers. “We'll give them a workout, and let you know, Doug.”
“Great. Thanks!” He gave them a wave as they made their way back out into the crisp air. “Nice ladies.”
His assistant looked up at him, and shook his head. “Give up them phones? You're crazy.”
Doug gave him a clout on the back as he went back into the store room. “Crazy like a fox, bro. That tall lady likes that thing, we can sell a truckload to her. Big shot in that high tech stuff.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Kerry was glad of the cool air, and the cloudless dark night sky that presented a perfect, full moon as they strolled out onto the boardwalk.
Dar paused after a few minutes and leaned on the railing, eying her partner with a slight grin. “Here we are.”
“You remember?” Kerry chuckled, leaning next to her. “I can tell you I was far too slathered with my own hormones to figure out where on this walk we ended up at.”
“Mm.” Dar looked out over the silver lit sands. “I do remember, because I was figuring out how far it was to that lifeguard station so I'd know how long to run before I could dive into the water and soak my embarrassment if you ended up that kiss with a “Yuk!”
“Oh Dar, please.” Kerry chuckled. “You knew I wasn't going to do that!” She said. “I knew we were probably going to end up kissing each other when we left that restaurant.”
“Did you?”
“Uh huh.” Kerry nodded. “At least, I knew I was going to end up kissing you. I wasn't entirely sure what you were going to end up doing.”
“Oh, Kerry please.” Dar drawled in response. “You're lucky I didn't start licking that butter sauce off you at that restaurant.” She bumped Kerry with her shoulder. “Give me a break.”
“You would have scandalized my friends.”
“Didn't you want me to?” One of Dar's brows lifted.
Kerry chuckled.
“We've come a long way.” Dar straightened up and turned, much as she had that night and gazed at Kerry. “Thanks for deciding to share my life, even though it's been a roller coaster the last few years.”
Kerry gently put her hand on Dar's cheek, then leaned closer and kissed her. “Pleasure's been all mine.” She took a breath of the cool, salt tinged air and let her hand drop to grasp her partner's. “Can I ask you a question?”
“You found one you haven't yet?” Dar's eyes twinkled gently.
“I'm serious. I thought about it when we were driving out here.” Kerry said. “Are you letting me push you into doing something you don't really want to do, Dar?”
Dar looked puzzled.
“Do you really want to quit?”
“Ah.” Dar leaned on her elbows, the breeze ruffling her hair. “You know what I think?” She turned her head and regarded Kerry, seeing the lines of tension along her jaw as she clenched it. That made her pause, especially when Kerry's eyes drifted off and didn't meet hers. “Ker?”
“Yeah.”
“Hey.” Dar moved closer and reached over to give her a tickle on the tip of her nose, waiting until Kerry looked up at her. “Yes.” She said. “I think you are forcing me into this.. ah ah ah!” She put her finger on her partner's lips, reading in her body language an emotional explosion she didn't want to trigger.
Kerry went still, watching her intently.
“It's a good thing.” Dar said. “Left to my own devices, I'd stay in the same program until someone pushed my off button.” She smiled wryly. “You started changing me the minute we met. I don't regret that, Ker. Honestly.” She draped her arm over Kerry's shoulders and bumped her. “Let's walk and talk.”
She felt the tension in her companion's body relax a little, as they strolled along the wooden walkway, empty at this time of night except for themselves. The silence went on for awhile, only the rustle of the palm trees and the rush of the surf echoing softly.
“I just feel so adrift.” Kerry said, suddenly. “I can't even focus on stuff at work, Dar. It all feels so.. I don't know.”
“Mm.” Dar grunted softly.
“Maybe I need to just step down.” She offered. “Just go do something else.”
They walked along for a little while, as Dar chewed that over. It was hard for her to determine exactly how she felt about it – on one hand, she wanted Kerry to be happy. On the other hand, she didn't want to have to replace her, and have to deal with someone else in her position.
On a third hand, it occurred to her that she'd walked away from work without a thought today and maybe all her arguing with her ego really had no point. “I'd like us to go out together.” She finally concluded. “Can you hang in there for me a little while so we can get things tied up?”
Kerry studied her profile. “Do you really want to leave? Level with me, Dar.”
“I do.” Her partner responded easily. “Or.. let me be more specific.” She smiled with wry self knowledge. “I want to try something else, do something else, be part of something else.” She said. “I just don't walk away from things easily.”
“You're loyal.”
“Call it that.”
“it is that.” Kerry said, in a mild tone. “You are a very loyal person. I don't think that's a bad thing, Dar.” She paused and regarded the horizon. “I trust you. I don't want to make you unhappy doing something just to make me happy, you know?”
Dar turned and studied her. “I don't know. I'd go through endless amounts on unhappiness in order to make you happy.”
Kerry fell silent for a moment. “That's what I'm afraid of.”
Dar shrugged lightly and grinned. “I'm not.” She said. “It won't make me unhappy to go do something else, or travel with you for a year for that matter, and we both know that. I just have to get over my upbringing and realize I don't run the world and I'm not going to get the satisfaction of saving everyone's ass every ten minutes.”
Now it was Kerry's turn to ponder. “You're really self aware sometimes.” She remarked.
“Yeah. Thinking about how I think gives me a headache though. I'd rather we started kissing again.” Dar responded. “Or go down the beach and get some ice cream. Seriously, Ker, I'm fine with it.”
“Mm.” Kerry regarded her pensively.
Dar put her arms around her and gave her a hug, lightly scratching her back as she felt Kerry respond and exhale. “Change is a pain in the ass. But we'll muddle through it.”
“I know. “ Kerry finally let it go. “I'll see what I can do about some networking to find some people brave enough to come do what we do. Maybe that tech seminar next week'll stir up some interest.”
“At's my girl.” Dar patted her on the back. “You do that while I fly to Washington. Get them off my back.”
They started walking back up the boardwalk to the parking lot.
Kerry came back into the living room with her hot tea, to find her partner sprawled on the couch, hands folded on her stomach as she patiently waited for Chino to return with her toy to throw. “Whatcha thinking?”
“What am I thinking.” Dar tossed the soggy green frog across the condo. “What do you think about Roberts Automation?” She inquired. “As a name for our new company?”
Caught by surprise, Kerry set her tea down and dropped onto the love seat. “Oh. Wow. Hm.” She leaned on the love seat arm. “Yeah. I like that. So you hooked on to that idea?”
Dar nodded. “That took my brain somewhere.” She admitted. “Like a dozen things popped into my head about it.. what services we can offer, that kind of thing. Hosted services. Why pay for a datacenter, that kind of thing.”