Heart-Shaped Hack(50)

Ian seemed relaxed, smiling at Kate and holding her hand as they walked into the restaurant. Diane and Steve were waiting for them by the door. Her mother looked elegant in a wrap dress and silver hoop earrings, her hair blown out in a sleek bob that reached her shoulders. Kate thought if she looked half as good at fifty-five as her mother did, she’d be very happy. Like Ian, her dad had worn a suit, and after seeing his face light up when he spotted her, Kate realized how happy she was to be seeing her parents again.

After she hugged them, she turned around. “Mom, Dad, this is Ian.”

Ian shook her mother’s hand and Diane held it warmly in hers. “It’s nice to meet you, Ian.”

Kate’s dad and Ian shook hands. Steve smiled, but Kate knew he was going through the mental checklist he’d been using to measure Kate’s boyfriends since she’d been old enough to have them.

“It’s nice to meet you both,” Ian said. “Kate speaks of you often.”

Diane couldn’t stop smiling at Ian, and it was adorable. Her mother had always been close to Stuart and had been genuinely fond of him, but Kate didn’t think it would be long before Diane pledged her allegiance to Ian.

They placed their drink orders once they were seated in the dining room: wine for Diane and Kate and single malt whiskey for Steve and Ian. Kate felt herself relaxing as they made small talk and looked at their menus.

“Have you heard from Chad?” Kate asked. Her brother was spending Christmas with Kristin’s family in Ohio.

“Yes,” Diane said. “He called this morning to wish us Merry Christmas. He and Kristin are flying back tomorrow.”

Kate had worried that her parents might ask Ian why he wasn’t spending the holiday with his own family, so she’d told her mom about Ian’s upbringing one day when they’d talked on the phone. She didn’t go into detail, but she’d told Diane about Ian’s dad and that he didn’t have much contact with his mom.

“That’s heartbreaking,” Diane had said.

“I know. He and his dad were really close. But he’s handled it well, and he’s doing fine on his own. Honestly, I couldn’t be more impressed by what he’s accomplished. I just don’t want you to say anything about his parents at dinner.” Diane had promised that she wouldn’t.

Their drinks arrived and Diane took a sip of her wine. “How did last night go?”

“We didn’t have to turn anyone away, so I’d say it was a success,” Kate said. “We served meals for about three hours. The kids were so excited to receive their presents.”

“Were you there too?” Diane asked Ian.

“Yes. Kate did a wonderful job organizing everything.”

“Ian’s being very modest. His contribution helped bring it all together.”

“Kate told me you two met when you made a donation to the food pantry,” Diane said.

“Yes. I saw her on TV and wanted to help.”

“Ian is very philanthropically inclined,” Kate said.

He smiled at Kate. “It balances out my shortcomings.”

“What shortcomings?” she said, smiling back.

Diane looked at the two of them and beamed.

Ian had once teased Kate that the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree when she’d mentioned having a glass of wine with her mother. But Kate thought the tree she’d fallen from was more likely her father’s. He had the same need for excitement that Kate did, and he’d satisfied it in a courtroom. Maybe that was one of reasons Kate’s defection from the practice of law had bewildered him so.

Steve had always been kind to Stuart, but during the five years they’d been together, she’d noticed a slight dismissal in the way her dad spoke to him, as if he knew as well as Kate that there wasn’t much under Stuart’s surface that needed excavating. Ian would be a more stimulating conversational partner for her father. She envisioned Ian sharing only what he wanted to and Steve always being aware that there was more.

“Kate tells me you went to MIT,” Steve said.

“Yes.”

“And I hear you own your own company.”

“For about ten years now. I specialize in computer security.”

Kate’s dad asked several questions, and Ian gave him examples of the work he’d done for some of his clients. She was impressed when her dad seemed to grasp it so quickly. Steve Watts was a highly intelligent man, but he was definitely out of his comfort zone when it came to technology.

“Sounds like you’re very good at what you do,” Steve said.

“I genuinely enjoy it, which helps,” Ian said.

“Do you think it’s true what they say about the next terrorist attack being launched by computers?” Steve asked.

“Yes. We’ve only just begun to see the impact hackers will have on national security.”

“What are the implications?”

“It’s our infrastructure that’s most vulnerable. Electricity, gas, oil, water. Bringing those to a standstill would cripple us.”

Kate had never seen Ian look so serious.

Or so worried.

After they finished eating, Kate and Diane excused themselves to go to the restroom.

“He’s wonderful, Kate,” Diane said when they were washing their hands. “He looks at you like all he wants is to have you by his side.”