Just less certain.
"The C. Rowan."
"Probably."
"The one submitting the technical recommendation tomorrow."
"Today."
Her eyes widened.
"The meeting moved."
"I know."
"You're going directly there?"
"Yes."
Victoria stared at him.
Then looked down at the worn jacket.
The old laptop.
The cracked phone.
Row 32.
Everything she had used as evidence now reorganized itself.
Caleb watched without satisfaction.
People expected these moments to feel wonderful.
They rarely did.
There was something uncomfortable about watching a person realize they had accidentally been honest in front of someone they would normally perform for.
Victoria recovered quickly.
That impressed him.
"Well."
She straightened the tablet.
"I suppose first impressions are imperfect instruments."
"They are."
"I can be blunt."
"I noticed."
A small smile.
Careful.
"I meant no disrespect."
Caleb looked at her.
"Did you?"
Victoria opened her mouth.
Stopped.
Caleb continued gently.
"I'm not asking whether you intended to offend me."
"I'm asking whether you respected me before you learned what I did."
Silence.
The aircraft hummed around them.
Victoria looked toward the window across Caleb.
"No."
That surprised him.
Honesty.
He nodded.
"Thank you."
She looked back.
"For what?"
"For not rebuilding the answer."
Victoria stared.
Then laughed once.
Quietly.
"I probably deserve that."
Caleb reopened the laptop.
Victoria said:
"Can we start again?"
He looked toward her.
"Why?"
The question unsettled her.
"Because I misjudged you."
"You did."
"I'd like to correct that."
Caleb considered.
"Ten minutes ago you believed a single father in an economy seat had traded ambition for stability."
Victoria's expression tightened.
"Now you know I have influence over a major contract."
"Suddenly I'm an experienced practitioner."
"I didn't say that."
"You were about to."
She exhaled.
"Fine."
Caleb continued.
"What changed?"
"I received additional information."
"About my competence?"
"Yes."
"Did you ask for any before?"
Victoria looked down.
No answer.
Caleb softened his voice.
"This matters more than you think."
She looked back.
"Why?"
"Because if you assess people differently based on whether they can affect you, that doesn't only happen on airplanes."
Victoria's face cooled slightly.
"We are not discussing my company culture."
"I didn't say we were."
"But you are thinking it."
Caleb smiled.
"You're perceptive."
"I built Ashbourne Dynamics from nine people."
"I'm aware."
"You don't build an aerospace technology company for nineteen years by dismissing expertise."
Caleb said nothing.
Victoria continued.
"I have engineers who have been with me since the beginning."
"Good."
"I promote technical talent."
"Good."