companion, did he? What did he think she was going to do? Wander off and miss her chance to stand in the spotlight?
“He’s not told me much about what you are getting ready to present,” Durham continued, oblivious to her reaction. “He likes to keep even those of us closest to him guessing until the main event, but I am hoping that you might be a little more loose-lipped.” He smiled, daring her with his eyes.
Juliane met his gaze and shrugged. If Louis wanted to play coy with his friend, she could play along, but first, she had to dispense with any suggestion that she was some country maiden in need of an escort. Without breaking eye contact, she moved to the aircraft railing and swept up the drink he had been in the process of pouring. She raised the glass to her lips, halving its contents. She tasted smoke as the rich scotch warmed her belly. It was the type of drink one might suggest would put hair on your chest. Certainly not one a stranger would have poured for a lady. She savored the flavor before asking, “So, fencing?”
Juliane felt victorious as his eyes left hers, tracking the motion of the glass. His smile deepened in appreciation along with the tone of his voice. Her message had been received.
“Well, it’s hard to keep up with the old lacrosse circuit when you travel as much as I do. I felt like the ultimate FOGO. I figured that, this way, all I have to do is find a club nearby.” He shrugged.
“Sorry, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.”
“Oh, well, some of us aren’t as lucky as you are, and have to find other ways to maintain our girlish figures.” Durham snorted at his own joke.
“It’s not been that hard. I just don’t go out to eat much.” Actually, Juliane forgot to eat altogether some days. It depended on how engrossed she was with her work and whether or not Chad was around to remind her that Nadia was waiting on him for their next meal. “No, what I meant was I have no idea what FOGO is.”
“Oh, I see. Louis and I played on the same team for a while. FOGO: Face Off, Get Off. I felt like I would only show for a game and then wouldn’t see the team again until the following season. Louis has this huge banner of the WLA, er, Welsh Lacrosse Association, on one of the walls at his place. I tend to forget that not everyone grew up with the terminology.”
The crew must have completed their final safety checks because the aircraft door was closed, and an attendant interrupted the conversation, motioning them to take their seats. Juliane sank into the plush cushion. “I may never be able to fly coach ever again,” she sighed, sinking even further with the jet’s rapid acceleration.
“Well, if your presentation goes even a fraction as well as Louis anticipates, I suspect you may never have to. Welcome to the good life.” He had poured himself another drink right before their ascent and raised his glass from his own seat. She returned the gesture, emptying the balance of her glass.
Their ascent was over before Juliane could put her glass down. As soon as cruising altitude was reached, Durham swiveled in his chair toward her. “So what is the big hush-hush project anyway?”
“Does Louis normally keep you in the dark about these sort of things?”
“Normally? No, which is why I am now so intrigued. I’m not just a pretty face here. I like to know what is going on so that I can advise him on what he needs to do to come out on top.”
Juliane shrugged. “Well, I suppose he has his reasons this time for keeping you in the dark. I would hate to ruin whatever he has planned.” Juliane watched the smile slip from Durham’s face for a moment. He bowed his head, and when he raised it again, he did so with a fox’s grin.
“Well, we are heading to Vegas with some time to kill. How about I play you for the information?”
“What kind of game do you have in mind?”
“How about the game of kings?”
“What? Chess?”
“The fact that you even
“He’s not told me much about what you are getting ready to present,” Durham continued, oblivious to her reaction. “He likes to keep even those of us closest to him guessing until the main event, but I am hoping that you might be a little more loose-lipped.” He smiled, daring her with his eyes.
Juliane met his gaze and shrugged. If Louis wanted to play coy with his friend, she could play along, but first, she had to dispense with any suggestion that she was some country maiden in need of an escort. Without breaking eye contact, she moved to the aircraft railing and swept up the drink he had been in the process of pouring. She raised the glass to her lips, halving its contents. She tasted smoke as the rich scotch warmed her belly. It was the type of drink one might suggest would put hair on your chest. Certainly not one a stranger would have poured for a lady. She savored the flavor before asking, “So, fencing?”
Juliane felt victorious as his eyes left hers, tracking the motion of the glass. His smile deepened in appreciation along with the tone of his voice. Her message had been received.
“Well, it’s hard to keep up with the old lacrosse circuit when you travel as much as I do. I felt like the ultimate FOGO. I figured that, this way, all I have to do is find a club nearby.” He shrugged.
“Sorry, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.”
“Oh, well, some of us aren’t as lucky as you are, and have to find other ways to maintain our girlish figures.” Durham snorted at his own joke.
“It’s not been that hard. I just don’t go out to eat much.” Actually, Juliane forgot to eat altogether some days. It depended on how engrossed she was with her work and whether or not Chad was around to remind her that Nadia was waiting on him for their next meal. “No, what I meant was I have no idea what FOGO is.”
“Oh, I see. Louis and I played on the same team for a while. FOGO: Face Off, Get Off. I felt like I would only show for a game and then wouldn’t see the team again until the following season. Louis has this huge banner of the WLA, er, Welsh Lacrosse Association, on one of the walls at his place. I tend to forget that not everyone grew up with the terminology.”
The crew must have completed their final safety checks because the aircraft door was closed, and an attendant interrupted the conversation, motioning them to take their seats. Juliane sank into the plush cushion. “I may never be able to fly coach ever again,” she sighed, sinking even further with the jet’s rapid acceleration.
“Well, if your presentation goes even a fraction as well as Louis anticipates, I suspect you may never have to. Welcome to the good life.” He had poured himself another drink right before their ascent and raised his glass from his own seat. She returned the gesture, emptying the balance of her glass.
Their ascent was over before Juliane could put her glass down. As soon as cruising altitude was reached, Durham swiveled in his chair toward her. “So what is the big hush-hush project anyway?”
“Does Louis normally keep you in the dark about these sort of things?”
“Normally? No, which is why I am now so intrigued. I’m not just a pretty face here. I like to know what is going on so that I can advise him on what he needs to do to come out on top.”
Juliane shrugged. “Well, I suppose he has his reasons this time for keeping you in the dark. I would hate to ruin whatever he has planned.” Juliane watched the smile slip from Durham’s face for a moment. He bowed his head, and when he raised it again, he did so with a fox’s grin.
“Well, we are heading to Vegas with some time to kill. How about I play you for the information?”
“What kind of game do you have in mind?”
“How about the game of kings?”
“What? Chess?”
“The fact that you even
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