another thirty minutes, at least. Sorry .
Nolan sighed with a mixture of disappointment and relief as he texted C U soon . At least she was okay, although he’d wanted to share the Trekkie experience with her. But she wouldn’t have understood most of it. Maybe starting with the original TV series was the way to go, instead.
Turning, he beckoned to the woman who’d wanted Darcie’s seat. She hurried up and took it. She also ate Darcie’s chocolate cake. Nolan thought of snatching it away from her and decided not to. Darcie might not arrive until they’d all left the banquet room.
The panel was good, but not as much fun as it would have been with Darcie there. If she hadn’t understood all of it, they could have talked about it later. Instead he sat between a woman who felt entitled to a second piece of cake and Blackstone, who fidgeted through the entire presentation.
Nolan had never realized that Blackstone did that kind of thing. Maybe he always had and Nolan hadn’t been around him enough to notice. First he played with his coffee cup, rotating it back and forth in the saucer. Then he jiggled his leg for awhile. Then he picked up a fork that had been left at his place and began flipping that back and forth. The noise was minimal because the fork rested on a folded cloth napkin, but the constant movement was annoying as hell.
Nolan considered reaching over and taking the fork away. Ah, hell, he should just ignore it. If Darcie had been here, he probably would have. If someone hadn’t decided to make him the butt of some practical jokes, he wouldn’t care about the damned fork flipping. If he’d had some actual sex last night, that would have helped, too.
Instead he was wound way too tight and Blackstone was driving him batshit crazy because the man literally couldn’t sit still. When the panel finally concluded amid a standing ovation, Nolan was in a foul mood. He hadn’t been able to concentrate on any of it. He’d totally missed what might have been the greatest panel of the entire conference, but he stood and clapped as if he’d soaked up every word.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and his world, which had been seriously wobbling on its axis, tilted right back into place where it belonged. There stood Darcie, smiling at him. He was so happy that he almost grabbed her and kissed her.
But he would have embarrassed both of them, so he settled for smiling back. “Glad you made it.”
“Not in time, I see.”
“No, but that’s okay. Let’s get out of here so I can buy you something to eat.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and flicked it on. “I have exactly one hour before my panel discussion at three.”
Aaron turned around. “Hey, if it isn’t the missing Darcie! This guy fought like a lion to protect your food and your spot. You should have seen him. Impressive as hell.”
Nolan’s irritation with Blackstone evaporated in the warmth of Darcie’s presence. He laughed. “You’re full of it.”
“I’m not kidding! Tell her, Jenson. Wasn’t Bradbury her knight in shining armor?”
Bill grinned. “I have to admit he was. Darcie, we haven’t officially met, but I’m Bill Jenson. I work with your knight in shining armor.”
“I know,” Darcie said. “I heard about your adventures yesterday afternoon when you both geeked out getting autographs from the stars.”
“You guys went for autographs and didn’t tell me?” Aaron feigned great disappointment. “Guess I know where I stand around here. I don’t suppose you’ll want to sit with me at the banquet tonight, either.”
“We wouldn’t,” Bill said, “and not because you’re not a charming dinner companion. But Harcourt and Sterling are the speakers and they wouldn’t be happy about us fraternizing. I see no point in stirring them up.”
“I’m tempted to do it anyway,” Nolan said. “This rivalry is dumb.”
“So let’s do it!” Aaron clapped him on the back. “Let’s show a
Nolan sighed with a mixture of disappointment and relief as he texted C U soon . At least she was okay, although he’d wanted to share the Trekkie experience with her. But she wouldn’t have understood most of it. Maybe starting with the original TV series was the way to go, instead.
Turning, he beckoned to the woman who’d wanted Darcie’s seat. She hurried up and took it. She also ate Darcie’s chocolate cake. Nolan thought of snatching it away from her and decided not to. Darcie might not arrive until they’d all left the banquet room.
The panel was good, but not as much fun as it would have been with Darcie there. If she hadn’t understood all of it, they could have talked about it later. Instead he sat between a woman who felt entitled to a second piece of cake and Blackstone, who fidgeted through the entire presentation.
Nolan had never realized that Blackstone did that kind of thing. Maybe he always had and Nolan hadn’t been around him enough to notice. First he played with his coffee cup, rotating it back and forth in the saucer. Then he jiggled his leg for awhile. Then he picked up a fork that had been left at his place and began flipping that back and forth. The noise was minimal because the fork rested on a folded cloth napkin, but the constant movement was annoying as hell.
Nolan considered reaching over and taking the fork away. Ah, hell, he should just ignore it. If Darcie had been here, he probably would have. If someone hadn’t decided to make him the butt of some practical jokes, he wouldn’t care about the damned fork flipping. If he’d had some actual sex last night, that would have helped, too.
Instead he was wound way too tight and Blackstone was driving him batshit crazy because the man literally couldn’t sit still. When the panel finally concluded amid a standing ovation, Nolan was in a foul mood. He hadn’t been able to concentrate on any of it. He’d totally missed what might have been the greatest panel of the entire conference, but he stood and clapped as if he’d soaked up every word.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and his world, which had been seriously wobbling on its axis, tilted right back into place where it belonged. There stood Darcie, smiling at him. He was so happy that he almost grabbed her and kissed her.
But he would have embarrassed both of them, so he settled for smiling back. “Glad you made it.”
“Not in time, I see.”
“No, but that’s okay. Let’s get out of here so I can buy you something to eat.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and flicked it on. “I have exactly one hour before my panel discussion at three.”
Aaron turned around. “Hey, if it isn’t the missing Darcie! This guy fought like a lion to protect your food and your spot. You should have seen him. Impressive as hell.”
Nolan’s irritation with Blackstone evaporated in the warmth of Darcie’s presence. He laughed. “You’re full of it.”
“I’m not kidding! Tell her, Jenson. Wasn’t Bradbury her knight in shining armor?”
Bill grinned. “I have to admit he was. Darcie, we haven’t officially met, but I’m Bill Jenson. I work with your knight in shining armor.”
“I know,” Darcie said. “I heard about your adventures yesterday afternoon when you both geeked out getting autographs from the stars.”
“You guys went for autographs and didn’t tell me?” Aaron feigned great disappointment. “Guess I know where I stand around here. I don’t suppose you’ll want to sit with me at the banquet tonight, either.”
“We wouldn’t,” Bill said, “and not because you’re not a charming dinner companion. But Harcourt and Sterling are the speakers and they wouldn’t be happy about us fraternizing. I see no point in stirring them up.”
“I’m tempted to do it anyway,” Nolan said. “This rivalry is dumb.”
“So let’s do it!” Aaron clapped him on the back. “Let’s show a
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