An hour ticked by like it was soaked in molasses. I ate. I drank a virgin cocktail. I was toasted by my friends. I smiled as if I weren’t anxious as all hell. And then, finally, when all the speeches were made and all the food consumed, the senator began to schmooze with the crowd.
“Excuse me,” said Simon. “I’ll be right back.” He eyed me knowingly, tilting his head, pointing it to a discreet corner of the room.
I nodded ever so slightly, then waited another ten minutes before the senator and the professor appeared in that same discreet corner.
“I need to stretch my legs,” I announced a tad too loudly, my boyfriend and my boss jumping at my sudden outburst.
“Want me to join you?” asked Todd.
“No!” I shouted. “I mean, um, no, I’ll just be a moment. Talk with Doug here.”
“About?” he re
