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“Is that a good idea?” Joe raised one eyebrow.
“You’re the only one who has to stay sober, Red.”
The guests began to filter in through the doors after being checked out by security, and the level of noise in the ballroom increased minute by minute.
Joe nodded toward Agent Porter, his football-player frame dressed to the nines. He was here as a guest, too, but he had his eyes wide-open.
Putting him firmly in the guest column, Hailey introduced Joe to her foundation’s board members and acquaintances as a...friend. If the friend designation allowed him to continue doing all those things to her body that he’d just done in the hotel suite, he’d take it.
The dais at one end of the room sported a podium, long tables on either side and a screen behind it. Would images of the devastation in Syria be projected on that screen, or would that be going too far for this crowd?
A small commotion stirred around the side door to the right of the dais as two security guards ushered in a tall, lean man and two women.
Hailey followed his gaze and said, “That’s Dr. Nabil Karam-Thomas and Dr. Lynne Roberson. The other woman is Dr. Roberson’s date, I believe.”
“Dr. Karam-Thomas, the keynote speaker.”
“That’s right. He’s done a lot to recruit volunteers in the medical field.”
“Thomas?”
“English father, Syrian mother, I believe.” Hailey deposited her champagne flute on a passing tray. “They’re coming this way.”
As the small group approached, Hailey sailed forward, extending her hands. “I’m so happy you could make it tonight, and everyone is looking forward to your speech, Dr. Karam-Thomas.”
“So good to see you again, Hailey, and please, call me Nabil.”
“Dr. Roberson, welcome.” Hailey took the woman’s hand. “This is Joe McVie. Joe, Dr. Roberson and...”
Dr. Roberson gave Joe’s hand a firm shake. “This is Valerie Guida.”
After shaking hands with both of the women, Joe made a half turn toward Dr. Karam-Thomas.
“Nice to meet you, Valerie.” Hailey turned toward Dr. Karam-Thomas. “Dr.—Nabil, this is Joe McVie. Joe, Dr. Nabil Karam-Thomas.”
As Joe shook hands with the doctor, Karam-Thomas tightened his grip, his ring squeezing against Joe’s knuckle. When they released, Joe glanced at the large gold band on the doctor’s right hand. It looked like a wedding band that belonged on his left hand.
Joe glanced at Karam-Thomas’s left hand and cocked his head. The ring on the doctor’s third finger boasted a red stone, unusual for its dark color. Where had he seen a stone like that recently?
He slid a gaze at Hailey’s hands, expressively gesturing as she spoke to the doctors, her long fingers adorned with three diamond rings. The lady obviously preferred diamonds to rubies, or whatever that stone was.
Joe tuned back into the conversation just in time to hear Dr. Roberson ask about Ayala Khan.
“I’ve heard great things about the work Ayala does at the refugee center near the Turkish border. Will she be here tonight, Hailey?”
Hailey pinched the sleeve of Joe’s jacket. “Sh-she wasn’t able to make it.”
Not done singing Ayala’s praises, Dr. Roberson turned to Dr. Karam-Thomas. “Have you met Ayala Khan, Nabil? She’s Syrian, too.”
Karam-Thomas flashed his easy smile and held up his hands. “I can claim only half Syrian ancestry. I have not met Ms. Khan, but I’ve heard wonderful things about her. Maybe next time our paths will cross.”
“Hailey—” Joe held up a finger “—I thought you said Dr. Karam-Thomas had visited the refugee center when you were working there. Wouldn’t he have met Ayala then?”
Hailey’s body stiffened next to his.
She obviously didn’t want to put a damper on the evening by announcing that one of the Syrian Florence Nightingales was fomenting terror and destruction, and he had no intention of outing her now. He just thought it strange that Karam-Thomas wouldn’t have remembered meeting Ayala. The guy was probably too much the superstar to remember all the underlings.
“That’s right.” The doctor snapped the fingers of his left hand, and the red stone caught the light and glinted. “I did meet Ms. Khan on that visit—amazing nurse. Now, if you ladies and gentleman will excuse me, I’m going to press some flesh.”
