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The women ordered drinks, spoke in loud voices, squealed with laughter. One glanced behind her friend at George, glanced again, then a third time. He appeared not to register her interest, taking a leisurely sip of his martini, of which he never had more than two in an evening, at least that Marie had seen.
He was implacably cool, yet, when he chatted up his prey there had to be warmth, or he wouldn’t do so well. You could fool some of the women some of the time…
The girl with her back to Mr. Cloney gave him a shy smile over her shoulder.
“Hello.” His deep voice carried. No stupid line, nothing suggestive in his tone, just a friendly greeting, acknowledging her smile.
“Hi.” The blonde’s blush was visible even in the low, warm light. “I’m Jill.”
The brunette swivelled to face him, giggling silently. “I’m Maura.”
“Hi, Maura. Hi, Jill. I’m Quinn.”
Quinn. Marie nodded. She loved that name.
The girls put their heads together; the blonde nodded.
“What are you drinking, Quinn?” Tipping her head coyly, the brunette extended her arm toward him, let her hand rest on the bar.
“Gin martini. Extra dry with a twist.”
“Join us? We’ll buy your next one.”
“Only if I can buy both of yours.”
Marie had to stifle laughter. Nothing scintillating in that conversation. Nothing cute, nothing enticing, no showman-ship, and yet…Quinn was in once again.
He got up, moved closer, left one seat between him and the brunette, not crowding them, keeping his own space to himself. Brilliant. He struck up a conversation Marie wished she could hear, but she’d bet it was casual get-to-know-you chitchat. Where do you work, where do you live, how about them Packers/Brewers/Bucks, and will winter ever end?
The closer she got to the bottom of her drink, the more convinced she was that this man would be perfect for Darcy.
Too smooth, too polished for Kim. Kim would do better with a sweet boy-next-door type. Once Candy figured out who she was and what she wanted, her guy would come along, too, someone earnest and kind, harboring an inner wild child.
But Darcy needed someone with as much confidence as she had. Someone who’d let her be herself, but would never let her walk all over him.
Marie dug her cell out of her bag and dialed, knowing Darcy was at Gladiolas and wouldn’t pick up. Better that way.
If she spoke to her, Darcy would blow off the suggestion.
But if Marie left a message to work on Darcy’s subconscious before she brought it up again in person…maybe.
Marie grinned, waiting for voice mail to pick up.
Darned if she wasn’t as big an operator as Mr. Quinn.
“Hi, Justin, nice to meet you. Come on in.”
Justin shook Marie’s hand, impressed by her grip. She wasn’t what he’d expected. Her rich voice on the phone had him imagining a broad-shouldered Amazon, not this intrigu-ing mix of elfin and elegant. Small, plump, with short auburn hair and scattered bangs above hazel eyes emphasized taste-fully with makeup. She wore a stylish reddish-brown suit with a silk scarf of beige, orange and yellow, the colors combining to evoke pictures of a New England fall.
“Nice to meet you, too.” He stood looking around, hands in his pockets, portrait of a brand-new dating client nervously ready to put his ego on the line. He hoped the act was convinc-ing. “Great office. Very inviting.”
“I’m pleased you noticed.” She leaned over her desk to make a quick note in a folder—that he appreciated decor?—
and gestured to one of the two chairs in front of her desk.
“Have a seat.”
“Thanks.” He dropped into the comfortable chair, rubbing his hands along his thighs, poor ill-at-ease dude who could barely handle the stress of putting himself out there. “So, how do we do this?”
He was having fun already. Not that he wanted the lovely Marie and the even-more-lovely Candy to be involved in anything shady, but it was great to be back to the rush of an investigation. Writing the computer book with Troy was a good idea, a great career move, satisfying in many ways, but not exactly a thrill ride.
“We ‘do this’ any way that makes you comfortable, Justin.
You and I can talk, or you can fill out paperwork, or we can fill it out together. What do you think?”
