Page 7 of The Shadow Friends

“And stay up late. Watch an old movie . . . carouse on the sofa . . .” He gave her a long, lingering kiss. “Et cetera.”

“I say we go straight to ‘et cetera,’” she whispered.

“I second the motion . . .”

The hotel door opened, and footsteps creaked onto the veranda.

“Oh,” said Lloyd. “You two are still here? I thought you left with Ben.”

Reluctantly, Declan and Maggie drew apart. “We’re about to head home,” said Declan. “Just, um, admiring the view.”

“Excellent kickoff to the conference, wouldn’t you say? Despite that last-minute emcee change.”

“Ingrid can do anything.”

“Except turn down a challenge,” grumbled Lloyd. “No one else wanted to step in on such short notice. And really, this sort of thing is in her wheelhouse. Assembling assets.”

“I think you mean speakers, Lloyd,” said Declan.

“Assets, speakers. It’s all the same. I just hope she doesn’t get talked into it next year.”

“This will all be over Sunday night,” said Maggie. “Then you two should go on a nice long vacation.”

“You’ll be here for tomorrow’s opening session, right? Nine a.m. panel with the doomsday trio. Ingrid’s going to be very annoyed if she sees any empty seats.”

“We certainly don’t want an annoyed Ingrid,” said Declan.

Lloyd gave them a weary salute. “Dinner on my own again. And I have a lovely coq au vin all ready to heat up.” He went down the veranda steps, then stopped on the lawn and turned back. “Say, would you two want to join me for dinner?”

Maggie and Declan looked at each other.

“It was just a thought. I’m sure you already have plans.” Lloyd sighed. “Good night, then.”

Maggie watched Lloyd walk away, a solitary figure receding into the darkness. She thought of him walking into his silent house. Imagined him sitting alone in his kitchen, dining solo on a meal he’d lovingly prepared for two.

“What do you think?” Declan whispered.

“Lloyd!” Maggie called out. “We actually don’t have other plans. Can we still come to dinner?”

“Absolutely!” In the dark, she couldn’t see Lloyd’s smile, but she could hear it in his voice. Instead of an intimate evening with Declan, it would have to be coq au vin for three.

But that’s what friends were for.

Chapter 4

Ingrid

“You really haven’t changed,” said Rodrigo.

Ingrid laughed. “And you’re still a shameless liar.”

They were sitting at a corner table in the hotel bar, which was now packed with conference attendees. Wine had flowed freely at the reception, but for this crowd, there was always time for another drink, another anecdote, another hand to shake. In a noisy room where people stood shoulder to shoulder at the bar, no one would notice the couple seated in the dim corner, nursing their nightcaps.

Rodrigo looked at her over the rim of his whisky glass. “I’m serious. Twenty-eight years later, and I see the same Ingrid.”

She snorted. “Aside from the gray hair and the ten extra pounds.”

“On you, it all looks good. When it comes to the essentials, you’re still the same.”