Read Online Tropical Convergence by Melissa Good - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melissa Good
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was the heat of summer now, though, so that wasn't unexpected. However, it had made it all the more pleasant to not have to fight the crowds and stand in long lines. "Sure," she concluded. "Let me just get a towel and wipe my eyes. The water's killing them."
Dar lead the way back to the chair they'd taken possession of, picking up Kerry's towel and handing it to her as she lifted her own and dried the largest of the water droplets off with it. Now, instead of being oppressive, the sun felt good and warm on her back, and she felt pleasantly tired from all the activity.
Out of habit, she checked her phone. No calls. With a grin, she checked Kerry's, which was also devoid of any missed calls. She admitted to herself that curiosity was beginning to prick her softly, wondering what, if anything, was going on in the trade show.
"Why don't you call?" Kerry had been watching her, and now she produced a knowing grin.
"Would it make you feel better if I did?" Dar countered.
Kerry took a seat on the beach lounger, and extended her bare legs out, crossing them casually at the ankles. "Yes." She waggled her fingers. "Dial, your Nerdiness." She arranged herself more comfortably on the lounger and put her sunglasses on, then folded her hands over her stomach.
Dar chuckled, but unzipped the case and flipped the phone open. She dialed Eleanor's number and waited. It rang twice, and then was answered.
"Yes?"
"Is it a convention yet?" Dar asked.
Eleanor chuckled nastily.
"That's what I thought. Need us for anything?"
"Only as icing on the cake. Having fun?" Eleanor asked.
"Yes, we are," Dar affirmed. "Glad everything's going okay there."
"Dar, did you know who the principals were in Telegenics?" Eleanor asked suddenly. "The operational team, I mean? Not the money people?"
Dar exhaled. "Yes," she answered evenly. "Always nice to have old friends in the business, huh?"
"Mm," Eleanor grunted. "Well, I think they figured to have a little competition with us here. My sources tell me they were involved in why we had no staff here last night."
"Ah." Dar smiled humorlessly. "That would explain why they showed up to the offices as we were leaving," she said. "So they thought they'd throw a wrench in, eh?"
"Apparently." Eleanor sounded so very smug. "They were looking to be the big shots and come riding to the rescue this morning. Terribly disappointed, apparently, when they discovered we were already providing that role by generously lending out our resources to help all our friends and enemies get their gear running."
"Aww."
"Terribly disappointed to not find you here."
"Double awww." Dar chuckled. "They can kiss my ass."
"That would be playing right into it, no?" Eleanor quipped. "But just so you know, they left, and one of the boys heard them saying they were going to go looking for you. The short bitchy one apparently had some idea of where you might be."
Dar's ears pricked up and she very slowly turned her head to scan her surroundings. She didn't see anyone she knew, but there were a lot of areas she couldn't see, either. "Nice," she muttered.
"You do make charming enemies, Dar." Eleanor sighed. "Anyway, they left us alone, so thank God for that. You will stop by tonight to make sure everything's a go for tomorrow, right?"
"We'll be there," Dar responded quietly.
"Good. Later!" Eleanor hung up, her voice already rising to talk to someone as it vanished into the cellular ether.
"YOU WERE RIGHT. There they are." Shari leaned on the balcony of the restaurant, gazing pensively down across the forest of chaise lounges.
"Seem to have an affinity for water," Michelle Graver commented, biting off the words with sharp precision. "I remembered they spent time here last time."
"During the Vista bid?" Shari asked.
"Exactly."
"Mm." The bigger woman turned her attention back to their subjects. As she watched, Dar wrapped her towel around her neck and took a seat on the lounge next to where her blond companion was lying. But
Dar lead the way back to the chair they'd taken possession of, picking up Kerry's towel and handing it to her as she lifted her own and dried the largest of the water droplets off with it. Now, instead of being oppressive, the sun felt good and warm on her back, and she felt pleasantly tired from all the activity.
Out of habit, she checked her phone. No calls. With a grin, she checked Kerry's, which was also devoid of any missed calls. She admitted to herself that curiosity was beginning to prick her softly, wondering what, if anything, was going on in the trade show.
"Why don't you call?" Kerry had been watching her, and now she produced a knowing grin.
"Would it make you feel better if I did?" Dar countered.
Kerry took a seat on the beach lounger, and extended her bare legs out, crossing them casually at the ankles. "Yes." She waggled her fingers. "Dial, your Nerdiness." She arranged herself more comfortably on the lounger and put her sunglasses on, then folded her hands over her stomach.
Dar chuckled, but unzipped the case and flipped the phone open. She dialed Eleanor's number and waited. It rang twice, and then was answered.
"Yes?"
"Is it a convention yet?" Dar asked.
Eleanor chuckled nastily.
"That's what I thought. Need us for anything?"
"Only as icing on the cake. Having fun?" Eleanor asked.
"Yes, we are," Dar affirmed. "Glad everything's going okay there."
"Dar, did you know who the principals were in Telegenics?" Eleanor asked suddenly. "The operational team, I mean? Not the money people?"
Dar exhaled. "Yes," she answered evenly. "Always nice to have old friends in the business, huh?"
"Mm," Eleanor grunted. "Well, I think they figured to have a little competition with us here. My sources tell me they were involved in why we had no staff here last night."
"Ah." Dar smiled humorlessly. "That would explain why they showed up to the offices as we were leaving," she said. "So they thought they'd throw a wrench in, eh?"
"Apparently." Eleanor sounded so very smug. "They were looking to be the big shots and come riding to the rescue this morning. Terribly disappointed, apparently, when they discovered we were already providing that role by generously lending out our resources to help all our friends and enemies get their gear running."
"Aww."
"Terribly disappointed to not find you here."
"Double awww." Dar chuckled. "They can kiss my ass."
"That would be playing right into it, no?" Eleanor quipped. "But just so you know, they left, and one of the boys heard them saying they were going to go looking for you. The short bitchy one apparently had some idea of where you might be."
Dar's ears pricked up and she very slowly turned her head to scan her surroundings. She didn't see anyone she knew, but there were a lot of areas she couldn't see, either. "Nice," she muttered.
"You do make charming enemies, Dar." Eleanor sighed. "Anyway, they left us alone, so thank God for that. You will stop by tonight to make sure everything's a go for tomorrow, right?"
"We'll be there," Dar responded quietly.
"Good. Later!" Eleanor hung up, her voice already rising to talk to someone as it vanished into the cellular ether.
"YOU WERE RIGHT. There they are." Shari leaned on the balcony of the restaurant, gazing pensively down across the forest of chaise lounges.
"Seem to have an affinity for water," Michelle Graver commented, biting off the words with sharp precision. "I remembered they spent time here last time."
"During the Vista bid?" Shari asked.
"Exactly."
"Mm." The bigger woman turned her attention back to their subjects. As she watched, Dar wrapped her towel around her neck and took a seat on the lounge next to where her blond companion was lying. But
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