Zoe leaned back. Thought about previous conferences. “I don’t think so,” she said slowly. “But we should definitely check that out before the meetings start. Make sure there’s no other access to those rooms besides the door from the corridor.”
“We’ll do that,” Spence said. He stood up and began pacing. “The reception should be fine,” he said. One door, me inside with you, Nico outside the door. And your session should be okay, too. But I’m worried about your meetings.”
Zoe leaned closer. “I think we’ll have a chance to check out those rooms before my first meeting. And if there’s no access from the backs of the rooms, protection should be easy. Just like the protection when I’m giving my session. You at the door.”
Spence shook his head. “I need to be in the room with you. I’ll pretend I’m a technician, testing the equipment. But I’m not leaving you alone with anyone besides Nico.”
Zoe pursed her lips. She didn’t want the distraction of Spence in her meetings. But she understood his point of view. So she nodded reluctantly. “Okay. I can deal with that.”
“Good,” Spence said. “That brings us to the keynote.”
Zoe sighed. “The keynote is going to be a problem.”
“Why?” he asked immediately.
“It’s in the ballroom. It’s a very big room, and it has a traditional stage in it. For events where there’s a band, or plays, or anything like that. There will be access points on both sides of the stage that lead to other parts of the building. So someone could potentially come in through one of those doors without being noticed and wait in the wings of the stage. Grab me as I walk off the stage.”
“And it’ll only be me on Saturday night,” he said, his voice grim. “Nico has another job.”
She nodded. “I won’t walk into the wings,” she said. “There’ll be stairs at either end of the stage. I’ll walk down those stairs, and you’ll be right there. But people will rush forward after my speech. Trying to meet me. Asking me questions. It’s going to be chaotic.”
“And you know this how?”
“That’s the way it is at every other conference this group puts on. They don’t like to keep people away from the presenters. They want us to mingle. Meet people. Answer questions. And when I’ve been a presenter at this group’s previous conferences, I like that feature. I like meeting people. Talking to them.” She smiled. “I’ve hired a fair number of people after meeting them at a conference.”
Spence clenched his fist. Scowled, then relaxed his hand. “Sorry, bae, but that’s not happening at this conference.”
“I know,” Zoe said quietly, studying her hands. Her mouth curled up in a sad smile. “I won’t be a rock star this year.”
“You’re already a rock star,” Spence said, pressing his palm over her hand. “You don’t need adoring groupies hanging on your every word and jostling to get close to you to prove it. You can have all of that at your next conference, when Davies isn’t a threat.”
“I don’t need that stuff,” she said, lifting her chin. “I know what I’ve accomplished. What I’m capable of. I know how many copies of my software have been sold.”
Spence tightened his grip on her hand. “Yeah, you’re right. But we all need a little validation sometimes. And this kind of conference is your chance to get that.”
“Not this year,” she said, drawing her hand away from Spence. “This year is about staying safe. Walking out of the conference center next to you at the end of the evening.”
She wanted to add, driving home and jumping into bed together. But she knew that wasn’t going to happen.
No matter how much she might want that, Spence had made it clear a relationship between them was off the table.