“Oh?” she said.
“Of course. I’m not risking you in a restaurant. Especially not after this conference. Davies will be frustrated and angry. God knows what he might do.”
For the rest of the afternoon, Spence leaned against the wall of whichever room Zoe was in. He could hear murmured voices from the rooms but couldn’t make out any words.
After the fourth meeting, Zoe stepped out of the room ten minutes early. She was followed closely by a man who stormed out of the room, slamming the door so hard that instead of catching, it bounced against the door frame.
Zoe’s face was expressionless, but the man’s face was a mask of rage, and he stalked down the hall.
Zoe appeared to be composed and collected, but her red cheeks and her clenched jaw highlighted the anger beneath her surface calm.
“What happened?” he asked in a low voice.
She shook her head. “Not here,” she murmured.
“Where’s your next meeting?” he asked.
She pulled a yellow sheet from a legal pad out of her suitcase and studied it. “Room twenty-five,” she said.
Spence settled his hand on her lower back and felt the tension in her spine and her muscles. Finally, when they reached room twenty-five, she leaned against the wall and blew out a breath.
“That guy was a misogynist asshole who wanted to know who really wrote all my programs,” she said in a low voice. “I told him I did, but he didn’t believe me.” She shrugged one shoulder. “That’s why I walked out early.”
Spence settled his hand against her lower back. “That must have pissed him off.”
Finally she smiled. “Oh, yeah. He was angry.” She shrugged. “There’re always a few of them at every conference. Men who don’t think women belong in programming. Most of them at least try to hide it, but there’re always a few who don’t. They believe a woman’s success means they’re losing their spot to a female, and it enrages them.”
“You gonna report him to the conference committee?” Spence asked.
“Probably. Men like that give all the good guys in the business a bad name.” She shrugged. “I’m sure I’m not the only woman he’s had a run-in with.”
“On to your next meeting?” Spence asked.
Zoe blew out a breath. “Yeah. I just want this conference to be over.”
“It will be,” he said, putting his hand on her back again. He liked touching her. Liked being in contact with her. “Right after you give your keynote speech.”