While Marie and the twins talked about what “blew” and what was “lame,” Jane glanced about the room, searching for more adult conversation. Her gaze skimmed over Darby, who was in a deep conversation with General Manager Clark Gamache, and landed on Luc where he leaned against the end of the bar, talking to a tall blond woman in a white slip dress. The woman had her palm on his arm and his head was lowered over hers as she spoke. He brushed aside the edge of his jacket and shoved one hand in his pants pocket. Charcoal suspenders lay flat against the white pleats of his shirt, and Jane knew under those formal clothes the man had the body of a god and a horseshoe tattooed on his flat belly. Luc laughed at something the woman said, and Jane looked away. Something alarming that felt a lot like jealousy landed in the pit of her stomach and her hand tightened on her little purse. She couldn’t be jealous. She had no claim to him, and she didn’t even like him. Well, not that much. What she felt was anger, she reasoned. While she babysat Luc’s sister, he trolled for Vanna White look-alikes.
Rob Sutter asked her to dance and she left Marie in the care of the Miner twins. The Hammer led her to the middle of the floor and surprised her with how well he moved. His hand on her side, he led her around the dance floor. If it hadn’t been for his black eye, he would have looked utterly respectable in his black tux.
After Rob, she danced with the Stromster, who’d dyed his Mohawk a light blue to match his tuxedo. At first conversation with the young Swede was difficult, but the longer she listened to him, the better she understood his heavy accent. When the band paused between songs, she thanked Daniel and made her way to Darby, who waited for her on the edge of the dance floor.
“I’m sorry, Jane,” he began as she approached him, “but I have to take you home now. An acquisition we’ve been working on is finally taking place tonight. Clark has already left for the office. I have to meet him there.”
The Space Needle was a stone’s throw from the Key Arena and, depending on the time of day, about half an hour from her apartment. “Go ahead. I’ll take a taxi.”
He shook his head. “I want to make sure you get home.”
“I’ll make sure she gets home.” Jane turned at the sound of Luc’s voice. “Marie’s up on the observation deck with the Miner twins. When she comes back down, we’ll take you home.”
“That would help me out a lot,” Darby said.
Jane glanced behind Luc for the blonde, but he was alone. “Are you sure?”
“Sure.” He looked at the assistant general manager. “Who’s involved in the acquisition?”
“Keep it under your hat until morning.”
“Of course.”
“Dion.”
Luc smiled. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.” Darby turned to Jane. “Thanks for coming with me tonight.”
“Thank you for inviting me. The ride in the limo was wild.”
“See you two at the airport in the morning,” Darby said and headed for the elevator.
As Jane watched him go, she asked, “Who’s Dion?”
“Boy, you really don’t know much about the game.” Luc took her elbow and, without bothering to ask, pulled her out onto the crowded dance floor. Luc took her small purse and stuffed it in the pocket of his jacket. He folded one of her hands in his and placed his warm palm on her side.
In her new heels, her eyes were level with his mouth, and she set her hand on his shoulder. The light on the dance floor cast a diagonal shadow across his face, and she watched his lips while he spoke. “Pierre Dion is a veteran sniper,” he said. “He knows the ice. When he shoots from his sweet spot, the puck stings like a son of a bitch.”
Watching his mouth did funny things to Jane’s nerve endings, and she raised her gaze to his. It was probably best not to talk about sweet spots. “Your sister seems like a very nice girl.”
“Really?”
“You sound surprised.”
“No.” He looked over her head. “It’s just that she’s moody and unpredictable, and tonight hasn’t been a real good night for her. She was asked to a high school dance, but the boy decided to take someone else at the last minute.”
“That’s horrible. What a little bastard.”
His gaze returned to hers. “I offered to kick the kid’s ass, but Marie thought it would embarrass her.”
For some bizarre reason, Jane felt herself fall deeper into infatuation with him. She couldn’t help it, and all because he’d offered to kick some ass on his sister’s behalf. “You’re a good brother.”
“Actually, I’m not.” His thumb brushed the back of her hand and he pulled her a little closer. “She cries a lot, and I don’t know what to do about it.”
“She just lost her mother. There’s nothing you can do.”
His knee bumped hers. “She told you that?”