“I want you to promise me something,” Emily
said.
“Anything.”
“That you’ll stop looking at me like that for
the rest of the day.”
Derian grinned. “That’s going to be very
difficult for me to do, but I’ll try.”
“Thank you,” Emily said, her voice a warm
embrace. “Now come on. The Ws
are at the far end.” She slid her hand behind Derian’s elbow, unobtrusively
leading her past the snaking rows of people queued up in front of overhead
signs. “Let’s find your line.”
When Derian got at the end of the line Emily
indicated, she said, “I better wait here for you. If I try finding you, I’m
likely to get turned around and end up wandering in here for forty years.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” Emily smiled. “If you
did, I’d find you.”
“Good to know.” Derian wasn’t used to anyone
helping her out in these kinds of situations, but then she never let on how
hard some things were for her.
“I’ll be right back, and then we’ll do a
little reconnoitering,” Emily added. “This place is a big city, and it takes a
little getting used to it.”
“I’m game,” Derian said. “Go ahead. I’m good.”
“I know.” Emily hurried to the appropriate
row to pick up her badge, hating to leave Derian and feeling foolish for
worrying at the same time. Derian was perfectly capable. She traveled the
world, made her home in more cities than Emily ever hoped to visit, and wasn’t
going to be overcome by the chaos of a convention center. As much as she knew
all of that, she still hated to leave her. She wanted to be with her, not
because Derian needed taking care of, but because she enjoyed being near her
more than anything she’d ever experienced. She loved talking business with her,
loved playing verbal games with her, certainly loved kissing her, and just
found the world a brighter, more exciting place when she was with her. She
loved—
“Can I help you?” A cheerful middle-aged man
with a badge around his neck that said he was a volunteer smiled at her from
behind the registration counter.
“Oh!” Emily wondered how long she’d been
standing there. “I need to pick up my registration materials. Um, Emily May.”
“Certainly,” he said and began riffling
through a long box of name cards. “Here we are.”
“Thanks.” Emily took the package
automatically, not listening to his well-practiced rundown of what she could
find inside the bag. Her thoughts were filled with Derian. She turned away to
make room for the next person and made her way back to Derian. She didn’t see
her at first and her heart leapt anxiously. Don’t
be silly, she’s got a cell phone. She’s not going to get lost. All you have to
do is call her.