Theo took a big gulp from one of the glasses. “Don’t tell me you’re going to send me packing, too.”
Diana followed Theo’s gaze to where Jason had moved on to a group of young men, all of them with summer tans and artfully shaggy hair. Their raucous laughter, the way they took up the space around them, reminded her of the businessmen on the train. And there was something in the way they surveyed their surroundings….“They look at the room as if they own it.”
“You don’t say,” said Theo.
“Some of their fathers are on the board,” said Alia. “Jason’s just doing his job.”
“By joining the Legion of Bros?”
“Are they a club?” asked Diana.
“Pretty much,” said Theo. “And Jason’s hoping if I’m not around they’ll forget he’s black and teach him the secret handshake.”
Diana took a longer look at Jason, remembering what Alia had said about how the world saw her. Maybe Jason had good reason for the wary way he carried himself.
“Think of it like this,” Alia said. “If Jason waved you over, you’d actually have to make conversation with those guys.”
Theo shuddered. “They’d probably make me talk American football.”
“And how much they love the Red Hot Chili Peppers.”
Theo hissed. “Stop it.”
“And Dave Matthews,” Alia said ominously.
Theo threw his arms over his head. “You monster.”
Alia waggled her fingers at him. “And how they once saw Jimmy Buffett live at Myrtle Beach!”
Theo flopped across the table as if he’d been grievously wounded. “Save me, New Girl,” he rasped. “You’re my only hope.”
Diana had no idea what they were talking about, or the names of the demons Alia was invoking, but she moved one of the candles out of the way so Theo’s sleeve wouldn’t catch fire. “There,” she said. She nodded toward Jason, who had detached himself from his friends and was heading toward them. “I’m afraid your reprieve may be over, Alia.”
“Quick,” she said, “stuff me under the buffet.”
“Too late,” Theo said, righting himself and taking another gulp of champagne.
“Have you come to drag me back already?” Alia asked Jason.
“You made a commitment.”
“Alia!” said a booming voice, and Diana saw Theo flinch. A barrel-chested man with a salt-and-pepper beard approached the table, with another man in tow. He swept Alia into a hug, then stepped back to look at her. “It’s been too long. Jason said you had summer travel plans.”
Alia smiled. “I didn’t want to miss the chance to meet some of the Foundation donors.”
Diana was impressed with how smoothly Alia lied, even as she realized how easy it must have been for her to pretend she intended to visit the spring with Diana or to toss the cell phone into the bag, knowing her brother would use its signal to track them. Remember that, she warned herself. For all the dresses and the laughter and the ease you feel, remember how little you know these people, how easily deception comes to them.
“I’m delighted you’re here and taking an interest,” said the bearded man. “You should have seen your brother at the board meeting earlier. He’s a natural.”
“I had a good teacher,” Jason said, though he looked pleased.
“Dad has always been great at telling people what to do,” said Theo, taking a swig of champagne. Dad. So the bearded man was Michael Santos, Theo’s father and Alia and Jason’s godfather. Next to him, they looked impossibly young.
Michael chuckled easily, but the mirth didn’t reach his hazel eyes. “I can always count on Theo to keep my ego in check.” He turned away from his son. “Alia, Jason, this is Dr. Milton Han. He’s doing fantastic work in environmental remediation, and I think he could take Keralis Labs in some interesting directions.”
Dr. Han shook Jason’s hand. “I knew your father at MIT. He was one of the smartest and most creative thinkers I ever met.”
“I can assure you we’re continuing in that tradition.”
“I was just reading about some exciting work in biofuels,” said Alia. “Is your research focused primarily on the use of bacteria for waste disposal or conversion?”
Dr. Han seemed to startle, as if he was actually looking at Alia for the first time. “Ideally conversion, but that may be a long way off.”
Theo laughed softly and said under his breath, “Do not test Alia Keralis, Girl Genius.”
Diana remembered what Nim had said: The hard part is being seen. She wasn’t sure what Theo saw when he looked at Alia, but he was certainly paying attention.
As Alia and Jason fell into conversation with Dr. Han, Diana heard Michael mutter to Theo, “Getting a quick start, I see.” He glanced at the two glasses in Theo’s hands.
Theo’s smile faltered, but he just said, “Aren’t you always telling me to apply myself?”
“What are you doing here? This is an important night.”
Theo downed the glass. “Jason wanted me here, so I’m here. Shocking, I know.”
“You will not embarrass us tonight,” Michael whispered furiously. “Not when so much is on the line.”
“Have you met Diana?” Theo said. “Diana, this is my father, Michael Santos. The savior of Keralis Labs. He’s quite the strategist, but not what I would call a lot of fun.”
Michael ignored him and offered Diana his hand. “A pleasure. Are you one of Alia’s friends from Bennett? She’s usually with that pudgy little Indian girl.”
“I’m not sure who you mean,” said Diana, feeling her anger prickle. “I’ve only met her friend Nim, the brilliant designer.”
Theo beamed and held up his remaining glass of champagne. “How about a sip to wash the taste of your foot from your mouth?”
“Just make yourself scarce,” hissed Michael.
“I would,” said Theo loudly, stepping past his father. “But I promised Alia a dance.”
Alia looked over. “You did?”
Theo snatched her hand and bowed theatrically. “You’re not going to change your mind, are you?” He dragged her after him to the dance floor. “My fragile heart couldn’t take it.”
With a nervous glance at Dr. Han, Michael laughed again. “Spirited boy. If he would just apply himself the way Jason does.”
But Diana wasn’t listening; her attention was focused on Alia vanishing through the crowd. Her gaze met Jason’s, and he held out his hand. “I’m so sorry, Dr. Han,” he said. “But I have the uncontrollable urge to dance.”
Diana’s brows shot up. Maybe not all mortals excelled at subterfuge.
She took Jason’s hand, and they wended through the partygoers to the dance floor. Diana allowed herself a small sigh of relief when she spotted Alia and Theo swaying together in the spangled light. Alia was laughing and seemed to be all right, but Diana didn’t intend to lose sight of her, no matter how many guards Jason had posted.
Jason led her onto the dance floor, sliding his hand beneath the golden fall of the lasso shawl as he drew her closer, his fingers brushing the bare skin of her back. She stiffened, then flushed when she realized he’d noticed.
“I have to touch you if we’re going to dance,” he said, sounding bemused.
“I know that,” Diana replied, bothered by the edge to her voice. “We don’t dance like this where I’m from.” Alia laughed again, and Theo spun her beneath his arm and into a dip. “Or like that, for that matter.”
It was comforting to focus on Alia and Theo instead of the scrap of distance between her body and Jason’s. Why should standing so close to someone make her pulse jump? Was it simply because he was a male? It’s a novelty, she told herself. Or maybe it was because, poised this way, her hand clasped in his, their bodies separated by a breath, felt almost like the moment before an embrace. Or a fight. Why couldn’t they just wrestle again? That had been easier. And she would win.
Jason pressed his hand firmly to her back, and she nearly lost her footing.
“What are you doing?” she asked, more irritably than she’d meant to.
“I’m trying to lead.”
“Why?” It was hard enough to manage these strange movements in new shoes and a borrowed dress without him jostling her around.
“Because that’s the way it’s done.”