Hard Line - Pamela Clare Page 0,93
bring them.” A resigned look on his face, Thor stepped forward, kissed Samantha on the lips. “They invited themselves.”
“We’re not his friends, honey,” said the gorgeous blonde. “We’re family.”
The woman with long, dark hair laughed. “A dysfunctional family.”
Smiling, the redhead held out her hand. “I’m Elizabeth Shields.”
Samantha stared at her, taken aback. “Elizabeth, I’m so happy to meet you at last. Thank you for all you did for Patty—and for me.”
“I wish I’d done more.”
Samantha knew immediately who the other women must be. She shook each of their hands in turn. “You’re Holly Andris.”
“I’ve wanted to meet you for months, but Thor kept you to himself,” Holly said. “He told us you were brilliant. He wasn’t exaggerating.”
“Thank you. That’s sweet of you to say. And you’re Gabriela Marquez Cruz.”
Gabriela took her hand. “Thanks for the lecture. I learned so much.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you came. I’ve wanted to meet all of you, too. Thor has told me about the three of you.”
Holly gave Thor a playful jab with her elbow. “Really? What did he say?”
Samantha lowered her voice. “I don’t think we can talk about that here.”
They laughed as if she’d said something funny.
“It’s okay, Samantha,” Holly said. “Yes, we all worked for the Agency.”
Samantha had to say it. “He’s right. You don’t look like spies.”
That made them laugh again.
Holly leaned closer. “You don’t look like a badass astrophysicist who once stabbed a murdering bastard in the face.”
It shouldn’t have made Samantha laugh, but it did, something about the way Holly said it making her feel like part of their kick-butt sisterhood. “Thank you.”
Thor put his arm around Samantha’s shoulders. “Samantha needs to get to the reception. Are you three coming?”
“Is there food and alcohol?” Elizabeth asked.
Samantha nodded. “Appetizers and a cash bar.”
“We’re in,” Holly said.
Samantha led them up the stairs to a reception hall, where one of the campus kitchens had catered refreshments. “That looks so good.”
She’d been too nervous to eat before the lecture, so she was starving.
Hors d’oeuvres. Cheese. Pastries. A cake.
“Do you want a glass of wine?” Thor asked.
“That would be wonderful. Chardonnay, if they have it.”
Thor walked to the bar, Elizabeth, Holly, and Gabriela behind him.
Samantha made her way to the buffet, picked up a paper plate, tried to decide between the bruschetta with olive tapenade and mushrooms, the crab and avocado toast, or the smoked salmon crisps. Hungry, she took one of each.
“So, they gave you the job.”
Samantha turned, the voice somehow familiar. “Nathan.”
Her pulse skipped. She hadn’t known he worked here.
Damn.
He stood there, a sneer on his face, a beer in hand. “I’ve worked here as an instructor for a year, and they gave the job to you. Did you sleep with the entire hiring committee or just Professor Newton?”
Taken aback by the ugliness of his words, she stared. “Why are you so bitter?”
“Bitter?” Nathan snorted. “I’m not bitter. I’m pissed. I’ve worked hard, too, just as hard as you. But they hired you because you’re a woman. They’re all on a crusade to hire women in the sciences.”
Heat rushed into her face, his words like a blow. “My getting this job has nothing to do with my sex. I’ve worked hard to get here. Maybe if you’d quit blaming other people for your shortcomings, you’d get farther. The common denominator in all of your failures is you.”
An ugly grimace on his face, Nathan took an aggressive step toward her—then looked up and backed off.
Thor was there, a glass of wine in one hand, a beer in the other. “Er alt i orden, skat?” Is everything okay, sweetheart?
He’d been teaching her conversational Danish in preparation for their visit to his parents this Christmas.
“Ja, tak.” Yes, thanks. She took the wine, slid her fingers through Thor’s. “Thor, this is Nathan Collins. Nathan, this is my partner, Thor Isaksen. He’s a veteran of Danish special forces and works in security.”
She probably hadn’t needed to add that last part, but she’d enjoyed it.
Nathan took another step backward, his gaze still on Thor. “Your partner? Isn’t that egalitarian? What’s it like being married to a computer?”
Thor smiled, but Samantha could sense his anger. “It’s great. I admire Samantha’s intelligence and her passion for science—and life.”
They weren’t married, of course, but neither Samantha nor Thor corrected him.
Prof. Newton hurried over, outrage on his face. “Dr. Collins, I need you to leave. You are out of line. What you said to Dr. Park is unacceptable. Report to my office—”
“I quit. I worked for you for a year, busted my