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directions to the hotel where the conference was being held. It was clear that he knew exactly where he was headed.  When they arrived, he pulled into the valet parking.  The act was so typically Richard that Eve glanced over at the man behind the wheel. The hotel allowed for patrons to park their own vehicles, but Eve had never known Richard to do that when someone else was available to park his car for him.  She wondered if Burke was acting as Burke or if he was mimicking Richard’s behavior.  He was falling into impersonating Richard well.   
Her door was opened by the hotel attendant who offered his hand to help her out.  Eve placed her hand in his and stepped onto the asphalt.  The day was overcast, but despite the clouds covering the sun, the air outside was warm and sticky.
Burke  - ah Richard - she had to remember to call him Richard -  joined her and they made their way through the double glass doors that accessed the hotel lobby.
The conference coordinators reserved the same rooms for the event each year.   For the first time since she’d embarked on the trip with Richard, Eve knew where she was heading.
She spotted Matt Deligne making his way toward her.  Deligne was a big, bold Texan, topping six feet by several inches.  His shaggy hair, beneath a white Stetson, was sun-streaked, attesting to the time he spent outdoors on the cattle ranch he lived on.
“Why hi y’all,” he said, when he reached her. He swept her into a bear hug that squeezed a cough from her. 
After Eve extracted herself from Deligne’s hold, she said, “Richard, this is Matt Deligne.  Matt, my business partner, Richard Patterson.”
“Matt,” Burke said.
Burke and Deligne shook hands.     
“Never did see you out this way, Rick,” Deligne said.  “Have to say, I was starting to believe Eve had made you all up as an excuse to deny going out with me.”
“As you can see, Matt, Richard is very real.”  Eve had to force the smile that she needed to go along with that statement about Richard. 
“Well, I’ve never been one to back away from competition,” Matt said.
She added softly, not wishing to cause Matt hurt. “Richard isn’t the reason you and I will go on being just friends.”
Beside her, Burke tensed.  Maybe in anticipation of Matt’s reaction, but Eve had never known Matt to be anything but good-natured.   
Matt laughed now, loud enough that patrons at the other end of the long hall way glanced in their direction.  “I think the lady just hit me dead-on with a solid right hook.  I’m bleeding all over this fancy carpeting, darlin’.”
She’d been less than tactful and her words hadn’t come out as she’d intended.  She was sorry for that. The last thing she wanted was to cause her friend hurt.  “Sorry, Matt. It isn’t you, it’s me.”  God, she was making things worse with the trite line.
Matt laughed.  “Easy.  You can quit dancing now. My heart’s bruised but still beating.” He winked at her.   “And here comes Allie.  I know you’ll be glad to see him.”   
“Allie” was Alasdair McHampton, a Scotsman who emigrated to the United States from Edinburgh in the nineteen fifties.  He’d retired from researching pharmaceuticals years back, but missed being able to discuss his passion for chemistry and sought out the conference and like-minded individuals each year to indulge in conversation he was no longer able to have elsewhere.
Allie’s thinning, sandy blond hair stood up in places.  His shirt was slightly creased and his signature polka dot bow tie was askew.  As usual, Allie looked rumpled.  Eve found Allie’s rumpled state endearing.  Of their little group, Allie was the one she was most fond of, and the one person she kept in touch with apart from the conference.  She’d invited him out to visit her in New York in the past, but the elderly gentleman had regretfully refused.  He was terrified of flying and prone to car sickness. If he didn’t live