When in Rio Read Online Free PDF Page A

re-org, by the way. Congratulations.”
    “I admit I’d rather still be in the field,” I said, reaching for a fruity drink with an umbrella in it. “But I can’t complain, and it isn’t like I had any conferences in Rio in my old position.”
    “I just got lucky,” our other colleague said. Jane, was that her name? I wasn’t sure if I knew her too well for it to be embarrassing to ask at this point. “My boss was supposed to come, but his wife is about nine and a half months pregnant and evidently she pitched a huge fit about him leaving the country. So here I am.”
    I explained the amazing coincidence, that my own attendance here was pregnancy-related as well. “It’s Jane, right? I’m sorry, I’m terrible with names. I think we sat next to each other at some session on cleanup at OTC.”
    Jane flicked her streaked blonde hair over her shoulder with a laugh. “That’s okay, we should all do introductions. I admit I can’t remember either of y’all’s names. Sorry, sorry!” She giggled at the other girl, who wore a look of mock affront.
    “Last time I save a place for you in the potty line. She’s kidding, by the way. We have the advantage of working together though, so she’d better remember my name. I’m Kendra Patterson, and she is indeed Jane. Jane Nesmith.”
    “Jane. Jane Bond,” said Jane, giggling again. I realized she must have already had at least one fruity umbrella drink before my arrival.
    “ Shhh . We’re both with Biotech Consulting. And you’re Chrissy or Kelly or something like that, and you’re with Globe. That much I remember.”
    “Katie Snow. Pleased to meet you both, sort of, again.”
    “And you’re lucky enough here to be with Jack, oh my God,” Kendra said.
    I blushed, hoping the low light by the pool would hide the evidence. “Well, not with him, of course. Just here at the conference. As for the ‘oh my God’ part, I try to ignore it. I mean, he is my boss.” So much for “Jackass”. Apparently his reputation outside our own company was a bit more flattering.
    “ Yowza ,” Jane remarked quietly, following Kendra’s discreet nod in Jack’s direction. “He looks like a freaking magazine cover. How are you gonna ignore that ?” She sounded a little sarcastic though, and she gave Kendra a smirk I couldn’t quite interpret.
    “Jane, chill out,” said Kendra mildly, swirling her drink—a glass of wine, not a silly Fantasy Island rum drink like the rest of us had. “Shouldn’t we be networking or something, ladies?” She looked cool and crisp, and I realized she had managed to get a navy linen cocktail suit from Houston to Brazil without wrinkling it. Or perhaps she was the type who carried a travel steamer. Or knew enough to get one from the hotel right away, upon arrival. She had clearly not lost her luggage. And her hair, sleek and black, wasn’t threatening to tumble from her bun, nor was the smooth mocha of her skin beginning to bead with sweat in the humidity, as mine was.
    “Network, schmetwork ,” Jane replied. “I’d rather gossip about Katie’s boss some more. But what the hell. Um, how’s the EPA treating y’all these days, Katie?”
    And from that rather awkward segue, we did actually spend some time discussing work. By the time I’d moved on to another group I felt a little more comfortable with mingling, although I couldn’t help but follow Jack’s easy progress around the party with some envy. Everyone seemed to know him, and everyone seemed to greet him like a long-lost friend. Kendra Patterson included, I noticed, and was slightly ashamed of myself for immediately checking to see if she was wearing a wedding ring.
    She was not. Nor was Jane.
    The drinks were seductive, the food tangy and spicy, and by the time true dark had fallen the conversation and laughter were flowing freely, echoing oddly over the gleaming turquoise water of the enormous pool. Time passed more quickly than I thought it would. It must have been close to