Chapter 29

What if she did decide to get out of there? Nelson would understand, wouldn’t he?

Looking up, she found his smile waiting.

“Go on.”

She squinted in bewilderment.

“I want to hear the rest, about your morning.”

As if it was she not he who’d interrupted. Akemi guessed he really couldn’t stand anyone else talking. She’d met dominating types before but not this bad.

“You said you’d tell me everything.”

She hadn’t.

Her face color deepened.

“It’s finished.”

Akemi expected a protest, attempt at persuasion, and when none came was at a loss for words. Turned out none were needed. Nelson had plenty.

A new idea had come to him. She could see it cross his face like the shadow of a bird’s wing. His gaze glittered with even greater intensity, energy she found almost scary. She’d known he’d surprise her but assumed there was a limit.

So had Nelson. Now he wasn’t sure.

For a moment, Akemi actually thought she was about to be told to leave, readied herself for his, “We’d better wrap this up,” the wording he used from the stage at his post-screening Q and A.

She knew he had work to do that afternoon. He’d said so on her arrival. Opening the hotel room door, he’d looked busy, distracted in the rumpled clothing he wore when alone- which did make him look his age.