Amelia Clarke wasn't sure if it was a misperception, but she felt as if Owen Moreland had suddenly become very cheerful; his voice, all of a sudden, was light and brisk.
Clutching her cell phone, she applied a bit more pressure with her fingers, pursed her lips, and said, "I've never attended a business banquet before. I don't understand many of the rules. What if I end up embarrassing Mr. Moreland? I suggest that Mr. Moreland finds someone else. There must be lots of women around you who would want to be your companion. Any one of them would likely do a better job than someone like me who knows nothing, right?"
Her voice clearly carried a hint of petulance.
"What time do your classes end tomorrow afternoon?" Owen Moreland asked, as if he hadn't heard her at all.
It was a cool early spring night, and Amelia Clarke, covered in droplets of water, suddenly felt a chill and shivered, hastily turning on the hot water.
