As Nick strode away I prostested loudly to his back, “Look buddy, I wasn’t eyeballing your date!” The scene unfolded before my eyes as I conferred with mock indignation with the guests around me.

Things were going from bad to worse as I remembered something Nick had said to me on my first day, “Look kid, don’t think you’re doing me any favors jumping in front of the bus. I can manage me. If you’re any help at all it’ll be from an angle, in the shadows.”

I leaned towards my erstwhile date, “I’m terribly sorry, but I have to go.”

She nodded and smirked, “That you do, but take my card. You may need it later, and I do find you rather drole.”

With a wink I was off, slipping this way and that before stumbling into a waiter in the bathroom hallway. By stumbling I mean I sucker punched the poor sap and dragged him into the restroom. It was a stinker of a move about which I felt terrible, especially since he was definitely on the cute side.

Such concerns would have to wait; I had a diamond to hunt.