“Seriously, Jack, I think you might be the only guy in this city who hasn’t read his stuff. Collin McCann is like the Carrie Bradshaw of Chicago men.”“You mean Terry Bradshaw,” Jack corrected.“No, Carrie,” Wilkins repeated. “You know, Sarah Jessica Parker. Sex and the City.”A silence fell over the room as Collin and Jack stared at Wilkins, seriously fearing for the fate of men.”

“I'm still trying to decide how I feel about the fact that you knew about this before I did.""Don't be disappointed," Jack said. "The fact that I've been ridiculously proud of you for days doesn't change how excited you should be about this. Besides, I pretty much know everything. You should probably just start getting used to it.""And on that note, I'm hanging up," Cameron said."Rushing me off so you can call Collin next?" Jack teased."No" she said emphatically. Damn, he really did know everything.”

“Collin seemed wholly unfazed by Cameron’s appearance. Jack kept one eye carefully trained on him, thinking things had better stay that way. Gay or not, best friend or not, no one with a dick was getting within a foot of Cameron while she wore that dress.”

“And as for you Agent Pallas – man-to-man, if you ever insult my girl on national television again, I’ll…” he stopped.Everyone in the room waited, hanging. Jack raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”Collin turned to Cameron with a look of astonishment. “I’ve got nothing. I had this whole exit speech going and I was gonna end with some big macho threat but when I got there, it was like – bleh – nothing. That’s a pisser.” He appeared disgusted with himself, then shrugged it off. “Oh well. Catch you guys later.”He strode out without a second glance.”

“Jack leaned over, “Ever get the impression that these women are way out of our league?”“I shot the last guy who said that to me.”

“Nefarious. This is what we get when we hire a Yale boy.”“You missed sacrosanct earlier. And taciturn and glowering,” Jack said.“What’s glowering?”“Me, apparently.”Wilkins pointed. “Now that has to be a joke.” He turned to Davis. “You heard that, right?”Davis didn’t answer him, having spun his chair around to type something at his computer. “Let’s see what Google says… Ah – here it is. ‘Glowering: dark; showing a brooding ill humor.”

“My God, Jack - with a look like that, you two should just get a room. And try not to pick the one with a dead body next to it this time.”