He looks back at her, refusing to shrink from her very direct gaze. “David Paley,” he says, waiting for it. She’s a journalist, after all. They have no compunction about anything. He knows his weekend is about to be ruined.
What does the word "they" refer to? Does it generally refer to journalists? Or refers to Guen and Riley?
The fuller text is:
“You’re a defense attorney,” Gwen says, when the silence verges on becoming awkward. “Yes,” he says. Oddly, he can’t think of anything else to say. He finds that he’s tongue-tied. He’s not usually, but he can feel her friend[Riley] oozing barely veiled hostility, and it’s disconcerting. “That must be interesting,” Gwen says gamely. “And challenging. Although probably exhausting too.” “Yes,” he agrees[...]“Riley and I were at journalism school together. She’s with the New York Times.” He flicks a nervous glance at Riley, inwardly dismayed. “But I never actually worked as a journalist,” Gwen confides. “Is that right,” David says, his mind drifting from the conversation. “What do you do instead?” “I work in public relations for a small firm in New York City.” “And do you enjoy it?” But he is already thinking of an exit strategy. “For the most part,” she says. “It can be exciting, but it can also be a grind. Like a lot of jobs, it sounds more glamorous than it is.” They talk for a while, about nothing much. When they are about to start on coffee and dessert—English trifle and chocolate brownies have appeared on the long buffet table—Riley, slurring her words slightly, turns and looks directly at him and says, “I’ve been trying to place you—what did you say your name was again?” He looks back at her, refusing to shrink from her very direct gaze. “David Paley,” he says, waiting for it. She’s a journalist, after all. They have no compunction about anything. He knows his weekend is about to be ruined.
