AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She slides her hands into the pockets of her jacket and doesn’t say anything.
I glance over my shoulder. “Guys, I’m trustworthy, aren’t I?”
“Nope,” they all answer as one, and laugh. She gives a small smile.
“Cheers,” I say sarcastically, glaring at Huxley.
He grins at her. “Don’t worry, you can trust him. He’s one of the good guys.”
“Thank you.” I turn my back on them and raise an eyebrow at her.
She bites her bottom lip, glances at her friends, then says, “Catie.” In her Irish accent, it comes out as Care-di. “With a C,” she adds. “What’s your name?”
“Norman,” I reply.
She laughs.
“What’s so funny?” I ask, my lips curving up.
“You don’t look like a Norman.”
“Oh sorry, I thought we were using codenames.”
“Aw,” she says, “busted. How did you know?”
“Skill.” I smile, although I’m disappointed she won’t tell me her real name. “Catie suits you, though. Especially with a C.”
She goes to say something, then stops and thanks the bartender as he places her whisky on the tray. I tap my Apple Watch to the card reader, and he nods his thanks and moves to the next customer.
“Thank you,” she says to me. “That was a very nice thing to do.”
“Enjoy the Ardbeg.”
She smiles, picks up the tray, and takes it back to her friends. I watch her place it on the table, then see her friends look over and giggle as she obviously explains what’s happened. Grinning, I turn back to the others.
“You’ve been here for, like, two minutes, and five women are already in love with you,” Elizabeth teases. “I don’t know how you do it.”
“I’m irresistible,” I reply, having a mouthful of the Ardbeg.
“Norman?” she queries. “I’m going to call you that from now on.”
I chuckle. “So, how are the wedding preparations going?”
She and Huxley talk for a while about their plans, and I finish the Ardbeg, then order us all another round. I’d already had a couple of whiskies at Huxley’s business club, so I’m feeling nicely mellow. I don’t use drugs as I don’t like the way they dull my brain, and I rarely have more than a couple of whiskies for the same reason, but sometimes when I’ve been working hard and my brain’s been on overdrive, it’s nice to force it to slow down, and tonight is one of those nights.
Despite the cold weather outside, it’s grown warm in the bar because it’s so busy. I take off my coat and leave it on a barstool, then excuse myself and visit the Gents’. I have to walk past Catie-with-a-C and her friends, and they all look up at me as I pass, Catie with a mischievous smile, and the rest of them giggling.
When I’m on the way back, one of them puts out a hand and catches my arm. I stop, surprised, and face the table.
“Evening,” I say, sliding my hands into my trouser pockets. I’m wearing a navy pinstripe suit—a three piece with a waistcoat—and I know the redhead spotted the white Chucks that emphasize the tenth Doctor look.
“We wondered whether you’d do us a favor,” her blonde friend says.
“Angie,” Catie scolds. “Don’t.”
Angie just grins at her and says, “It’s Trinny’s leaving do.”
Trinny? Catie-with-a-C gives me an embarrassed look.
