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“Bastard.” Dominique narrowed her eyes. “If you want a story released to the press, just let me know, because some of the writers at Terrific Teen are married to journalists at actual newspapers.”
Ben turned to look at her. “That’s not a bad idea, if we need it. Thanks, Neeks.”
“How’re things going at Terrific Teen, anyway?” Gabriella asked. “Are you the general manager yet?”
Dominique laughed. “I’m executive assistant to the head editor now, so getting there.”
As Dominique had started at the reception desk answering phones, Gabriella knew that her promotion was a sign of how well she was doing. She gave her friend a quick hug. “Congratulations.”
“Cheers.” Dominique blushed. “Ben we know is doing his lawyer thing, but what about you, Trev? Still working for your uncle?”
“Yeah, I’m running a crew, now.” Trev rubbed the back of his neck self consciously as they cheered his news. “Just a small team for a specific job, but it’s good experience. They’re all apprentices, mainly because anyone older than me probably wouldn’t listen to me anyway, but I like the lads and I think we’re doing well.”
Gabriella grinned at them all. “Look at us. Remember how nervous we all were when the SS Oriana docked in Southhampton?”
“God, I want to forget,” Dominique groaned. “My biggest fear was that I’d be back onboard a month later, tail between my legs, headed back home.”
“Me, too,” Ben murmured. “I really thought I’d crash and burn here.”
“Well, none of us did.” Trev clapped Ben on the shoulder. As the only one among them who’d had family to stay with, he’d been the least vulnerable of the foursome, but he’d told Gabriella that he worried that he wouldn’t like the life here, and would have to swallow his pride and return to Melbourne.
“Hey, Gabs, do you know that bloke headed toward us? He looked around the pub for a bit, then spotted you, and now he’s fighting the crowds to get to us.” Dominique tilted her head.
Gabriella searched the crowd in the direction Dominique indicated and saw the dark blond hair and wide shoulders of James as he tried to thread himself through the packed Saturday night pub without jostling anyone’s drink.
“James.” Gabriella lifted a little in the booth, and gave him a wave and a smile.
He grinned back.
“The famous James. At last!” Dominique shot her a huge smile.
Ben and Trev both got to their feet as James reached their booth, and Gabriella forced her stiff muscles to move so that she could stand as well.
Dominique was blocking her in, so she nudged her out to stand next to James and introduce him to everyone.
The boys shook his hand in a friendly way, and Dominique gave him a little wave hello.
“Can you stay, or is this just a quick hello?” Gabriella asked.
“I can’t stay, but I wanted to drive you home before I go back.” James was watching her, and she realized he was trying to tell how much pain she was in.
“There’s something wrong with you,” Dominique suddenly said. “This is the first time you’ve gotten up since we arrived and you’re moving as if you’re really stiff.”
James looked at her, eyebrows raised, and at that moment she realized she adored him. Because he was leaving it up to her to decide how much she wanted to tell her friends.
She pressed herself against his side, forehead against his bicep, and then turned to face them. “Someone pushed me in front of a bus yesterday morning, and then later that day, someone on a moped pushed me into the high street traffic.”
“Gabs, what the hell?” Dominique’s eyes were huge.
“After you came to the meeting at my chambers?” Ben asked.
“Just after that, for the bus incident. In the late afternoon for the other one.” Gabriella felt James’s arm come gently around her, and she realized he remembered her back was scraped. “I’m a bit scratched up and bruised, but otherwise I’m okay.”
“Who?” Trev looked like he’d like to go out right now and find them.
“I think a thug who works for my landlord. Actually I wonder if they thought my trip to Ben’s chambers was me doing a legal inquiry into how to take my landlord to court for his refusal to maintain the house my bedsit is in.” That had only just occurred to her. “In fact, Solomon was considering coming to you about it, Ben, but I don’t think he did, in the end.”
“We can make that inquiry real,” Ben said, like he would relish the opportunity.
