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‘Coffee?’ Tom asks.
‘Just water please, mate.’
Tom drops the bag he found on the floor, makes himself a coffee and fetches iced water for Patrick. As he does, he watches Patrick rubbernecking and his unease increases. Patrick takes his time checking everything out. Tom tenses when he picks up Nicole’s various sheep ornaments in case he drops one. Patrick gets his nose right up to the artworks that the art consultant chose for them, the wine wall, the glass sculpture on the dining table, the designer furniture, and Tom can almost see the numbers clocking up in his head. Tom sighs to himself. This can’t lead to anything good – being here is only going to stoke up Patrick’s resentment about money.
Patrick drinks the water and puts the glass in the sink. ‘More?’ Tom asks.
‘No, I’m good.’
Tom puts the glass in the dishwasher.
‘Let’s go to the den, shall we?’ he suggests. It’ll be better there; they’ll be surrounded by souvenirs from their shared past. There will be less to wind Patrick up.
‘Sure,’ Patrick says.
Tom puts his coffee cup down on the table in his den and signals to Patrick that he should sit opposite.
‘What brings you here?’ Tom asks. ‘Your message last night was horrible.’
‘I know, I’m sorry. I was a dick. I’ve been stressed. I’m here because I want to show you something in person. It’s a business opportunity that I’m not going to get again. I want to look at the numbers with you. When you see the numbers, you’ll know it’s gold.’
Tom sighs. This wouldn’t be the first time he’s lost patience with Patrick – it’s happened once or twice over the years – but it’s the first time Tom feels that he might be at the absolute end of his tether.
‘Couldn’t you have emailed?’
Patrick looks hurt. ‘Look, I’m sorry about last night, if that’s why you’re upset.’
‘I am upset. That was a shitty message.’
‘Forget about it. I wasn’t myself last night. Things have been stressful, but this can’t wait. It’s time-sensitive. If I don’t invest next week, I won’t get the chance again.’
‘This “opportunity” is why you want money?’ Tom’s confused. Every time Patrick asks for money, he seems to have a different reason for it. ‘You didn’t mention it last night.’
‘Forget last night!’ Patrick’s voice rises. ‘Sorry.’ He moderates his tone. ‘Please, forget last night. Delete the message. I shouldn’t have sent it, but this is real, it’s a good business opportunity. Look at the numbers. I’m not asking for something for nothing. If you invest, you can make something back and so can I.’
He digs into his backpack and pulls out a sheaf of papers in a plastic folder and a laptop.
I wonder if I paid for that, Tom thinks. He’s not interested in seeing whatever it is that Patrick wants to show him.
‘Since when did I get good at numbers?’ he asks, trying to lighten the tone. He was renowned for being terrible at maths at school. ‘That’s Nicole’s department.’
‘Then I’ll show Nicole.’
That can’t happen. ‘I think we’ll keep this between us, mate.’
Tom reaches for his coffee and drinks, but it’s cold. He realises it’s the one he made earlier.
Patrick puts the folder on the table and pushes it towards Tom. Tom ignores it.
‘You’re not going to look at it?’
‘We’re not handing out more money.’ He feels bad saying ‘we’. He should be strong enough to say ‘I’, but this is easier, somehow, if he invokes Nicole.
‘It’s not a handout, it’s an investment.’
‘We’re not investing money.’
‘I’m not asking for much.’
