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“He knows his wife and I...” I shift in my seat, uncomfortable. “He knows something happened a few weeks ago. He doesn’t yet know when Ava and I started seeing each other.”
“Shit.”
“Indeed.” I’m tired of hearing these reactions. I know I’m up shit’s creek. “I’ll see you soon.”
I put my foot down and overtake the lorry, honking my horn impatiently as I do.
Sam’s just getting out of his car on the side street when I pull up, and Drew is wandering down the pavement from his office, his mobile at his ear. I zip into a space and go to the ticket machine. “Ladies,” I say sardonically as they join me.
“How the fuck can he justify that?” Drew barks into his phone, growling, cursing, then hanging up. He points his phone at me as the machine spits out a ticket. “Just a heads-up,” he says, as I lean back, wary. “If I see that prick of an estate agent who sold you the penthouse, I’m going to find the biggest dildo in The Manor and ram it down his throat.”
“Yikes,” Sam breathes.
“Why the fuck did you let him join?” Drew goes on, getting his waving phone under control and stalking off.
“You want me to pass up revenue because you can’t handle a bit of competition?” I slip the ticket onto the dash and lock my car.
Sam coughs, and Drew stops dead in his tracks, his attention still pointing forward. “I can handle competition.”
“So what did he do?” I ask as Sam and I join him and the three of us walk in a line down the street.
“Slashed his commission to one percent. It’s unheard of in London! The fucking prick has priced everyone out of the race.”
“So now wouldn’t be a good time to tell you he’ll be at the anniversary party tomorrow night?”
Drew’s jaw tenses to snapping point. “No, Jesse, now would not be a good time.”
“Oh.”
“You need a drink,” Sam muses.
“No, I need a good fuck, Sam, and that’s exactly what I’ll get once I’ve finished lunching with you two girls. I’m fucking starving.” Off he goes, every step angry, his pace quite speedy.
“He really is hungry,” Sam quips, just as Drew stops again and answers his phone. We pass him, getting the full force of his explicit outburst before he hangs up, straightens his jacket, and follows us.
“I’m over it,” he declares, and I laugh as I enter the bar, my eyes, as if they know exactly where to find her, landing on Ava immediately. She has that split expression she often sports, the one that’s part delighted and part pissed off. She’s happy but not happy to see me.
I look at Kate, and she nods subtlety, telling me silently that she’s come through for me. Good girl.
Fucking hell. Am I really doing this?
I give Ava a kiss on the cheek, faltering from pulling away when I catch a whiff of wine. It’s hardly past noon. And it’s a working day—a working day that we’re only halfway through.
Be reasonable, brother. Once upon a time, you watched the clock like a hawk, wishing midday would arrive sooner.
I inwardly laugh. Exactly. It wasn’t healthy. Healthy drinking is social drinking, maybe once or twice a month. Definitely not on a lunch break. What would Patrick say?
I pull a chair across and lower, feeling at Ava’s thigh, making up for lost time. I can feel her glaring at me.
“You took my car keys,” she says, full of indignation.
I ignore her. I didn’t come to lunch to argue. “Everyone okay?”
“I’m good,” Kate chirps, as Ava fights to withdraw her leg from my touch and I, with little fight, keep it exactly where it is. “And I’m ordering,” Kate goes on, grabbing the menu and standing. “What’s everyone having?”
“Salad for me,” Sam says, settling. “You know what I like.”
I raise a brow as Drew scans the menu. “I’ll have the club, extra bacon, easy on the pickles, loaded fries, some slaw, and a beer.” He slaps the menu on the table. “Please.”
