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“You don’t know the half of it, mate.” Harry winked.
* * *
“Gorgeous,”said Leo as he walked past Kai looking in the hallway mirror and pushing forward his short-cropped hair to reveal just how lucky he’d been born with eyes like that.
“Shut your noise.” Kai threw him a look. “So, where are we going with rich-boy, anyway?”
“Oh, I dunno. Somewhere in town. I think it’s some kind of member’s club he’s signing us in to.” Leo rested by him.
“No tracky tops, then?” Kai pre-empted Leo by sliding off his Sergio Tacchini tracksuit top.
“Hmm. Maybe not risk it? Just a thought.” Leo was dressed in skinny, black jeans with a white V-neck t-shirt, showing off his trimmed chest hair resting tamely above the neckline.
After Kai had changed, he’d opted for a pair of dark-blue jeans, a black cowboy shirt and a new pair of suede loafers that he’d treated himself to from Carnaby Street on the way home earlier. “Smart enough, now?”
“You’re really gonna show me up, mate. Shit, I didn’t bring my loafers. I’ve only got bloody trainers.”
“Good job, too, we don’t wanna turn up looking like Westlife, do we?”
“Duh, I know that. I’m just worried it’s gonna be one of those ‘no trainers’ places,” said Leo, concern dampening his mood.
“I’m sure your man’ll be able to talk us in.” That came out a little too flat for Leo’s liking. “He sounds pretty well connected.”
“I guess so.” Leo nodded to the door. “Come on, we’d better get a wiggle on. We’ve gotta be there at eight.”
He nervously hurried Kai out of the flat. He wanted tonight to go perfectly. Although he felt the whole thing with Quint was still fairly casual, he still wanted him to like Kai and vice versa, although Kai still looked ready to start a fight.
* * *
Quint turnedup at Candy’s half an hour early. He always liked to be early, especially on a date. He liked to have time to get himself settled and relax into a drink to calm his nerves. Not that he was nervous about meeting Leo, but he wanted to make a good impression for Kai. Kai was clearly important to Leo, and he would be mortified if they didn’t get on for whatever reason.
He buzzed the intercom and was greeted with a familiar voice. Tugging the heavy platinum door handle, he pushed open the weighty door, opening out into the plush reception hall with its dim lighting and quirky artwork covering the walls.
Quint’s seventh sense sprang to life when he was greeted by Shannon, a striking six-foot-two woman with cropped hair and bright green eyes. Her smile illuminated the foyer.
She was a Player reborn on this planet at exactly the same time as Quint, and she too hailed from Vondiv’d, so their connection had been strong from the start. They’d both been killed in the same natural disaster, but as they had told each other of their attempts to survive, Quint noted that the place that destroyed Shannon’s part of the world seemed unfamiliar to him. Maybe it was a planetary wide disaster? Many times, they had met over the years, poring over what could have happened in their previous lives to bring them here. Sadly, though, it was yet another thing in their lives that they had to lock away in the past. It seemed they would never know the full extent of what happened.
“Freddie, keep an eye on the door, would you? I’ll just show Quint to his table,” said Shannon.
After embracing, she led the way through another set of double doors, through the bar area to the Snug, where Quint’s booth awaited him.
“It’s so good to see you. It always is. You always remind me of home.”
“Likewise, Shannon. You make this place always feel like home to me,” said Quint.
And it did. The décor had been tweaked to a familiar Vondiv’dian taste, the amalgamation of colours being the closest that Quint had seen to those back home since he had arrived on Earth. It gave the place not only a unique feel, but a quirkiness that attracted an exclusive clientele, amongst which were many Players.
“I hear you have a special guest,” said Shannon, barely able to contain her Player’senergy.
“I do.” His own energy didn’t match hers, and it won a frown off Shannon.
“Are things not what you expected?”
“You know when the people of this planet say ‘it’s complicated’? Well, they have no idea.”
Shannon gave a deep sigh. “Well, this isn’t going to make you feel any better, but you’re making me glad I don’t have those kinds of complications to deal with. But is yours something a Negroni could help with?”
“Your sixth sense is sharp tonight.”
