A Dangerous Affair

A Dangerous Affair Chapter 71

When Brick reached Tom and Simon, he dismissed Tom’s offer of a second drink from him that evening and ordered three whiskeys for himself, Simon and Tom. After all, if he was going to have to put up with the bad quality spirits they could bloody well join him too. Tom and Simon looked down and didn’t know which drink to start with. Neither of them was very sure about the whiskey so they picked up their beers, simultaneously took a swig but then put them back on the bar and picked up the whiskey glasses when they saw the look on Brick’s face.

Simon leant towards Tom. “Is this stuff any good?”

Tom leant back. “In here, not a chance.”

They took a look at Brick again who was glaring at them, shrugged, clinked glasses with him and took a sip. Both tried not to pull a face as though they had just eaten a sour lemon and smiled at Brick.

“Cheers boss,” Tom said.

Brick gave a curt nod.

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The barman placed two glasses of wine on the bar in front of Pippa and Stephanie and informed them that they had been sent over. They looked across at the men and Stephanie was surprised to see Simon talking to Tom.

“Oops, think we may have momentarily forgotten about Simon,” Stephanie pointed out.

Pippa giggled. “He’s a big boy now, he can look after himself. Besides, this is time for us girls. I feel like we haven’t had a girly chat for ages.”

“We’ll join them in a bit,” Stephanie said, lifting her glass up to Tom when he looked up.

“Cheers,” the girls mouthed.

Tom smiled and held up his glass back.

Stephanie mouthed to Simon, “You okay?”

Tom noticed and patted Simon’s back. “Drinking buddies,” he mouthed to Stephanie.

She laughed and gave him a huge smile.

Pippa whispered something to Stephanie and she nodded.

Brick was saying something about the difference between Irish whiskey and scotch whisky but Tom wasn’t really listening, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Stephanie. She looked up and caught him gazing at her. Smiling coyly, she lowered her eyes.

“Isn’t she gorgeous,” he said under his breath, more to himself than anyone else.

Simon laughed. “Boy, I don’t know what I was worried about. You really do have it bad don’t you!”

Simon watched Brick on the other side of Tom as he grinned and nodded his agreement. They both laughed. Tom shook his head as he came out of his reverie and frowned, looking from one to the other.

“Quit that and drink you’re damn whiskey,” he said, feeling disconcerted by all the attention on him.

They all took a sip and the only one not to cringe at the taste was Brick. Either he was getting used to the taste, or he was showing them that no drink could beat him.

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“So,” Pippa said, swapping back again to the subject that Stephanie was trying her best to avoid, “When are you going to tell him then?”

“Tell him what?” Stephanie said innocently.

“You know, tell him how you feel about him.”

Stephanie grimaced. “I don’t know. Not tonight though because I’ve had way too many of these,” she said, glancing at her wine, “and it’s bound to come out wrong, or I’ll end up saying something silly.”