CHAPTER 81 - GOBBING OFF AND MAKING NAMES

LINDSAY’S APARTMENT - THURSDAY EVENING

For the fourth fucking time, I have to tell him it’s outside in and not inside out! It’s not rocket fucking science! “Now, what is in front of you?”

“Crockery, cutlery and wine glasses.” He replies, his voice laced with boredom.

“Place setting and stemware.” I grit out.

“Yeah, that too.” He retorts.

“Michael, let’s operate on a reward system.”

“What do you mean?” He lights up.

“For each task that you do correctly over these next few weeks, I will choose one item for your wedding trousseau.”

“My what?” He frowns.

I want to scream! “Trousseau. It’s what you pack for your wedding, like clothes, linens and the like. Everything you need to set up your home....”

“But Brian has everything already. Why would you need to buy me anything else? As nice as the gesture is…”

“No, I am not buying anything. You are. Brian admires Justin for what he brings to whatever they are doing. What do you bring?”

“Again, he loves me for the way I am…”

“And yet you’re here going through a fag version of My Fair Lady!” I snap. “But back to the matter in hand... You need to bring something other than yourself to your relationship. For example, what do you intend to wear to the wedding? And don’t say a suit! I mean which designer?”

He frowns. “Anything that Brian wears.” I sigh. “What’s wrong with that?”

“During the time that you saw Brian and Justin together, what did you observe?”

“He has a fat ass.” He snickers.

“No that’s not what I mean. What I mean is what did you see of the dynamic between the two of them?”

“David said that there was an intensity between them, although I don’t see that. What I see is a gold digging fat assed bastard, who has turned Brian and Gus against me!” He responds vehemently.

“David? Gold digger? Who and what are you talking about? Justin is…”

“David was a surgeon I dated for a while. I gave Brian permission to date Justin to iron out the dating kinks, but I didn’t think he would take it this far. And Justin claims he didn’t know that Brian owned Babylon! And…”

“You dated a surgeon?” I gasp. “Why are you not still dating him?!”

“Oh of course, you don’t know about him. Well when I broke my elbow…”

“I can’t believe you...” I stare at him in disbelief. “I can’t believe you did that.”

“I know. I was so proud of myself when I dumped him and Brian was pleased too!” He puffs up with pride.

“No, I can’t believe you imposed yourself like that!” I shake my head. “Do you still have your key to the loft?”

“No.” His face drops. “He changed the locks and hasn’t given me my copy yet. Besides they are still using it. But once we’re married, that will change.”

I feel the headache start to pound. “Tell me what your relationship with Brian has been like since I left and I want to know everything. I can always check with Brian, remember?”

For the next hour, he tells me what has happened. I can’t believe Brian has reacted this way! And as loathed as I am to admit it, Michael is right. Without him, he would not have Kinnetic...correction, we would not have Kinnetic because I am determined to be a part of that! After all, I’m pretty sure that his high end clients would not want to know what he did.

EMMY HONEYCUTT’S CATERING CO - FRIDAY EVENING

EMMY

I supress the urge to chuckle as I look at him and Brian glowers at my smirking. They had sent me the list of the THIRTY items on their list, then asked for me to prepare them all so they can taste them and chop the list down. Justin is meeting us here. He’s gone to get the collars for Rhubarb and Custard for Gus and Chandra to bedazzle.

“So what are non-negotiables?” I ask him.

“The Scotch eggs, the waffles and....”

“The Black velvet.” Justin calls out as he comes in. “Hi, Emmy! Before we do anything, are these the ones we wanted?” He hands Brian the collars after a hello pash out.

“I thought we were going for an easy slip collar?” Brian frowns.

“That’s for at home. For the wedding we are going to go with smart ones. There will be nothing for them to catch on over there.”

“Oh okay, then it’s perfect.”

I just stare at them. Who would’ve thought that the Stud of Liberty Avenue would ever and I mean EVER be worried about the safety of a cat?!

“Alright, let’s see here. Where are you going to serve this? Here or on the island? Because I have an idea about the bacon waffles.”

“On the island. But it will just be mommies, daddies, Gus and Ruby.”

“Oh good, now let me get it. Now don’t pooh-pooh it until you try it.” I head to the fridge and take out the bowl and head back to the counter. “Taste it.”

“What is it?” Brian looks dubious.

“Taste and then I tell.” I order and he looks across to Justin for reassurance. When he nods, I love my friends just that little bit more!

“Okay.” He takes a small mouthful, frowns and then takes another mouthful. “Oh fuck, what is that? Here, taste it!” He holds the spoon against Justin’s lips and he takes it in his mouth.

“More please.” He licks his lips and I hand him a spoon and they finish it off lickety spit!

“What was that?” Justin groans, sucking both spoons clean.

“Bacon waffle ice cream.” I look down and wait for the scornful diatribe but I hear the fridge open, then an aha, and then....

“Emmy Lou, this is gorgeous.” I whip my head up as it is Brian speaking and not Justin, who is digging in the tub. “Hey share!” He takes another spoonful. “Do not tell him how to make this! Promise me?!” I nod and then watch the fire catch between the two of them.

“Just take it and go!” I order, laughing. “I will filter this down and send you what I think is workable.” I chuckle as they run out, yelling their goodbyes.

JUSTIN’S HOUSE - AN HOUR LATER

BRIAN

“Thanks Mel!” I am talking to her and trying to undress Justin as quickly as he is undressing me! “We...whoa phone!” I cry out as it starts to slip, but Justin catches it.

“We’re very grateful! We owe you! Bye!” He puts the phone down and stays my hands. “Come here a minute.” He stands on his tiptoes to kiss me and then leads me into the lounge. We sit down facing each other. “I love you so much.”

“Is everything okay?” I feel my heart start to pound.

“It’s about Gus and Ruby. What’s their surname going to be?” He drops his head and I wince. I hadn’t even thought about that, so I engage adman brain for a few seconds and smile.

“Well, Marcus can be Gus’s middle name and we can change Marcus to Marquess for Ruby instead of Tuesday, so they could...if Mel says yes, and we know she will....be Gus Marcus Taylor-Kinney and Ruby Marquess Taylor-Kinney. What do you say?”

“Yes, I say yes!” He smiles. “And I also say strip!”

DEB’S HOUSE - SATURDAY MORNING

DEBS

Daph called me late last night, slightly panicked over the message that Lindsay left. It turns out that she managed to misplace the prat-phone and has missed a slew of messages from her so has called an emergency meeting. When we finish listening to them, we are more determined than ever to keep both of them away from Brian!

“Maybe we should call Mel?” Vic suggests.

“Oh no. This calls for mom.” Daph sighs. “I may have left that world to be who I wanted to be, but I smell plotting.” She decrees. “We need to get Jennifer here.”

I nod and pull out my phone. “Hey Jen, are you busy right now? Oh great, can you come over? You need to be let in on something.”

An hour later, she’s here and has listened to the messages. We wait for her to say something.

“She’s definitely plotting.” She eventually says. “It’s when she says, ‘you need to get Michael contained. You don’t want your clients to find out about how you sabotaged a previous client, do you? Especially a client of that calibre. Some of those may not be quite as understanding for the reason when it comes to contract renewal.’ So what I think you should say is this…”

Forty minutes later, we are feeling better. “Protect that phone with your life!” Jennifer orders, her eyes flashing. “And leave the rest to me...I do believe I have a father to call!”

https://www.thedailymeal.com/recipes/bacon-waffle-ice-cream-recipe