CHAPTER 22 - DINNERS...WELL ALMOST
STILL BEHIND THE SMOKERS
JUSTIN
“Just stay where I can see you, just for a bit and I’ll be fine.” I am still thinking about menus even after that incredible blowjob.
“Come on. Want me to set the water?” He wraps his arms around me again and I nod. “Twat. Although, I do set a very good bath. So maybe that tomorrow night if you can bear to be in my company?”
“I could, but maybe you should be with Effy since you’re going to be with me now. She needs her Uncle Brian. That was such a horrible fucking thing to say to her.”
“You know what happened? Annalise just called us and said drop everything and get there.”
“You don’t know what she said?” I snap out of my menu trance and realise I may have fucked up.
“Who said?” He demands.
“Uh…”
“What did Lindsay say, Justin? If you know just tell me because Effy won’t.”
“Can I tell you after the dinner? Please?”
“Straight after, I mean literally a minute after!”
“I promise and I never break my promises.”
“Shower time.” He orders, but now he’s well and truly pissed!
BRIAN
As pissed as I am about not knowing what Lindsay said to my princess to upset her for an all Uncle round-up, I know she’s okay for now. But just to be on the cunning side, I pull out my phone. How could you not tell me she said that?! I send the text, only feeling a little bit manipulative...within seconds he rings me back and I put him on speaker.
“Because I was so fucking angry! My first thought was to get Effy out of there! How dare she call her an unkempt, unfashionable, chubby geek?! And as for Effy being fucking sanctimonious, she’s a fine one to ta...wait a minute! You’ve done me over again, haven’t you?”
“Sorry, but yeah. Justin was going to tell me after his dinner, but now I know and I will deal with it.”
“No Dad, this is between Norm and Mom.” Gus interjects.
“Not any fucking more, it isn’t. She’s my princess and nobody but no-body hurts my princess!”
“Dad...just…”
“Kocky, it’s Buck. Leave it for now. I know you’re pissed and that was damn sneaky, but at least we know what she said.”
“Who’s we?” I growl.
“Me, Brandon and Leda. Rest are out walking dogs and before you bitch, Moon will be back tonight.
“Can you guys keep him for tonight? Obviously, clear it with him first.” I ask quietly.
“It’s cleared!” Brandon shouts out.
“And don’t go round there. Kocky, I mean it, don’t!”
“But she hurt my princess.” I can feel the pain for her bubbling up. “I know Effy. She will…”
“Kocky, listen. She’s fine, hurting but fine. You need to be there for Justin right now. I think she’s going to be staying with Annalise and Leda tonight anyway. They both are, right Gus? Gus is nodding. So stay there and then stay in the Nook with Justin. Please?”
“I…” My sentence is cut off when the phone is taken out of my hand.
“Ben, it’s Vic. Catch me up.” He nods and grimaces and then nods again. “Sure Ben, no problem. I will keep his phone on me at all times and him in my line of sight.” He hangs up and pockets my phone before pulling his out. “You know that bitch’s number by heart, right?” I nod and then grin when he hands me his phone. “First the dinner and then you can rip her a new and better face!”
STANLEY’S APARTMENT - SAME TIME
ERIC’S BEDROOM
ERIC
“Oh God, I so needed that! I forgot how good you are!” I groan as I look down at him.
“Glad I could refresh your memory!” He laughs as he gets up off his knees.
“Did you find it?” I ask, stretching out my newly realigned back courtesy of Stan.
“Yep, got it.” He looks somewhat sheepish as he puts the ring back on.
“So you and Heathan?”
“There is no me and Heathan.” He replies, heading to the kitchen.
“But…”
“But nothing.” His reply is short and he doesn’t look at me.
“You like him.”
“He’s my friend so of course, I like him.”
“You’ve got an IQ of 167; obtuse is never going to fly. You like him.”
Silence.
“Stan?” All thoughts of teasing gone now as he fiddles with the spoon.
“Look at me! Why would he like me like that?”
“Why wouldn’t he?” I ask gently. He has always suffered from a lack of confidence.
“Have you not seen him?! And now I have to make this bake and it’s got to be perfect! And then you’ve got Michael, who fancies you and wants to come to dinner as well and…”
“Whoa! Whoa and whoa!” I stop his queen out. “Look, let me make a call okay? Just let me make a call.”
Ten minutes later, I come back to a woebegone looking Stan in the kitchen.
“We’re eating here. He was more than happy to swap venues. So buckle up, my sweet Bumblecup and get cooking!”
“Bumblecup!” He snorts. “Still can’t believe you call me that!”
“Why not? You won us that cup, even though you didn’t actually know where you were running to or what you were doing!”
“Fuck you!” He guffaws.
“You earned it, no matter what. And you’re worthy of him. Get it?” I ask, sternly.
“Got it.”
“Good.”
NORMAN AND LINDSAY’S HOUSE - SAME TIME
MASTER BEDROOM
LINDSAY
Fuming! I am absolutely fuming. Nobody... not one member of my family has returned my numerous phone calls and texts. I know they are alive as I have had one word replies, but that is not what I consider a returned phone call! After this morning’s little dispute, I went to my emporium and when I came back the padlock had gone. Clearly, they had seen the errors of their ways.
I open the wardrobe again and smile contentedly, the sight taking the edge off of my annoyance.
“Lindsay?!” Norman barks out.
“Bedroom.” I call back and sit down ready for his grovelling apology.
“Why are you in here?” He demands as he enters.
“This is our bed…”
“My bedroom. Where me and my corpulent girth sleeps alone, for the foreseeable future.”
“Corpulent girth? Why are you talking about yourself like that?”
“I’m not talking about myself like that, I am repeating what you said about me this morning. Want to hear the rest of your bon mots?”
“Norman, I don’t…”
“Unkempt, unfashionable, chubby geek oh and sanctimonious, who should change the attitude or take a bed in YEP.”
“Norman, did I say that about you? I know I was so angry this morning and you know what I’m like when I get heated up...apt to run my mouth like you say.”
“No.” He replies shortly and I heave a sigh of relief. “You said that about Effy. My sweet darling, Effy and I will never forget it!”
“No. No I didn’t, Norman! I didn’t! Please tell me I didn’t say that to her?! Please tell me that!”
“I can’t and I won’t. Now get the fuck out of my bedroom!” He yells, and points to the spare room. Weeping, I stumble towards it and collapse on the bed.
I don’t know how long I lay there for, but when I wake up at least I am warm. And then I realise why. He has dumped every piece of clothing from the wardrobe on top of me. When I go to the bedroom, I find the door locked and he is not in the house.
LFD - THE FOOD AND WINE DINNER
JUSTIN
He is sitting at the bar, twirling the glass of brandy in his hand as if he has not sent the world’s filthiest and hottest text to me! And he has the nerve to wink when I glare at him and then go stand in the cooler for a minute.
“What did it say?” Emmy asks as I come out.
“I can’t.” I start to blush.
“Ooh, yes you can!” He declares and snatches my phone.
“Emmy!” I squeak.
“Ah-ah-ah!” He dances out of my reach and then stops dancing. “He’s going to do what to you? Does that say what I...Drew!” He yells, breathlessly.
“What? What are you yelling for? Did you rip your suit?!”
“I am not that much of a queen, thank you!” He snarks at him and then shows him the screen and he whistles.
“In which queendom, Honeycutt.” Brian drawls as he wraps his arm around me. “And yes, I have every intention of doing that to him or even…” He pauses and nips my lobe. “Letting him do that to me. I’ll be at the bar if you need further clarification, or for you Ems, strategic positioning.”
“Strategic positioning?” Vic snatches my phone off of Emmy. “How in the world are you going to do that?” Vic demands as he reads what he wrote. “I’m versatile but also older. So is there an easier, but also fun position like that?”
“GIVE ME MY FUCKING PHONE! WHAT WE DO IN BED AND HOW WE DO IT IS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU AND YOU WILL NOT COPY US” I bellow at the top of my lungs and the room goes quiet.
“Well said, Justin. You have the right to preserve sanctity of your sex life, but perhaps not at top volume?” The cool tones of Madeline Schulman tinkle through the silence. “So do you want to show me the menu?”
“The…” I stutter and then catch Brian’s eye and the smirk of distraction. He winks at me and my finally returned to me phone beeps. And breathe.
Courses for the Masters of Food and Wine Dinner
http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/scallop-siu-mai-recipe
http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/avocado-asparagus-salad-ham
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/216672/spicy-honey-roasted-chicken/
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chocolate-truffle-layer-cake