16

Freddie --->

"Hey, Boss." Tom heaved a sigh when Adrian walked in. "It's about time you came in. this new chef is-"

Adrian stopped him before he could get his rant into full swing.

"Tom, I'm not here for business. Not just yet, anyway. I'm just here for dinner."

"With hot-stuff policeman over there?" Tom asked, his eyebrows raised towards Dom, who had sat down in corner booth close to the bar.

Adrian stared at Tom.

"Pardon?"

"Oh, come on, Aidy." Tom grinned. "Are you seriously telling me you haven't tried that out yet?"

"Thomas," said Adrian severely. "My daughter has been missing for over a week. Sex with Marafioti is the last thing on my mind."

Tom smirked.

"Your blush says otherwise."

Adrian scowled at him.

Tom's eyes became serious.

"Adrian, what if they never find Rachel?" He asked gently. "You can't... pass up opportunities like him, while you're waiting for her to be found."

Adrian shook his head slowly.

"I can't... give up hope, Tom. I have to believe they'll find her. She's all I have."

"I know... But to take your mind of her for a few hours, why not indulge in a little... recreation? You can't be all skin and bone and grumpy from a lack of sleep when she gets back, now, can you?"

Adrian looked at Tom for a moment, before he smiled, and embraced his friend.

"I've only lost a couple of pounds," he said, by way of a half-hearted argument.

Tom laughed and patted Adrian on the back.

"Well, whatever you've lost, you can really tell. You look dreadful. And I'm telling you that as your friend."

"Tom?"

"Mm?"

"Can you bugger off and do your job now please. I'm on a date."

Adrian smirked at his manager, and slid into the booth opposite Marafioti.

"What would you like?" He asked Dom.

"Well, there are a couple of kids around, so I don't really want to say out loud," Marafioti muttered from behind his menu.

Adrian laughed.

"I'll have a prawn cocktail to start, and... the beef ravioli, with the side salad. And a pint of lager, please."

Adrian called over one of the waiters, a new boy who almost fell over himself with nerves at the prospect of serving the boss.

Adrian quickly relayed his order, and Marafioti's, and settled back in his seat.

Marafioti looked around the restaurant, starting to empty a little after the evening rush was over.

"Rachel designed it all," Adrian said after a moment, watching Marafioti look around. "She was going through a pirate phase when she decided. We talked about a safari theme, a space theme, a music theme, and, oddly, a shopping theme."

Marafioti laughed.

"Would you have hung clothes from the wall or something?" He asked.

Adrian shrugged.

"No idea. She designed everything. I just bought what she told me to."

"She sounds... like a wonderful child."

"She is." Adrian smiled, and sipped his drink.

Noticing his sad look, Marafioti slid his leg over to Adrian's beneath the table, and rested his knee gently against Adrian's.

Adrian looked at him for a moment, before he gently nudged Dom's knee in thanks for the silent support.

"Can we not talk about her tonight, please?" He said after a moment. "I just need... recreation."

He remembered Tom's words and smiled.

Marafioti looked puzzled, but nodded amiably.

"So... tell me about your... life," said Adrian, rather lamely.

Marafioti laughed.

"Well... I got a dog recently. Is that the sort of thing you're looking for?"

"Yes," said Adrian solemnly. "One of the things I look for in a man is his ability to keep a dog alive."

Dom rolled his eyes.

"Well, you already know most of it. No family, bit of a work-a-holic, got a dog." Dom shrugged.

"This is gonna be a long night," Adrian said with a grin.