Page 173 of Gates of Tartarus

Looking at him, I adopt my haughtiest expression. I’m not cross anymore, not really, but if he’s going to tell us to hurry on home like good girls, he’s going to be wearing the remnants of the clotted cream.

“We’re sorry.”

Oh. Well. I settle my feathers, ready to bestow my gracious acceptance of the proffered admission of guilt.

“For?” Kailani’s voice is simultaneously sharp and sweet, like fresh tamarind from the tree, and Kavi suddenly looks discomposed, an adorable flush suffusing his deep-bronze skin.Hmm.Maybe I should take pointers, I think, sipping daintily at my coffee, ears perked.

“For not involving you in the discussion?”

“Aaand?” Oooh, she’s good.

Kavi glances over at me, as if for guidance, and I jut out my chin.

“For… assuming you’d do as we say?”

Kailani pauses, as if considering, her mouth pursed in a dissatisfied moue, but then darts her eyes to me and sighs. “Apology accepted.” She inclines her head regally, just a fraction.

Kavi stands there a moment, then opens his mouth.

“Is there anything else?”

Kailani’s words hang in the air, and I have to bite down on my bottom lip to keep from giggling. He looks like Oliver Twist, about to request another bowl of gruel.

“We… uh… that is… we’d like you to come back to the meeting.” As he speaks, he keeps shooting me nervous glances, as if fearful that I’ll start screeching like a banshee again.

Kailani looks as if she’s about to refuse, but I crack. I can practically see Kavi wagging his tail, like a six-foot-plus Labrador puppy, all mournful eyes and eager countenance. “Very well,” I sigh.

At that, Kailani shakes her head slightly. “Push-over,” she mouths at me.

“Couldn’t resist,” I whisper back, and she smiles.

“We’ll be there when we’re done,” she says firmly and cuts off Kavi’s protest with a fierce glance. I look down at my plate, and the cakes that remain, and decide that she’s quite right, too.

“When we’re done, Kavi,” I echo, the remnants of cream tea putting iron in my tone. “You’ll survive until then.”

Kailani grins at me in solidarity.I could get used to this us versus them now that I have backup,I think, laughing slightly. Kavi just nods and retreats as he arrived, hands up, a smile on his face.

Kailani turns back to me and sighs. “Well. Fun’s over, I guess. So, the plan?”

“As for the plan, what’s not to like?” I wave the scone in the air, narrowly avoiding tipping cream into my handbag. “Go in. Hope like heck nothing goes wrong. They’ll love it.” We should probably come up with something more professional, just to show the men that we know what we’re doing, but I’m having too much fun indulging in girl-chat. “Have you got your dress yet? I could take you where I got mine tomorrow, if you like?”

We make plans – she’s going to see if Gemma can come along – and order another coffee, taking bets on how long it will be before one of the guys comes back in and who it will be. We’ve had several refills and have polished off our cakes and then some by the end of our time, though we’ve actually gotten some good work done.

In quiet tones we’ve decided to obtain blueprints of the ball location and pre-set a path through the rooms, so it never looks like I’m trailing Kailani. We’ll try not to be in the same room at the same time and will depend on the guys to pass the information along, so there will be no direct connection between her and me. It will also give her a chance to take breaks between rooms, as she’s still too tired apparently to continuously shield and read. She’ll do a sweep of a room, pass the info along through Jonah, and take a break while I meet and greet. If she reads anythingtoonegative, she’ll play up her migraine to Elizabeth and bow out, and I’ll break a heel shortly thereafter to facilitate my exit. No one is to go anywhere alone, and the teams need to touch base with each other every fifteen minutes in some fashion. Even if it’s just an “excuse me” as someone pushes past at the bar. Most importantly though, Kailani will need a three-to-five-minute window where she is with Elizabeth and Fallon is distracted. We’ll repeat that window at the end of the night somehow, where she’ll distract Fallon and I’ll drop in on Elizabeth. There’s not much beyond that we can do,especiallysince we don’t know Elizabeth’s schedule for us beyond “circulating and making some friendly introductions”, but we both feel a heck of a lot better having some sort of sketch for the evening that doesn’t involve one of us being bait.

As we drink the last of our coffee, I pause, an idea striking me. “We need a safe word, I think…” I begin, voice trailing off. “For if we’re in real trouble. Something innocuous but immediate.”

The same waitress comes over again at that moment, clearing our plates as we sit in silent thought. “Still hungry?” she asks, a sharp edge in her overly polite tone. “Asecondgentleman has taken care of your bill, so anything else you’ll have to cover. Lucky ladies, to have two such thoughtful companions.” She’s trying to be friendly, but it sits on her like an ill-fitted suit and sets my teeth on edge.

Kailani narrows her eyes and tilts her head, an almost scary stillness falling over her, like a panther about to pounce. “Oh, we’re quite alright. Thank you for your concern. Lea, is it?” she asks, pointing at the woman’s name tag.

Lea smiles tightly and finishes clearing the table without saying anything else.

Kailani’s gaze trails her as she walks away, and we meet each other’s eyes in silence. Jerking her head slightly, she indicates that we should leave, and we get up as one, safeword forgotten, as we exit the cafe uneasily under the watchful, curious eyes of our waitress.

Girls’ Day Out

Wednesday, 12 December – Kailani

---