Page 21 of Perfect Three

“Hi, Jack.Got a lot of bookings, but there’s a table over alongside the big window that’s free.”

“Thanks, Jane.”

The three moved to the table and sat.

“Don’t your staff get nervous when you two are in?”

“Doubt it.We run a pretty friendly ship.And, anyway, we eat here a lot or grab something from the snack bar in the night club, too lazy to make anything upstairs,” Sebastian said as he handed Lucy a menu.

Jack gave a laugh, more of a cackle actually, and whispered to Lucy, “Besides, Sebastian is a lousy cook and I refuse to do it all.”

Sebastian looked sharply at Jack.

Lucy tried to interpret the look he gave him but failed.Instead, she whispered to him, “Don’t worry, Sebastian.You can’t be as bad as me.I can’t cook to save myself.I live on stir-fries, made with those pre-made sauces in a jar, or toasted sandwiches.”

“Ah, that makes me feel better, Lucy.We’ll just ignore Jack.”

Lucy thought that would be hard to do but wisely said nothing.Instead, she opened her menu and scanned the dishes.

“What do you like to eat, Lucy?”

“Actually, I eat anything except tofu.I love food.That’s kind of obvious with my figure.”

The two men looked at her intently, and her face suffused with color under their scrutiny.

Sebastian glanced at Jack and breathed out heavily through his broad nose.“Oh yeah, look at her figure!”

“Don’t worry, I’m looking—and I’m so liking!”

“Mm, me too.”Sebastian winked at her.“So can I order for you?”

“Sure, thanks.”Lucy closed her menu and looked at the two men.

Sebastian sat at her right and Jack on the left.She thought she could get very used to having these two paying her attention.

A waiter came to the table, giving them a friendly greeting and joking with the two men.“How did you two get a beautiful woman to eat with you?”He looked at Lucy.“Did they bribe you or something?”

“Something.”

“Thought so.So, what’s everyone eating?”

Sebastian spoke up.He ordered smoked salmon and avocado as starters for them all.For Jack and Lucy, he ordered lamb loinspiced with za’atar, baba ganoush, yoghurt and sesame dressing, then crispy skin snapper with spicy leeks, and braised bok choy with barbequed polenta for himself.

A little surprised that Jack hadn’t ordered for himself, Lucy concluded they probably knew every like and dislike of each other if they’d been partners for over ten years.

Sebastian leaned back in his chair and turned his head to look at Lucy.“So how long have you been temping, Lucy?”

“Not long.About a year and a half this time around.”

“What sort of work did you do before that?”

Lucy hesitated, then decided it was probably easier to just explain her life.“I was looking after my mother.She had cancer, and I was her full-time carer for six years.”

Jack took one hand and s Sebastian covered the other.“I’m so sorry, Lucy.”

“That’s okay.It’s better for her that she’s gone and out of pain.”

“Are you a local or have you only recently come up the mountains?”

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