“I thought you hated Japan. You told me once you’d rather eat a whore’s twat than sushi.”
I sat as frozen as a North Atlantic iceberg, not knowing what to say, waiting for the sun to explode, because that was the only thing that would save us now.
“I learned to like sushi,” Jersey said with a wicked gleam in his eye, “about the same time you learned to like whores’ twats.”
Cole sat paralyzed while his face turned a shade of blue.
“But then,” added Jersey. “I’ve always had a more sophisticated palate.”
This was too much for the crowd and they howled, laughed and clapped, and Cole stared at the audience for a microsecond. Then he opened his mouth and roared, laughing great big guffaws. He jumped up, and like the showman he was, shook his finger at Nyberg, and hopped around like a wild man. Jersey recognized the moment, laughed and clapped me on the shoulder with a warning look in his eye. I laughed too.
“We got you good, didn’t we!” Cole yelled. He turned to the crowd and held up his arms like he would at a concert. “Didn’t we?”
The studio audience jumped to their feet, laughing, clapping and stomping their feet. Jersey and I stood, and we threw our arms around each other necks like we were each others’ best buddies. The crowd ate up the lie.
When the hoorah died Cole looked over his shoulder at Nyberg.
“Now, how about discussing our concert?” he said with a big smile.
Bob Nyberg wished us luck, and we walked off the stage like we were best of friends.
As if.
Once off the stage though, Cole and Jersey looked at each other cross-eyed and quickly Jacine, and the lawyer moved to intervene.
And because I had enough of these two’s nonsense, I did too.
“Come on, guys,” I said. “Let’s not blow this. Jacine here set up a sweet deal for us after the disaster at Angelo’s.”
Both of them gave me the stink eye but I don’t care. It was about time these two manned up and acted like adults.
“Why don’t you mind your own business, Holmes,” snapped Kane.
“Cole,” said the lawyer. “He’s right.”
“And what business is it of yours?” said Cole.
“If you want to know, it was my connections that got you that date. My reputation, not to mention friendships of long-standing are on the line if you screw up.”
“What?” said Jacine. Her disbelief betrayed this was news to her.
“I wouldn’t do it for just anybody, Jacy. But I placed a call. Or two.”
“Tobias, you shouldn’t have.”
“It was important to you, so I did.”
Cole looked like someone took away his favorite toy. Jersey bristled, and I didn’t understand why, until I saw Jacine Alexander’s eyes sparkle with affection for the lawyer. And Cole and Jersey obviously had their sights set on her.
And losing badly to Mr. Lawyer.
“What the hell!” spouted Cole.
“Cole, please,” pleaded Jacine.
“Why are you trying to appease this asshole,” snarled Jersey.
“Let’s take this outside,” said Tobias.
