“Sure I can, I’ll have a look, what’s his name?” Mickey asked.
They were both staring at Lilly, watching her laugh and joke with Pete behind the bar.
“William Harrison,” Elijah answered him.
“Her brother is William Harrison?” Mickey asked and swapped his gaze back to Elijah.
“Yes, is that relevant?” Elijah asked.
“Maybe, the name has come up a lot recently on a few other security jobs. Start paying me my fees with a double Whisky.” Mickey said, trying to change the subject, he had already done some digging when he searched Lillian and tried to give the impression this was all new, but Elijah wasn’t a fool and didn’t want to push it.
“Fine, another Whisky is coming up,” Elijah confirmed.
Elijah left Mickey and went behind the bar to get his friend a drink. He stood next to Lilly who was looking at the array of spirit bottles in confusion. The frown knitted between her eyebrows made her look adorable. He wanted to smooth out the crease with his thumb but resisted the urge, too many eyes on them.
“What’s got you frowning sweetheart?” Elijah said and nudged her with his hip.
“That guy over there wants a double Port but has asked for a particular make and I don’t think you have it, Pete told me you have everything,” Lilly said.
“What did he ask for?” Elijah asked.
Lilly told Elijah the make he had asked for and Elijah’s face turned red. He asked her to point out the customer and then marched down the bar to the man with the conceited grin and pulled him close enough to whisper in his ear. The customer backed away holding up his hands and shaking his head and shrugging. He wore a smile that angered Elijah further. His next words wiped the smile of the customer’s face and he backed away from the bar and back to his mates without a drink. Elijah walked back to Lilly and told her he no longer wanted a drink. Lilly looked at Elijah confused and watched him pour a Whisky and move away without another word.
“What was that about?” Mickey asked.
“Some arsehole trying to take advantage of Lilly being new, asking for a drink that didn’t exist, so I told him he wouldn’t be served here again,” Elijah said.
“And that is you not rescuing the beautiful woman who is looking at you with utter confusion,” Mickey asked, chuckling softly.
“Yes, that’s not me rescuing her. I would do it for any of the staff.”
“Sure, so is that my drink?” Mickey said and nodded to the tumbler in Elijah’s hand. Elijah handed Mickey the drink and Mickey beckoned Lilly over to him. She walked towards the two men, smiled at Elijah and looked back to Mickey.
“Sweetheart would you get me some ice please?” Mickey asked.
“I can get that Mickey, you didn’t need to get Lilly over,” Elijah said.
“It’s ok Elijah it’s what you pay me to do,” Lilly said.
“Don’t trust him, he has an ulterior motive, I’ll get the ice,” Elijah answered.
Elijah walked back down the bar, put two ice cubes in Mickey’s drink and walked back, in that short time Mickey had Lilly bent over laughing and it made him insanely jealous. He didn’t know why he’d left them alone, then it dawned on him. Mickey had done the double bluff just to get him away for a few minutes. Mickey knew he wouldn’t allow Lilly to be ordered around and he fell for it.
“What you are you two laughing about?” Elijah asked.
“He was telling me about the time you went to the Great Barrier Reef and didn’t actually see it,” Answered Lilly.
“Oh, that, well that wasn’t my fault. Stop telling her stories, you’ll make me look bad,” Elijah snapped.
“It was a funny story, maybe when you go back you will be awake enough to see the coral,” Mickey added.
“Not likely.” Elijah added grumpily. “Mickey and I had travelled up to Cairns from Sydney to see the Great Barrier Reef. I suffered from seasickness that is ironic being an ex-Navy man. The crew on board were handing out tablets to help with the sickness. I didn’t wait for instruction and swallowed five. Once I got into the water and lay down to see the fish and coral, I fell asleep. I was wearing a snorkel, so no one noticed for a while until it was time to leave. I had to be hauled into the boat and I never did see the coral,” Elijah said, giving his version of events.
“Aww, poor Elijah,” Lilly said and stroked his cheek.
“See Mickey, this is what your stories do, they make me look like an ass,” Elijah said.
“Oh, calm down, it wasn’t your fault as such,” Mickey said.
