Page 78 of Too Busy for Love

After another fifteen minutes, he’s practically twitching with frustration. I’m pretending to look at my phone, but keeping an eye on him at the same time, so I spot him crossing the floor towards me.

‘I still haven’t finished,’ I tell him without looking up.

‘Ah, come on,’ he whines. ‘You’re obviously not going to eat it.’

‘Company policy doesn’t say I have to eat it. It just says I have to order it. As long as it’s there, I can occupy this table, isn’t that right?’

‘Technically, yes,’ he says with a sigh. ‘But surely you can see this isn’t in the spirit of what’s meant.’

‘I’m just playing by the rules, Gregory, same as you. Does company policy dictate how long I have to finish my breakfast?’

‘No, but…’

‘Right then. I’m still eating, and I’ll let you know when I’m done.’

‘We close at three.’

‘I’ll make sure I’m done by then.’

32

By the time three o’clock comes around, the standoff between me and Gregory is reaching epic proportions. He keeps looking at me, and I can practically hear his brain whirring as he tries to find some piece of his fabled company policy to use against me, but I’m losing interest in him. It was a fun game while it lasted, but my mind is now firmly back on the main task: Operation Get Jock To Speak To Me.

‘We’re closed,’ Gregory announces triumphantly as he swoops in to clear my plate.

‘Great. I’ll just wait for Jock, I mean Andrew, and then I’ll be out of your hair.’

‘Andy?’ he says with a malicious smile. ‘He left half an hour ago when the kitchen closed. Why didn’t you say you were waiting for him?’

‘You knew full well I was bloody waiting for him!’ I exclaim.

‘Did I?’ he asks innocently. ‘I must have forgotten. Anyway, he doesn’t want to talk to you. Forcing him to spend time with you against his will constitutes harassment, and I’m sure it won’t surprise you to know that’s against company policy.’

‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’

‘It’s livened up an otherwise ordinary day, yes. Would you like me to call a taxi to take you back to the airport?’

‘No.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes. One, you’d probably charge me for doing it, and two, I’m not going anywhere until I speak to Andrew. I will come back here every day, and not eat as many breakfasts as it takes, until I speak to him. What time do you open?’

‘Seven o’clock, but?—’

‘But nothing. Expect me at seven for the regular breakfast. I eat quite slowly, I’m afraid, so it might take me until three to finish it. I’ll be back every day at the same time until I get to speak to him. Just so you know.’

‘You wouldn’t,’ Gregory scoffs, but I can see the doubt in his eyes.

‘She would,’ a familiar voice says from the kitchen doorway.

‘What are you doing here, Andy?’ Gregory asks, clearly baffled. ‘I thought you’d gone home.’

‘I set off for home, but then I realised something,’ Jock tells him.

‘What?’

‘That Beatrice would do exactly what she’s doing. The only way to get rid of her is for me to talk to her, so I came back. Hello, Beatrice.’

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