Page 21 of Oz
His utter confidence makes me relax slightly and I peep into the room to see Oz shrug.
“Obviously nothing, Mr Johnson. Because, as you so astutely pointed out, I am an Irishman living in our great capital city and we don’t know much about building work.” The builder looks suspiciously at him as if he senses a piss take, but Oz carries on relentlessly. “However, I do know something about gossip and if this inadequate work rate continues and your firm doesn’t complete the job in an excellent and timely manner, well,” He shrugs. “I might just develop a drinking problem of my own. Of course, I’m too much of a flibbertigibbet and grow bored so easily that I won’t just drink in the local. I think I’ll spread my drinking around, and, Barry, when I drink I develop very loose lips.” He turns to Milo who immediately looks worried. “At least that’s what it says on the toilet walls in Tottenham.”
I can’t help my snort of laughter. The conversation automatically dies and Niall and I step into the room.
“Oh, Lord Ashworth,” the builder immediately says. “How nice to see you.”
Oz rolls his eyes and I repress a smile.
“The same to you, Mr Johnson,” I say solemnly. “Has Oz been speaking to you about a way forward through this awful mess?”
“Yes. I, … yes,” the builder falters.
“Yes,” Oz says brightly. “We thought, or rather Mr Johnson thought, that the solution would be to put more men on it.” He smiles winsomely at him.
“But won’t that cost more money?” I cry out far too dramatically because Oz’s lips twitch.
“Of course not,” he says smoothly and turns to the builder who has the look of someone who’s walked into a wall he didn’t see. I’d be prepared to bet my house that a lot of people wear this look after misjudging Oz Gallagher. “I think that Mr Johnson was about to say that he’d carry the cost because of the mismanagement of the project.” He smiles sunnily at the man.“And Mr Johnson himself is going to oversee his men. Isn’t that lovely of him? We need him so much.”
“How super,” I cry out, and Niall snorts.
The builder shakes his head, his expression wry and almost admiring when he looks at Oz. “I know when I’m beat,” he says.
“Never beaten,” Oz says charmingly, putting out his hand to the man. “Let’s just say we’ve come to an understanding.”
“I understand it’s best not to underestimate you, Oz.”
Oz nods happily. “That’s the best sort of understanding. Now, shall we get a nice cup of tea and walk through how much work there is to do?” He pauses. “And maybe how you should put some more workers on it.”
The builder nods dazedly and turns to walk out. Oz turns back and winks at me and we share a smile of total understanding, mirth brimming in our gaze, before he leaves like a king followed by Milo clutching the plans and looking nonplussed.
Niall claps me on the back. “Shit, we might get this done in time,” he says in an awed manner.
I shrug. “I haven’t doubted that since I met him.”
“You see? Perfect.”
“What?” I ask absently but he never replies.
Oz
That night at midnight I sit at the kitchen table looking over the mass of papers and plans and sheets of paper covered with my sprawling handwriting. I lift my glasses and rub my eyes and look again.No, still there.
I look down at my current huge shadow who is sitting by my chair and watching me with mournful brown eyes. “Are youwaiting for me to start screaming, Chewwy, or just bored?” I ask conversationally. He stares at me for a long second and then gives a huge yawn which shows off his massive teeth. I shrug. “Okay, just bored.”
“I didn’t know you wore glasses.”
The deep voice coming from the kitchen door makes me jump. “Shit, you startled me.” I take my black-framed glasses off, feeling slightly self-conscious at being found talking to the dog. “I took my contact lenses out.”
Silas gives me an exhausted smile. “They suit you.”
He comes into the room fully and I look at the tired slump of his shoulders. “Have you been out on a call?”
He gives a jaw-cracking yawn that almost sets me off. “Horse birth that looked like it was about to go pear shaped.”
“Bugger. Was everything okay?”
He nods and grins. “One very pretty filly called Moonshine.”
