Page 64 of Whisking It All

DiceDiceBaby: Someone impossible. Someone brilliant.

DiceDiceBaby: She’s not for me. But I wish she was.

WhiskyBusiness: Well, aren’t we a pair?

DiceDiceBaby: Can we go back to how we were before?

WhiskyBusiness: I would really like that.

WhiskyBusiness: I’ve missed my friend these last few days.

DiceDiceBaby: Me too.

WhiskyBusiness: And I promise that any pictures I send you from now on will be G-rated.

DiceDiceBaby: It’s a deal.

WhiskyBusiness: Thank God, because I really need to talk to someone about Bob and you’re the only one who doesn’t think I’m insane.

DiceDiceBaby: Bob, the guy you’re hung up on?

WhiskyBusiness: No! Bob, my ghost!

Jamie laughed, tapping out a reply before heading into The Rookery. Gavin and Baz were already at their usual table, Baz scowling at the trivia registration card in his hands while Gavin chatted with Helen.

“There he is! I told you he wouldn’t miss our weekly showdown,” Helen clucked, patting Gavin on the shoulder as Jamie approached.

“And let you claim victory so easily? Not a chance,” Jamie laughed.

“Your team is still down a man,” Helen teased. “Not that you had much better luck when Ethan was here.”

Jamie’s phone dinged and he glanced at the flurry of messages from Whisky, each detailing another encounter with her ghost, though he was pretty confident that it was nothing a can of WD-40 and some weather-stripping couldn’t solve.

“At least Ethan didn’t spend half the night texting some girl from the internet,” Baz grumbled.

“Mrs. White is right. We are down a person,” Gavin said, glancing towards the back of the bar where Brodie, Kyla, and Tessa were having a drink, though Tessa seemed to be more focused on her phone than the company she was keeping. “Maybe we should ask Brodie to—”

“No,” Jamie and Baz said at the same time.

Gavin’s eyes widened.

“Sorry,” Jamie said with a grimace.

Gavin shook his head. “It’s fine. I know he can be a bit…much.”

“If you ask me, the person you should be inviting to join your team is TJ,” Helen said.

“Tessa,” Jamie corrected automatically.

Helen’s eyes gleamed dangerously. “As you say.”

“It’s not a bad idea,” Gavin said. “One of this week’s categories is ‘viral videos.’ We could use someone who actually enjoys watching those.”

“Excellent!” Helen said, before turning to the back of the bar and waving a hand over her head like she was waving the flag at the end of a race. “Tessa Jayne!” she hollered. “Come join us, sweetheart.”

Tessa wove through the crowd, making her way towards their table with an amused look on her face. “How are you, Mrs. White?” she asked.

“Just perfect now you’re here. Sit,” she said, gesturing to the empty seat beside Jamie.