One Night Only (85 page)

“Everythin
g
okay?
”
h
e
asked
.
“
Y
o
u
read
y
t
o
order?” “Oh
,
everythin
g
i
s
wonderful,
”
sai
d
Gina
.
“Just
wonderfu
l
a
n
d
fl
o
a
t
y
a
n
d
ahhhh
h
.
.
.
ver
y
satisfactor
y
.
”

Th
e
poo
r
waite
r
looke
d
scared
.
H
e
glance
d
aroun
d
him
fo
r
help
.

“Satisfactor
y
for
some,
”
sai
d
Ruth.
“For
others,
everythin
g
i
s
a
littl
e
bi
t
frustratin
g
an
d
green-eye
d
and
enviou
s
o
f
other
s
i
n
th
e
compan
y
.
”

“
I
thin
k
th
e
gentlema
n
woul
d
lik
e
u
s
t
o
orde
r
some
food
,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
,
givin
g
he
r
bes
t
mamm
y
stare
.

“Oka
y
,
oka
y
,
sorr
y
,
Mamm
y
,
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“
I
know
exactl
y
wha
t
I
want.
”

“
Food
!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.

“Chicke
n
Frie
d
Ric
e
t
o
b
e
precise,
”
sai
d
Rut
h
an
d
she
stuc
k
he
r
tongu
e
ou
t
a
t
Poll
y
wh
o
wa
s
bein
g
ver
y
piou
s
as blood
y
usual
.
“An
d
ca
n
I
hav
e
som
e
chip
s
an
d
prawn cracker
s
an
d
som
e
Kun
g
P
o
sauce
.
Oh
,
an
d
ca
n
I
have sprin
g
roll
s
t
o
start
.
W
e
ar
e
havin
g
starters
,
aren
’
t
we?
”

“O
f
course,
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
“Let
’
s
g
o
th
e
whol
e
hog
!
I’ll
hav
e
barbecu
e
rib
s
–
”

“I’
d
lov
e
a
bi
g
barbecu
e
rib,
”
sai
d
Ruth
,
an
d
Polly
pinche
d
he
r
unde
r
th
e
table
.

T
es
s
wa
s
seein
g
th
e
funn
y
sid
e
an
d
wa
s
slowl
y
takin
g
a
fi
t
o
f
th
e
giggle
s
bu
t
Gin
a
wa
s
stil
l
locke
d
i
n
a
dreamy
worl
d
o
f
Marc
o
an
d
early-evenin
g
shenanigan
s
bac
k
in th
e
village
.

“The
n
I’l
l
hav
e
a
reall
y
hot
,
steam
y
,
yumm
y
curr
y
and ric
e
please,
”
sai
d
T
ess
,
lickin
g
he
r
lip
s
suggestivel
y
.
“I’
m
in th
e
moo
d
fo
r
somethin
g
reall
y
hot
,
hot
,
hot!
”

“Honestl
y
,
yo
u
tw
o
ar
e
behavin
g
lik
e
schoolgirl
s
on heat,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
unde
r
he
r
breath
.
“I’l
l
hav
e
duc
k
and pancake
s
t
o
star
t
wit
h
an
d
the
n
Kin
g
Praw
n
Cho
w
Mein. Gina
,
wha
t
abou
t
you
?
Gina?
”

Gin
a
ha
d
a
glazed
,
almos
t
sill
y
,
loo
k
i
n
he
r
eye
s
and
sh
e
wor
e
a
hug
e
grin
.

“Jus
t
anything,
”
sh
e
sai
d
wit
h
a
ligh
t
shak
e
o
f
her head
.

“Excus
e
me?
”
sai
d
th
e
waite
r
.
“I’
m
no
t
sur
e
wha
t
you mean?
”

Gin
a
too
k
a
lon
g
dee
p
breat
h
throug
h
he
r
nos
e
and the
n
he
r
eye
s
brightened
,
bac
k
t
o
normal
.

“Sorr
y
,
I
wa
s
mile
s
awa
y
,
ahem
,
”
sh
e
said
.
“
I
do apologise
.
I
wil
l
hav
e
.
.
.
I
wil
l
hav
e
th
e
sam
e
a
s
Poll
y
.
Wha
t
ar
e
yo
u
having
,
Polly
?
Oh
,
i
t
doesn
’
t
matte
r
.
Just
giv
e
m
e
th
e
same.
”

Th
e
waite
r
looke
d
ver
y
relieve
d
t
o
b
e
leavin
g
th
e
table an
d
Poll
y
wa
s
no
t
impresse
d
a
t
all
.

“Honestl
y
,
girls
,
tha
t
wa
s
jus
t
rude!
”
sh
e
sai
d
i
n
a
firm whispe
r
.
“Ther
e
i
s
n
o
nee
d
t
o
b
e
actin
g
al
l
giggl
y
an
d
girly
ever
y
tim
e
yo
u
se
e
a
man
.
Y
ou’
d
swea
r
tha
t
yo
u
ha
d
sex
o
n
th
e
brain!
”