Page 92 of Doc Rock
“Yes, please,”Sie answered for both of them, but her eyes didn’t leave Ford’s.
When they were alone, Ford decidedit wastime to lay his cards on the table.“I never got over you leaving.”
Tears welled in Sie's eyes, and one trickled down her cheek. He reached over and wiped the tear away, then dropped his hand to his lap.
“Me either,” Sie whispered.
“Can we—”The door banged open, interrupting Ford.
“Mateeeeeee,”a drunken voice slurred.“Why are you hiding? Iheardyou were a good bloke, and you’re hiding away like a posh arsehole.”
Ford’s fists balled, and he began to stand.It wasthe idiot from earlier. He just wanted to talk to Sie, and this dickhead was making it impossible.
Sie’s hand touched his arm, and she shook her head in warning.
Taking a deep breath, then another, he finally nodded and relaxed back into his seat.
Putting on an unaffected swagger, he shrugged.“Just eating in peace, mate.”
Glad he'd heeded Sie’s silent warning when henoticedthe mobile phone in the man’s hand, filming Ford for a reaction.
“Yeah. Well, you look like an arsehole when you hide like you’re better than everyone.”He swayed on his feet, but his camera was steady.
“Sorry if that’s your perception, mate. I’m just catching up with some friends and wanted to eat in peace.”Ford realised Sie still had her hand on his arm, and despite the antagonism in front of him, her touch made himfeelcalmer than he had in a long time.
“Excuse me,”Frost’s voice broke in from behind.
“What do you want, arsehole?”The drunk man said, then spun around, and his gaze went up, and up and up, and he audibly gulped when he realised that Frost, at six foot three, was looking down at him quizzically.
“Hmmm. Sounds likethereis only one arsehole in this room, and that’s you. Maybe it’s time for you to head home,”Frost told him.
“Nah, mate. Don’t be a dick.”The drunk man wasn’t just drunk; he must be paralytic to have recovered so fast from his initial fear of the giant standing in front of him.
“There’s only one person being a dick here, and that’s you. Come on, we’re calling you a cab to take you home,”Frost said reasonably.
“Fuck off, mate. I’m not catching a cab.”
“Is that you, Wayne?”Hel’s voice cut in as she manoeuvred around Frost.
“Oh, hi Ethel.”He grinned nastily at her.
Hel smiled sweetly back.“IhearEmma came to her senses and dumped you.”
Wayne snarled, “Bitch.”
That was all it took for Frost to act. He said one word,“Nope.”Then picked up the smaller man by the belt on his shorts and bodily carried him away.
Ford couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him at the look of shock on Wayne's face.
“He’s my old housemate’s ex-boyfriend. He managed to burn our house down with a cigarette. And it turns out he’s a drug dealer, so she dumped him,”Hel explained.
“He is a delight.”Siewatchedwide-eyed as a grown man was carried with minimal effort by Frost out of the pub.
“He’s a shithead. Sorry, I didn’t realise earlier thatit washim who was bothering you. I would have asked the landlord to kick him out,”Hel apologised.
“It’s all good,”Ford reassured her.“Frost seems to have had fun.”He gestured to the Canadian, who was walking back toward them with a broad grin on his face.
Hel stepped in front of him, putting her hand on his chest.“You enjoyed that a bit too much, big guy.”
