TGI Chronicles Pt. 2 Ch. 01

"OK. Let's talk about it on Friday night in the pub. You'll be going to the pub now, won't you? With the rest of us."

"Yes. But I don't want them all knowing about us, well not yet anyway. Are you OK with that?"

"Yes, sure. No PDA, I promise."

"PDA?"

"Public displays of affection."

"No. No PDA's. G'night Dave." She kissed me, passionately one more time and turned and went home.

On the Thursday, I accepted Tim's invite to dinner. He seemed pleased.

On Friday, I was late to the pub. I stopped and took in the scene. Davinia was in a centre of the main group of our department, drinking and chatting happily. Drew was on the edge. I wanted a word with him, about work.

I touched him on the shoulder. "How about that pint I didn't get you on Tuesday?"

"Sure." He gulped down the remains of his current pint.

I brought him his drink. "This is off the record, and if pressed, I never said a word. But how do you feel about taking on a project of your own?"

He looked at me, and then smiled. "You mean as a Project Manager?"

"Yeah. Only a simple small one. It'll take a team of about three, maybe four. I was looking at the schedules, and I've got a small one coming up, and I was wondering how to allocate it. If you like the idea, I'll put it in front of Tim."

"Like it? I love it. Hey, thanks."

"Well, don't say a word just yet. And this will only be a trial run, no formal promotion yet."

"I owe you one. Thanks, Dave."

"Well don't let me down. We can talk more on Monday."

"Again, thanks. By the way, how was Wednesday?"

I glanced at Davinia, across the room. She was watching myself and Drew. "Mind your own bloody business. And keep away, at least for the moment."

"Yeah, well all's fair in love and war. Unless that's an order, sir?" He emphasised the 'sir'.

"Look, Drew." I paused to look at him, meaningfully, "This has nothing to do with work. And no, I'm not ordering you, you know me better than that. But she's had a rough time and she doesn't need the pair of us fighting over her."

I turned to see Alice coming through the door. I nudged Drew "Now if you want somewhere to focus your attention, why not there? I reckon she's got the best body in the company."

"No thanks. I hate to say it, but I reckon she's nearer your age, Old Man." He emphasised the last part.

"Don't be ageist." I didn't get any further before Alice came over.

"Hi, Drew, Dave."

"Hi, Alice, what are you drinking?" I asked.

"Nothing at the moment. But I wouldn't say no to a white wine spritzer."

By the time I got back with her drink, Drew had left her to return to the department's group. I passed Alice her drink.

"No Tim this evening?" she asked, looking round.

"No, he's got a hot date....." She looked at me, concerned, but didn't say anything. "...with Beth." She looked relieved. I added, "Beth's been away all week."

"Oh, I see. They invited me to dinner tomorrow night. Is anything going on with those two?"

"At the moment, some horizontal dancing I guess. But, as far as I know, they really are together. I'm invited tomorrow night as well."

She looked at me, and smiled, seductively. "I'll see you there then."

There was something about Alice that always worried me, I always felt slightly nervous with her. I'd never decided why. I decided to undermine her "You fancied Tim, didn't you?"

"What, last year, when he was on his own? Well, if he'd invited me I would have gone, but I reckon it would have slipped into a friendship rather than passion very quickly. He's too safe, too nice for me. But I do like him - a lot. Beth is a lucky girl."

After that we drifted our separate ways. Later, Davinia came over to me. "What did Alice want? I saw you buying her a drink."

"Now, now. She's an old friend. And she was telling me that she's been invited to Tim's for dinner tomorrow night. I've been invited as well. So whilst you are dancing with dirty old uncles, I'll be dining with the boss."

"Tim's not like that. He's the nicest, most easy going boss I've ever had."

"Don't be fooled. He's tough and damn professional under that casual gloss. I've known him a long time."

"Yes, but he's not bossy, he's a nice person. He and Beth invited myself and Tod to dinner a few weeks back, just after they got back from Antigua, and Tod was in one of his moods. You could have cut the air with a knife, but Tim was ever so nice about it, he made a joke of it on the Monday." She turned and looked at me. "Drew knows about us. You knew I didn't want it to be spread throughout the department."

"I'm sorry. It sort of came out, and it was before you said anything. I'm sure he won't spread it about, you can trust him. He knows the rules about that sort of thing."

"He just invited me out tomorrow night."

He can be trusted! He knows the rules! The cheeky bastard! "What did you say?"

"That I couldn't, I was at a family wedding. And anyway, I wouldn't, I was going out with you, but could he possibly keep it quiet."

"Oh." I felt better.

"So what about Sunday?"

"What about it? Can we get together."

"It depends what you mean by 'get together'. But I can see you in the middle of the day, but apparently I've got to be at my grandmother's in the evening."

"Well, how about a drive out for a traditional Sunday lunch somewhere? Then we can get to know each other a little better. Then afterwards, we can go back to my place and get to know each other a little better." I smiled.

"We'll see. Pick me up at twelve, say?"

"You're on."

There, a confirmation of status, and a date, and no PDA.

As I was leaving the pub, my phone rang. It was Lucy. Was I alone or with someone? Alone. Was I going to Shades? No. Was I around at the weekend? No. But, yes I did want to see her, how about in the week? She would call me.

It's been a long time since I've had to juggle dates with two girls. What am I going to do?