Bette ignored the weird looks the other people in the café cast at her. She wondered if they had never seen anyone in a fireman’s uniform. She took off her coat and sat down, waiting for Lucas. It hadn’t surprised her that she hadn’t seen him, it seemed to be a Kennard-thing to always be late, even if it was only for a minute.

She looked around – she had passed this place a gazillion times when she went downtown, but she had never come in. She didn’t know if she was supposed to order her drink at the bar or if a waiter would come to take her order. She started drumming her long fingers on the tabletop. Fifteen minutes later, Bette was still without a drink and the door opened. She saw a mop of blonde hair and knew instantly who it was. She waved awkwardly at him, he looked around, saw her, smiled and walked towards the table.

“Aren’t you going to drink anything?” he asked.

“I decided I’d wait for you,” she shrugged. “I’ll have a coffee, what about you?”

“I’ll have a beer – be right back.” His coat was barely over his chair and he was already standing at the bar, trying to get the bartender’s attention. A minute later, he was back with the ordered drinks.

Bette sipped from her coffee and pulled a face. “This stuff is rubbish!” 

Lucas smirked. “I know – tried it once, never again.”

“You couldn’t be bothered to tell me, could you?”

“Knowing you, you’d want to find out yourself first.”

They chatted for a little longer, but Bette was dying to move it. She wanted to go back to Tina and snuggle up close to her and hold her (preferably naked) body. 

“So, you said you wanted a surprise for Tina and you needed my help?”

Lucas downed the last remains of his beer. “I have arranged a meeting with Jackson Dryffe.”

“No way!” 

Jackson Dryffe was a producer and someone Tina looked up to immensely. He wasn’t very famous and he wasn’t your average Hollywood producer, but Tina would go out of her mind hearing this.

Lucas grinned. “Yep. My friend Anthony has an ex called Stacy and Stacy’s boyfriend is the cousin of Dryffe’s son-in-law. He will talk to Tina for as long as she wants on the 8th of January, his next movie project doesn’t start until March, so he could take a day off. Tina’s boss is my neighbour Annie’s boyfriends uncle brother-in-law, so I managed to get Tina a day off.”