Jones grinned.
'What are you worrying about? You have Gorgeous and a chopper. I have Fennel.'
'Well, watch him.'
'You bet . . . so long, see you Monday. Happy bed bouncing,' and Jones went off into the cold, wet night.
Toni, looking ravishing, turned up at the Rib Room just when Garry was losing patience.
'I'm damn well starving,' he complained. 'You're late!'
'I know, sweetie, but I just can't help it.' She flicked her long eyelashes at him. 'Like me?'
But now Garry had met Gaye Desmond, Toni White seemed suddenly a little young, trying a little too hard, and less exciting.
'You're wonderful.' The four martinis gave his voice conviction.
They moved into the restaurant. As they sat down, Toni asked, 'So you got the job?'
'You don't imagine we would be here if I hadn't?'
'Let's order and then you tell me, huh?'
'Don't say huh . . . only American businessmen say that.' Toni giggled.
'God! I'm starving too! Let's order quickly.'
The maitre d'hotel came over. Garry ordered a dozen 0ysters each with a half bottle of Chablis, followed by the Scotch beef with a baked potato in jacket and a bottle of Batailley 1961. The dessert, it was decided, should be a lemon sorbet.
'Mmmmmm!' Toni purred. 'This job must be marvellous. You do realize this is going to cost a f-o-r-t-u-n- e?'
'So what? I'm worth a fortune.' Under the cover of the table, Garry slid his hand up Toni's mini skirt, but she clamped her legs together.
'Mr. Edwards! I'm surprised at you!' she said.
Garry disengaged his hand.
'I'm continually surprising myself, Miss White.'
The oysters arrived.
'Well, tell me . . . what is the job?' Toni asked as she cut a fat oyster from its shell. 'God! I adore oysters!'
'Don't be greedy,' Garry said, forking an oyster into his mouth. 'It's never becoming for a young and sexy girl to sound greedy.'
'Shut up! Tell me about the job.'
'Well, it's a dilly. I go to Natal, and as your geography is as dodgy as mine, Natal is somewhere in South Africa. I lug an American photographer around in a helicopter so she can take photos of wild animals. It is a three week assignment and the money is very acceptable.'
Toni's oyster hovered before her mouth. She looked searchingly at Garry who avoided her eyes.
'She? You mean you are flying a woman around jungles for three weeks?'
'That's it,' Garry said carelessly. 'Now don't start getting into a state. I've met her. She's around forty-five, looks pregnant, and is the type who slaps you on the back and picks her teeth immediately after a meal.'
Toni stared at him.
'But that sounds horrible.'
'Doesn't it? Still the money is good and after all she could have had a beard and a wooden leg, couldn't she?'
