Page 88 of Thrill

“This is fun,” Danny said.

“I like that you get on with my friends.”

Danny sat back. “I’ve known them a lot longer than you.”

“You mean you all had lives before me?”

Boom. Out came the lopsided grin.

“We were simply existing.”

Tyler kissed him. “Superb answer.”

Danny straightened up. “Amanda approaching.”

Tyler readjusted himself as Amanda sat down on the chair opposite.

“What a wonderful collection Eddie has. I never had him down as such a film buff.”

Her eyes were shining in a way they hadn’t when Tyler had first met her.

“Thank you for coming tonight, Amanda. It means the world.”

She smiled and this time, it stayed on her face. Tyler wanted to leap across and fling his arms around her. Probably not the wisest move.

“He has theLord of the Ringsextended editions,” Tyler said. “How about in the autumn, we have Sunday lunch viewings?”

Amanda’s eyes lit up. “We could even start withThe Hobbitfilms. If you’d like.”

Tyler clapped his hands. “Perfect.”

She blushed but held her own.

“How are things downstairs, Danny?” Amanda asked.

“Manic,” he replied. “The bloody country’s on heat. We can’t get that stuff out quick enough.”

“That’s good news. Anyway, we shouldn’t really talk about work,” Amanda said. “At a party.”

Tyler squeezed Danny’s leg. “It’s been a crazy week. Danny might have some news soon.”

As soon as he said it, he regretted it. Danny tensed and Amanda leant forward.

“Oh, yes?”

“It’s something and nothing,” Danny said. “I’m not quite ready to share yet.”

Amanda sat back. “Not to worry. I hope it’s something wonderful. I’ll look forward to hearing about it.”

“Thank you, Amanda.”

Tyler stared straight ahead. He could imagine the level of intensity of the death stare coming off Danny.

Eddie came out of his bedroom, holding a book aloft. He sat on the arm of Amanda’s chair.

“I found it. I didn’t want to say in case I’d lost it.”

He put the book in Amanda’s arms.