"Come out and celebrate with me, please Eve." Frankie nearly grovelling to her friend on the other end of the phone.
"One drink, that's it. I might have work in the morning, unlike some of us. And I do not want to face you other half hungover when he's in a bad mood demanding the moon on a plate." Eve finally relented. "Speaking of Boyd, why isn't he out celebrating with you?" Looking around the spotless lab that used to belong to the woman on the other end of the phone.
"I asked him. But you know what he's like, he's not a big drinker and he's hates the places we go. Anyway, I want to celebrate with my best friend. It's been a while and I need to find out how Mike is." Frankie not being able to stop herself from laughing when she heard Eve groan at the mention of her former lover and current part time co worker.
"Sod of, Frankie. Mike and I are just friends. We did that and it didn't work. Let's leave it at that." Eve just shaking her head as she repeated to Frankie again she was not going there with Mike.
"Just cause it didn't work the first time doesn't mean it won't this time. Boyd and I didn't work first time, but now look at us." Making the a very valid point to Eve.
"Frankie, I don't think Boyd being married at the time was a good start. You two fit together, Mike and I don't, we didn't back than anyway." Frankie catching the last part of what Eve said and jumping on it.
"That was back the, this is now. You aren't the same person now, neither is he probably. That's what makes it different for me and Pete this time," Eve making a vomiting sound when Frankie used her pet name for Boyd. "We have both changed." Frankie ignoring Eve taking the piss.
"Not having this conversation, Frankie. I have to work to do and I would hope you do. We meeting the usual place, usual time?" Eve changing the subject just as the doors to the lab opened and the man they had just been talking about entered.
"Did I just hear the lab doors open?" Frankie not missing the sound she had become accustomed to for four years straight.
"Yes, you want to speak to him?" Looking up to see Boyd give her a quizzical look.
"Yeah, stick him on." Frankie smiling as she heard Eve talk to Boyd.
"Hey, Frankie." Boyd's voice on the other end of the phone making her smile more.
"Hey, Boyd." The smile on her face was very evident in her tone.
"What are you doing distracting my forensic scientist?" Boyd trying to sound stern but failing miserably.
"Now I'm hurt, I thought I was your forensic scientist, not Eve." Frankie attempting to sound upset but not quite managing it.
"Not going there, Frankie. Don't you have work to do? I would have thought this new contract would have you busy." Knowing how much the new research contract meant to her.
"I do have work to do, but I needed to arrange celebrating with Eve first since my boyfriend won't come out and celebrate with me." Frankie knowing she wasn't playing fair but saying it anyway.
"Don't start, Frankie." Looking up at Eve before turning his back on her in a vain attempt for some privacy. "We will celebrate, just me and you. A nice restaurant, a quiet meal and a couple of drinks. You know I don't do the clubs and pubs scene, Frankie." Boyd hoping Frankie wasn't upset by his lack of enthusiasm to go out and party.
"I know, Pete, I'm totally fine with that. I'd love you no matter what we did." Frankie's voice soft and gently, the use of his pet name not going unnoticed.
"Okay. I love you too. I'll pass you back to Eve and then you can both get back to work." Turning back around to face Eve who has suddenly found a stray thread on her lab coat very interesting.
Boyd passed Eve the phone and they arranged a time and place to meet, Eve hanging the phone up and smiling up at Boyd.
"What can I did for you, Boyd?" Eve seeing the cogs turning in Boyd's head.
"I take it by the end of that conversation you are going out with Frankie later?" Boyd already knowing the answer.
"We are. And before you say it, yes, I'll look after her, I always do." Eve giving Boyd the usual reassurances she did when they went out.
After a very brief chat, Boyd left Eve alone, his mind now full of images of Frankie getting ready to go out.
Boyd wasn't home when Frankie and Eve stumbled out the taxi that night, both of them staggering up the path to Boyd's huge house. Frankie managed to open the front door and they both tumbled into the hallway, Eve carrying the bottles of wine they had managed to pick up on the way home. The drinking started in the living room, Boyds very expensive stereo system blasting out tunes that would no doubt have the neighbours complaining the next day. When they got through the first bottle and neither of them could stand up for long Frankie suggested they go upstairs before they didn't make it. Clothes and shoes were shed by both women as the tripped and stumbled up the stairs and along the landing before making it to the bedroom. Frankie did manage to get her phone playing music which both of them danced to until they ended up tripping over each other and landing on the bed. Half an hour later both women wearing nothing but their underwear were tucked up in the huge king size bed, Frankie sleeping soundly on her own side while Eve sprawled out on what was Boyd's side of the bed.
When Boyd got home he followed the trail of destruction from the front door, through to the living room, then up the stairs to what used to be his bedroom. He picked up the clothes as he went, knowing that some were Frankie's but some most definitely weren't. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to find when he opened the bedroom door but it wasn't the sight that greeted him. Frankie was sleeping on her side of the bed, one leg sticking out from under the quilt. On his side of the bed lay none other than Eve Lockhart, his forensic pathologist and Frankie's best friend. So now he knew who's skirt and top he was holding, along with Frankie's dress. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to be annoyed or turned on at the sight of two women in his bed. Both of them looked so peaceful, bare shoulders and legs visible on both of them. He didn't think it would be appropriate for him to climb in anywhere on the huge bed, sleeping with his girlfriend and his coworker without asking was not a good idea. Instead, he sulked as he grabbed clean sleepwear out the drawer and headed downstairs to sleep on the settee, the house no longer owning a spare bed since he got angry after Luke's death and gutted his old bedroom.
When he woke next morning his legs were cold, his neck was stiff and his back protested at every movement he made. Frankie and Eve owed him big time. He left both women sleeping, he needed coffee before he dealt with two hungover women. When he did finally make his way upstairs he had a box of paracetamol in his pocket, two steaming cups of strong black coffee and two bottles of water.
He placed the bottles of water and one cup of coffee on his bedside cabinet, ignoring the huge amount of Eve that was now showing due to the fact she had kicked the quilt off and was lying on her front. Making his way around the bed to Frankie side he placed her coffee on her bedside cabinet and sat down beside her. She was still buried under the duvet, her dark hair fanned out on the pillow.
Reaching out he brushed some hair from her face and bent to place a kiss on her cheek, feeling her stir slightly as he whispered good morning. Frankie made some sort of unintelligible sound as she shifted, attempting to pull the covers over her head.
"Oh no, wake up. You brought this on yourself, both of you did." Boyd looking over at Eve before turning his attention back to Frankie.
"Both of us," Frankie mumbled into the bed.
"Yes, both of you. You want to cover Eve up before I attempt to wake her up as well." Moving to stand up as Frankie rolled over to look at her bed companion.
Boyd watched as Frankie blinked and looked over at Eve, her friend still sleeping soundly in just her bra and knickers.
"Oh god, what the hell did we do? I can't remember making it to bed let alone stripping off." Frankie somehow managing to pull the quilt over Eve as Boyd stood silently laughing.
Boyd walked back to his side of the bed and picked up Eves cup of coffee, lowering it so the aroma of the coffee reached Eves' nose. Eve stirred and rolled over, pulling the quilt over her head as she did.
"Not today, Eve. Wake up and drink this. I hope you know a good chiropractor, you owe me big time for sleeping in my bed, and with my girlfriend." Seeing Eve still, then her hand suddenly move across the bed towards Frankie.
"Still here, Eve." Frankie managed to all but bark out, her voice rough and gravely.
"Frankie, What the fuck did we drink last night? Actually, scrap that, I don't think I want to know. I would like to know why I'm just in my underwear, and your boyfriend is staring at me with a huge grin on his face while holding coffee and paracetamol." Eve opening her eyes and looking straight at Boyd.
"Think over what you just said." Frankie groaned as she sat up and let the quilt fall to her waist.
"So my boss just saw me in my underwear. For fuck sake, Frankie! You owe me big time for last night." Eve giving up trying to hide and following Frankie's lead by sitting up and accepting the coffee Boyd was holding out to her.
"I'll leave you ladies to sober up a bit, breakfast will be about thirty minutes. And Eve, next time you want my bed and my girlfriend, just ask." Boyd laughing as he left Frankie and Eve in peace