"Ah, just as I was about to give up looking for you," Frank stated, a charming smile gracing his face as he approached the booth where Carla, Maria, and Rory were sitting, happily noting that the bookie was nowhere in sight in the pub.

"Oh," Carla swallowed the sip of wine she had just taken, "Hiya Frank!" she greeted him, overcoming her initial confusion at seeing him wander into her local on a Monday afternoon and still managing to smile warmly at him

"Hello Rory," Frank reached out to shake the man's hand, "Good to see you again!"

"Frank," Rory shook the outstretched hand and nodded, before making a move to stand up.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

"No, not at all, just a friendly catchup." Rory replied, "Anyways, I best be heading back" he said as he slid out of the booth followed by Carla, "I'll be in touch about placing that order later this fall, Carla" he turned, drawing her in for a hug as they kissed each other's cheek affectionately, causing Frank to narrow his eyes at them...a look that did not go unnoticed by Maria

"Thanks," Carla said, "honestly Rory, for everything."

Rory smiled at her, "it was my pleasure," he turned to the woman still seated in the booth, "lovely to meet you, Maria!"

"And you," Maria said

Carla watched as Rory walked away, giving a small wave as he exited through the doors. Turning back to Frank, she crossed her arms over her chest, and quirked an eyebrow at him curiously, "I'm sorry, but did we have a meeting, Frank?" she asked

"No, no," he responded pleasantly, "I just happened to be passing through and thought I'd stop in and check on the progress of my order," he leaned over, placing his fingers gently on her waist and planting a chaste kiss on her cheek

Carla accepted the kiss politely, eyeing him briefly, "Just passing?" Carla repeated, keeping a friendly smile on her face as she sat back down in the booth, while ensuring that her sweet tone masked her annoyance. If there was one thing she hated, it was being micro-managed by a client.

"Mmm, yeah," he put his hands in his pants pockets, "I always like to keep at least one step ahead of things. Learned the hard way that there's nothing worse than hindsight. You know the saying, 'Never look backwards or you'll fall down the stairs...'," he smirked at her, "I do apologize of course if I came at a bad time. I wasn't trying to catch you with your knickers down, after all..." his eyes danced triumphantly when the glass in her hand paused as it lifted towards her lips.

Maria watched closely as the factory boss took a sip of her wine, noting how Carla shifted slightly in her seat. She perched her eyebrow curiously at her friend's obvious discomfort. It wasn't like Carla to be ruffled by, well, anyone really; but something Frank said had visibly caught her off guard. The blonde moved her now suspicious gaze upon a rather satisfied looking Frank, and she narrowed her eyes at him. She was missing something for sure...

Carla's tongue flicked out along her lips as she caught the remaining drops of liquid that lingered there and lowered her glass, "Heaven forbid," she chuckled half-heartedly, suddenly very aware of her slightly bruised back and wondering if her quickie with Peter wasn't as discreet as they believed it to be...

"Well, while I'm here I thought I'd stop and get a quick bite, can I top you up?" he gestured to her wine glass

"Oh, that's very kind of you Frank, but we need to be getting back and all, and rescue poor Hayley, hadn't we?" Carla replied looking over to her PA

"Well, surely Maria can keep an eye on things at the factory for a bit," Frank flashed the blonde a smile that was painfully returned, "there was something I wanted to run by you, Carla, if that's alright with you?"

"Oh," Carla began, unable to think up an excuse that wouldn't potentially damage her relationship with her client, "Uhh, yeah, sure."

"Well, I'll head back then," Maria stated grabbing her purse and rising from the booth, "nice to see you again, Frank," she said politely

"A pleasure as always," Frank responded, "I won't keep her too long."

Maria turned to Carla, "see you soon."

"Ta, love," Carla called after her, before smiling up at Frank

"So, top up?" He asked,

"Go on then, but just a lime and soda thanks," she nodded

"Coming right up," he smiled and turned to the bar.

Maria was deep in thought as she walked back to the factory, her mind so preoccupied she didn't see the man in front of her until she walked straight into him.

"Oh steady on there, Maria love," Peter joked as he reached out and grasped both her shoulders to stabilize her.

"Oh sorry Peter, my mind were somewhere else," She sighed

"Anything wrong?" he asked

Maria glanced back towards the pub, "Oh, it's just that client of ours, Frank Foster. He's just sat in the pub right now with Carla discussing something or other."

"What about him?"

"I dunno I just get this weird vibe off of him, that's all. I dunno, just ignore me, it's probably nothing," she shrugged it off

"No, no, come on," Peter pressed curiously, "weird vibe, how?"

Maria crossed her arms, "Well, the night after Carla got slipped that roofie, she and I had gone to Frank's to secure a contract with him," Peter nodded for her to continue, "After we had initially made the plans, Carla had backed out of going and I was going to go on me own because Frank had been very flirty with me and Carla thought he might respond better to just me; but then that morning Carla changed her mind and we went together as originally planned."

"Go on," Peter felt a knot starting to form in his stomach

"Well, when we arrived at his place, he only had eyes for Carla," she said, "which I get, I mean, obviously he were only flirting with me because maybe he thought he wouldn't have a chance with her,"

"Flirting with the friend to make the woman he actually wants jealous," Peter stated, "yeah, I know the tactic..."

"Exactly!" Maria agreed, "so he were really flirting with her, but she seemed oblivious. And I mean, look I admit: at the time I thought he might be good for her, you know? Maybe move her on from...well," she looked at him uncomfortably,

"me.." Peter finished and she nodded

"Yeah," she whispered, "anyways I had excused meself for a few minutes, and that's when he apparently told her that he had been worried about her after the night before; that she had asked him out for dinner at the mixer, but he understood that she had been intoxicated and perhaps didn't remember."

"Well, obviously she weren't drunk but she may have done so under the influence of the roofie, maybe?"

"Well, see that's what I thought, but that's the thing, Peter," She responded quickly, "When you and Carla went out back at the Rovers earlier, Rory was filling me in on what happened that night," she began as Peter nodded, "I was saying that the reason she probably didn't tell me was that she was embarrassed especially since she had apparently asked Frank out when she was slipped the drug. Only Rory said that was impossible, because he didn't take his eye off her the moment she started acting intoxicated."

"What are you saying exactly, Maria?" Peter pressed

"I'm saying, according to Rory, Carla didn't go near Frank after she was slipped that drug," Maria answered, "She made a phone call, to you, and she were with Rory the rest of the time,"

"So, then according to this Foster bloke, when exactly did she supposedly ask him out?"

"That's just it, Peter," Maria turned back to glance at the pub, her voice lowering, "I don't think she did ask him out to dinner. I don't think she were alone with him for even a minute that night; not for lack of trying on his part before she were slipped that drug though, according to Rory..."

"So what? He made it up?" At Maria's shrug, he simply shook his head, "why would he do that?"

"I dunno, Peter," Maria sighed, "I mean, if he fancied her why not just ask her out? Why go through the trouble of making her feel low and embarrassed first-"

"Because then she'd feel obligated," Peter interrupted, feeling the anger rising in him, "less chance of him being rejected that way..."

"That's so slimy," Maria sighed, shaking her head, "I'll tell you what, I'll be glad when his order is finished. She don't need someone messing with her head like that...or worse..."

"No, she doesn't," Peter responded his eyes glancing over Maria towards the pub then back to the blonde, "wait, you don't think he was the one to-"

Maria licked her lips apprehensively, her eyes glancing anywhere but into the brown eyes of the bookie as they burned into her

"You do, don't you?" He felt his chest constrict tightly, as horrific scenarios flashed through his mind, "you think he slipped her that roofie?" Maria finally met his eyes, and gave him a half-hearted shrug in response.

"I don't know..."

He felt a hot rage burn within him, coupled with an overpowering desire to protect Carla from any harm that might befall her. He exhaled deeply, "right, I'm gonna deal with this..." he stepped around Maria, his eyes unmoving from the Rovers Return.

"Whoa, hang on," Maria grabbed his arm and spun him towards her, "what are you going to do?"

"I'm gonna have word with this Foster bloke-" his hands balled into fists as he thought of pummelling the smarmy bastard, "let him know exactly what I think of him."

"No, you can't Peter," Maria said firmly, "He's still a client, and a lucrative one at that," she responded, "you do anything that might cause him to pull out of his contract and you mark my words, Carla will have your guts for garters," she chuckled half-heartedly, "and mine and all..."

"So what, Maria?" he dropped his voice low, "we just going to let him get away with this?"

"Peter, there's no proof it was him, alright?" Maria placated him, "Rory said he didn't even see Frank around the time Carla was drugged," she gripped his shoulders, "he's just a smarmy git who used a situation to his advantage to try and score a date. Carla's smart, Peter. She'll soon suss him out."

"I can't stand by and do nothing while he takes advantage of her, Maria, or worse-" he turned back towards the pub only to be halted as Maria darted in front and blocked his path once more

"No you listen to me, Peter," she said placing her hands in front of her, "if you ever want to have a chance with Carla, do yourself a favour and don't make her into the damsel in distress you need to save! No matter how much she may like you, she won't stand for you playing the hero, Peter." Peter's eyes softened as Maria's words hit him, "you'll lose her before you ever get her, alright?"

"Okay," he acquiesced, "okay, you're right. But we can't just do nothing, Maria."

"And we're not going to," she responded, "Look, I'll talk to her after work and tell her my suspicions, alright?"

Peter nodded reluctantly, "okay,"

"Peter, I know you care about her. I could see it in the way you looked at her today in the pub," Maria pleaded with him, "so don't ruin a chance with her by messing with her business. That place means the world to her. It's the only thing she has left of Paul and Liam. You cause her to lose a contract that could throw us into liquidation, and I promise you, you'll lose her forever."

"I won't," he promised, "you're right. I'll keep my feelings and suspicions about Frank to myself...for now."

"Thank you," She sighed appreciatively, "I best get back to it, before she gets back." She gave his shoulder a squeeze before heading towards the factory.

Peter watched as she climbed the steps to Underworld, waiting for her to enter the factory before turning and heading purposefully back to the Rovers.

He may not be able to confront that smarmy bastard, but he was about to show Frank, and anyone else who may be in the pub right now, that Carla was his...