Grace turns to look at the group. "It's really nice to see the three of them getting along so well. They're good friends."
"I'm glad they get along so well. It makes working together so much easier. Mel and Frankie are practically best friends." Boyd smiles at the trio. "How's your sandwich?"
"It's excellent as always. They give you so much food at that deli." Grace feels so full with all this lunch. "You know, we should get a small kitchen put in down here. We could have a fridge and a microwave and some counter space. We'd have more office space and less tea all over the place."
"It's funny you mention that, Grace. I was wondering if that might be a good idea. The squad room just seems with all of our tea and coffee things all over the place. It would look a lot tidier and more professional if we put a kitchen in." Boyd wipes his mouth when he finishes his sandwich.
"Why didn't someone think of that earlier?" Grace asks sipping her drink.
"Who knows, Grace, all I know is that I was consulted about what I wanted in the squad room and I certainly didn't mention a kitchen, but I suppose they didn't think we'd be here for such long hours." Boyd tells Grace. "We're one of the only specialty units who stay as late as we do with the exception of the narcotics unit."
"Do we have the budget to do that though? It would be nice, but it's expensive too." Grace says seriously.
"Probably not this year, but maybe we can pull it off next year. We need to do something about this space." Boyd admits. Grace always seems to ask him the question he doesn't want to answer. She has a way of making him feel uncomfortable and yet making him open up and talk to her.
"Well, we'll have to make do for now, but that would be a really nice addition to the unit." Grace insists.
"Well, let's put it this way, Grace, if it comes down to hiring another detective or putting a kitchen in for the unit. I'm hiring a new detective." Boyd says seriously.
"I don't disagree with that, Boyd. I just meant that it would be nice if we could if we had an unlimited budget." Grace quickly backtracks her earlier words.
"Oh, an unlimited budget would be fabulous. We could do anything we wanted. I wouldn't have to keep turning Frankie down when she asks me for new equipment. The Met always underfunds their units." Boyd is clearly daydreaming about all the things he could pull off with a bigger budget.
"Well, it's not as if I have any influence over the Met brass, Boyd, but if I did I would try and get us more money. I wish my influence at the Home Office helped us more than it does." Grace says sadly.
"You can't blame yourself for that, Grace. You do your job here wonderfully, overall. We can't ask you for more than you already do. You keep us sane every day. I really don't compliment you often enough. You really are a marvel, Grace, dealing with us every day." Boyd says honestly.
"Boyd! That's almost sweet coming from you! I don't quite know what to say. I can't quite believe you just said that." Grace turns sideways to look straight at Boyd.
"You're just not used to me being so complimentary. I'm capable of being very kind when I put my mind to it." Boyd says trying to keep a straight face.
Grace bites her lip to keep from chuckling. "I wish I really believed that, but I know you too well. We know too much about each other to believe everything we say about ourselves."
"You're so philosophical, Grace." Boyd marvels at his friend. She's so different from most other people he knows.
"Someone has to be; otherwise we'd have more trouble speculating about life for other people. We can have all the evidence in the world and we'd still have to speculate about people's lives." Grace smiles cheekily at Boyd.