A Little Help From My Friends - Tom & Tony
"Remind me again why I'm supposed to hire the young man who embarrassed my son in front of Judge MacMillan?" Philip Pratt, a roughly handsome and powerfully built man with a lower-class accent, raises his eyebrows at the delicate boy lounging lightly on the leather couch in his office.
"Papa, if he was good enough to beat me in court, he's certainly good enough to work here." Tom tilts his head, running his hand through his hair and flashing his father a charming smile, his tone just a bit wheedling. "Come on. Tony's a brilliant barrister--and he even likes property law. You know you always have a hard time finding anyone happy to take the property law cases."
Philip shoots his son a half-affectionate, half-chiding look. "And he also just happens to be a good friend of yours. Since when did I base my hiring decisions on who you happen to be drinkin' with at the moment?"
"Well, you know what Mummy always says. There's a first for everything." Tom shrugs and brings a hand up to loosen his tie. "Just give him an interview, Papa. That's all I'm asking."
"Your mother and I spoil you too much, Tommy." But Philip already has his phone in his hand, and Tom knows the fight is won. His face breaks into a smile as he gets up and goes over to drop a quick kiss on his father's cheek. "Thank you, Papa. You'll adore him."
In the middle of dialling Tony's number, Philip looks up at his slender, pretty son and smiles affectionately, though his words have a hint of warning to them. "I'll give your young man a try. It'll be up to him to prove himself from there."
