"Tuesday it is, then," Higgs agreed with a nod. "And we'll have a lovely time," he assured Siobhan. They had done in their previous dinners, so Higgs couldn't see how this dinner could possibly go differently. Siobhan's company, Higgs had quickly discovered, was always pleasant. And Max's company was pleasant when Max forgot that it shouldn't be. "Bring another bottle of wine?" Higgs suggested. "We'll by-pass the pudding this time," he added, not because the cake Siobhan had brought last time hadn't been delicious but rather because Higgs was quite conscious of how a sweet on top of a dinner could seem a bit much. He was sure that neither him nor Max would object terribly to not having a cake to follow up their meal.
Then, the queue moved again, and Siobhan and Higgs were asked what they'd like to order. "I'll get this," Higgs told Siobhan. "For your kindness in showing me the way to decent coffee," he added teasingly before giving the barista his order.