I Knew You Were Trouble

Chapter Thirty-Seven

I don’t think I’ve ever moved so fast. I go to him, and his arms are around me. In the street, he practically lifts me off my toes as I bury my head in his shoulder.

We stand there for a long moment, breathing one another in.

‘I’m so sorry,’ I choke out when I pull back.

His eyes are glistening. ‘No, I’m so sorry,’ he breathes.

I wipe tears, repeating my apologies over and over. ‘I’m sorry for everything. I didn’t know about Lucy Garrity,’ I say, stumbling over my words. ‘I should have done my research properly—’

He stops my mouth with a kiss, aching, urgent, and I kiss him back with every inch of devotion I feel, my heart liable to explode at the pleasure of knowing that I belong in his arms, and that I don’t have to film him anymore.

‘Wait…’ I look him over. He looks the same as he did on my TV screen.

He smiles. ‘The recording was this afternoon. The lads insisted I still wear the suit.’ He kisses me again. ‘I should have been completely honest with you,’ he says in a low tone, when he pulls briefly away, his lips finding mine again before I can catch breath, my arms snaking up his chest to around his neck. He draws me into his embrace, my form fitting snugly along the substantial line of his body, his arms crushing me to him.

‘I wanted to send you that message before I’d even finished watching the documentary for the first time,’ he whispers, still holding me close. ‘That was nine days ago.’

‘Then why didn’t you?’

His arms loosen a fraction. ‘I can explain. But first, there’s a few people here who really want to see you.’

‘Paige!’ he then yells, towards the van I recognise from when Miller came to visit, but that I hadn’t even noticed was parked nearby until this moment.

A sliding door opens. As I look up in sheer surprise, Paige steps out of the vehicle, followed by Cal, J.B., Ravi and Miller, dressed casually and no longer in their suits.

I start laughing, shaking my head.

Aidan lets me go so I can embrace each and every one of them.

‘Ahhh, we missed you, Lex,’ Ravi says.

‘Alright, Lovely Lexi,’ is Cal’s version of a hello. ‘I wanna say that me and Bianca had your back this whole time.’

‘That’s true, they did,’ Aidan says.

‘ Bon soir, chérie ,’ J.B. says, kissing both my cheeks.

‘Hey,’ Miller grunts with a shrug, keeping his distance. ‘Again.’

‘You’re getting a hug, Miller,’ I say, putting my arms around him, ‘whether you want one or not.’

He gives me a lop-sided smile, seemingly appreciating the gesture, hugging me back. The bruising on his face is only slightly visible.

‘Did you do all this?’ I ask Paige, who is the last person I embrace.

‘I may have taken very great pleasure in bossing them all around a bit,’ Paige says.

‘Paige, can you please enlighten Lexi as to why I wasn’t allowed to message her the moment I saw the documentary,’ Aidan chimes in.

‘Because I confiscated his phone,’ Paige grins with delight. ‘He’s literally only got it back tonight. I decided he needed to make amends.’

‘And we agreed!’ Cal adds. ‘We weren’t even supposed to be on that show today. We had to persuade them to boot off another band, and get Duncan to make sure you were home—’

‘But the song—’ I say.

Aidan takes my hand. ‘We’ve been working on the song for a while.’

‘Aidey wrote pretty much all of it,’ Ravi says with a grin.

‘I loved it,’ I say to Aidan. I love you , I want to say. ‘J.B., I loved the guitar solo,’ I say instead.

J.B. blows me a kiss.

‘Plus, we had to hope that Miller’s face would lose most of the bruising,’ Cal adds.

‘Oh sure, because that was all my fault,’ Miller grumbles, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

‘Maybe you should watch your mouth next time,’ Aidan chides him, before putting a supportive hand on his shoulder and I feel relief at not having permanently come between them.

‘Do you guys want to come in?’ I ask, as Duncan and Meredith appear at the main entrance to my building, greeting everyone at the door.

‘Nah, you’re alright, we’re all going our separate ways,’ Cal says. ‘Plus, Aidey wants to get unprofessional with you.’

I smile and shake my head, feeling my cheeks burn, Aidan’s arm snaking around my waist.

‘Well, say hello to Bianca from me,’ I tell him.

‘I will. I fly to NYC tomorrow.’

‘And to Audrey, and to Tun,’ I say, as Ravi and J.B. thank me.

‘Miller, you know you’re going to need to find a girlfriend now,’ Ravi laughs, Miller producing a thin-lipped smile in response.

‘Hey, Paigey, you wanna volunteer to be Miller’s girlfriend?’ Cal asks.

Paige pulls a disgusted face. ‘We all know Miller couldn’t handle going out with a girl who’s a better dancer than he is,’ she says.

‘You want a competition, McArthur? I’ll beat you and your brother,’ Miller shoots back.

‘I’d like to see you try.’

J.B.’s gone to the van. He comes back with a backpack which he tosses Aidan’s way. Aidan catches it.

‘That our cue to leave?’ Cal asks.

‘ Oui ,’ J.B. clips, as though he’s simply had enough of speaking in English.

‘Cheers for everything, mate,’ Aidan says to Duncan, holding out his hand for Duncan to shake.

‘I’m gonna hug ya, big man,’ Duncan says, and the two men embrace, slapping one another on the back.

‘Next time you can punch Miller in the face as many times as you like. I won’t stop you,’ Aidan says when they pull apart, Miller grimacing and looking to his shoes when he overhears him.

‘I’ve sent you the video,’ Duncan says, winking at Aidan.

‘Can’t wait to watch it,’ Aidan replies, looking to me. ‘Thank you both. See you guys soon, yeah?’

Paige grabs my hand, pulling me away from Aidan. ‘You will come and see us, won’t you? I mean after you’ve… kissed and made up with Aidan. It’s our birthday next week.’

‘I know,’ I say with a grin, giving her another hug. ‘Of course I’ll come and see you.’

‘He loves you,’ Paige whispers close to my ear. ‘He loves you with everything he has. I should have told you that when you came to see me.’

My heart swells again, tears springing back to my eyes.

‘And I know you feel the same way about him.’ Paige grins, saying what the lump in my throat is preventing me from saying, squeezing my shoulders as I nod frantically. ‘He would have told you that too if I hadn’t taken his phone,’ she adds with a giggle.

When the goodbyes are complete, the van leaves with the band piled into the back, Paige doing the driving.

Duncan and Meredith depart on foot, Duncan turning and walking backwards, giving me a thumbs-up as they leave, then returning his attention to Meredith. He puts his arm around her as they disappear into the darkness.

Outside my flat, in the warm air and in the silence under the streetlights, I feel Aidan’s fingers gently entwine with my own. I turn in to him, placing my free hand against his chest.

‘Come inside,’ I whisper, and lead the way to the door.