Love Me Till Wednesday (Sapphire Stars #1)

9

9

Lisa checked her watch. Ten o’clock already. She was going to be late. Hopefully, Nick was a patient man.

She’d pretended to be the life and soul of the party, determined to mingle with all the partygoers to make the most of tonight’s win. But now the effects of the champagne were wearing off, the introvert inside her was craving solitude. The idea of lying on a comfy bed to gather her thoughts and plan what to do next was so tempting. But that reminded her of what had been happening in that bed earlier. She screwed her eyes up, trying to remove the image of Pete’s bare backside from her mind.

Buck up, Lisa. Nick doesn’t deserve to be stood up. She could manage just one quick drink with him as a thank you, perhaps get his number if he was as lovely as he looked, and then she’d return to the hotel.

The rest of the band were busy. Unsurprisingly, Pete hadn’t put in an appearance at the party, Jonny was chatting up a famous DJ, and Tez had gone home to his girlfriend. Ed was the only one keeping Lisa company now.

‘I feel like I’m getting a migraine - I need some peace and quiet,’ she said, getting up .

‘Yeah, alright. Do you need me to get you anything?’ Ed was mid-cigarette and didn’t look like he wanted to move from the sofa he was lounging on.

‘No!’

You said that a bit too quickly. ‘I don’t want you to miss out on the fun. See you tomorrow,’ she added, giving him a peck on the cheek before walking out into the corridor and heading upstairs to the hotel’s foyer.

Jack’s Bar was tucked away in the side street opposite the hotel, exactly where Nick had said it would be. The only clue to its existence was a small sign over a solid black door. She’d never have dared to go in there usually. In fact, she probably wouldn't have noticed it at all.

She tentatively walked inside. There was a bare brick wall in front of her with a staircase to her right leading down into a basement. The entrance might not be welcoming, but the sounds floating up the stairs were. Talking and laughter mixed in with traditional jazz.

She headed down the stairs. It was like stepping onto a film set of a 1920s New York speakeasy, except the extras were dressed in contemporary clothing. Her eyes naturally followed the long length of the shiny pewter counter to a pool of light cast by one of the Art Deco glass lamps above the bar. In the pool of light sat Nick. It was as if the universe had highlighted his presence specially for Lisa.

He was lost in his thoughts, staring into an almost empty pint glass, turning it around slowly on the counter. She found him even more attractive now he’d replaced his waiter’s white shirt and tie with a battered black leather jacket and a dark t-shirt.

He must have sensed her looking at him as he raised his gaze towards her and beamed. That smile again. It sent a rush of warmth to all the right places. It was a while since Pete had had the same effect on her .

Lisa made her way through the crowd towards him.

He looked pleased to see her. ‘I was beginning to think you weren't coming.’

‘I lost track of time - I'm sorry. Thank you for waiting.’

‘What’ll you have to drink?’

‘G&T, lemon, no ice. What are you having? I’ll get these.‘

‘No, you won’t. You can get the next round,’ he said.

Old school gentleman, then. Hardly surprising considering how attentive he’d been earlier. But that wasn’t the point of them meeting here.

‘I’m supposed to be buying you a drink to say thank you,’ she said.

‘It’s ok. I wasn’t expecting one.’ Nick turned to the barman and placed their order. ‘Shall we sit over there?’ he asked, nodding towards an empty booth in the corner. ‘We’ll be less visible.’

‘Ashamed to be seen with me?’ Lisa joked.

‘No,’ Nick laughed. ‘I thought you’d appreciate some privacy, that’s all.’

He picked up their drinks and led the way across the room. He had a presence about him - the crowd seemed to part in front of him magically. When they reached the booth, he set their glasses down on the table and slid onto one of the battered leather seats.

‘How did you know I was in the lift earlier?’ Lisa asked as she sat on the seat opposite him.

‘I was walking past when that bloke went inside. I didn’t like the look of him so I pressed the button.’

‘You’re a good judge of character,’ Lisa said. ‘Dougie’s our manager. He’s not to be trusted with anything.’

‘So why do you let him manage you?’

‘Because he was the only one who had any faith in us when we were nothing. And we were naive at the start. We’d have signed anything to get a record deal. ’

‘Has he tried it on with you before?’

’No, but I had a feeling he might. I’ve managed to avoid being alone with him until tonight.’

‘So what are you going to do about it?’

‘I haven’t decided yet. I’ve got quite a few things to work out how to deal with after this evening’s events.’

Stupid thing to say, Lisa. He’s going to ask what else is bothering you now! Change the subject. ’You know a lot about me already. Tell me about you.’

‘There’s not much to know. I’m studying drama and earning a few quid helping out in hotels to supplement my student loan.’

That explained his presence. She could easily imagine him commanding an audience’s attention on stage. ‘Where’s home?’ she asked.

‘Here now. I can’t go back to my mum’s. There’s no room. I have five younger siblings. Sometimes, I wonder if anyone’s noticed I’ve gone.’ He chuckled.

Lisa was sure she’d notice if he’d left her. Don’t start thinking like that! This is a ‘thank you’ drink and nothing more, remember. ‘I can’t imagine being part of a big family. I have one older brother, that’s all.’

‘I bet it makes life a lot less chaotic.’

Lisa tried to visualise her mother coping with six kids in the neat bay-windowed 1930s semi-detached house that she grew up in, with its immaculate garden and pristine furnishings. ‘Yeah. It was all very staid and boring, which is probably why I’m here now. The predictability of suburban life is not for me.’

‘Something else we have in common.’

Curious. ‘What else have we got in common then?’

‘I’m from Birmingham too. Selly Oak.’

‘You don’t sound very Brummy. ’

‘Years of acting and elocution lessons removed all trace of my accent,’ he said in a strong, Brummy voice. So he had a good sense of humour as well. He was becoming more appealing by the minute.

They chatted easily for a while until she sensed that people were looking at them, some more obviously than others, no doubt due to tonight’s award ceremony.

A man approached Lisa politely, asking for her autograph. Nick was about to say something to him, but she raised her hand to stop him. ‘Who’s it for?’ she asked.

‘My brother, Gary,’ he said.

‘One R or two?’

‘Just the one.’

She obligingly signed her name on the serviette he’d handed her.

Nick looked disappointed as the fan walked away. ‘You could have said no. You’re entitled to some privacy.’

‘I wouldn’t be here without people like his brother buying our records. Signing an autograph is the least I can do.’

He grinned at her again. ‘I guess I’m going to have to get used to that.’

An interesting thing to say. ‘Planning to be famous too?’ she asked.

‘One day. I fancy seeing my name on a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but that's not what I meant.’

She liked his confidence. Somehow, it came across as reassuring rather than arrogant. ‘Are we going to be doing this again then?’

‘I hope so.’ Nick looked round at the rest of the customers. ‘How do you fancy going to see a film? People won’t recognise you in the dark.’

‘When? Tomorrow? ’

‘No, I meant now. There’s a late-night cinema about ten minutes walk away. They’re showing Bladerunner tonight. I was planning to go before I met you.’

‘I thought you said you’d seen Bladerunner .’

‘I have, but I ‘d like to watch it again.’

Lisa wasn’t ready to face Pete, and a couple of hours admiring Harrison Ford on the big screen might take her mind off everything else. She knocked back the rest of her drink. ‘OK then. You’re on.’

They squeezed their way through the other customers and went outside. Nick took her hand to lead her across the road and up the street. He kept holding it as they walked together. She liked the feeling. And he didn’t seem intimidated by her fame, unlike most of the new people she’d met in the last month or two. They’d fawned over her to embarrassing levels. Nick, however, was treating her like a normal human being.

They carried on in silence for a couple of blocks until her inner voice decided to spoil her enjoyment by coming up with a potential problem. The cinema might be a ruse. He could be planning to drag you off into some dark alley.

Great. Now, she was seriously considering whether that was his plan. She stopped walking.

‘Are you ok?’ Nick asked.

‘I was just thinking you could be a psychopath.’

He nodded. ‘I could be, but I promise I’m not. Does this help?’

He pulled a folded-up cinema leaflet out of one of his jacket pockets. ’See. Thursday 14 th at 11.15 pm.’

Harrison Ford stared back at her.

Nick smiled reassuringly. ‘The route’s via busy roads. No back streets, I promise. I don’t want to get mugged either.’

A few minutes later, they were standing in the queue in the foyer of the cinema, looking at its ornate ceiling and grand staircase leading up to the auditorium. It was tatty around the edges now but still popular, judging by the steady stream of people walking through the entrance.

Nick bought tickets in the middle of the second row from the back. ‘Best view and best sound,’ he explained.

‘It’s busier than I expected,’ Lisa whispered to him as they found their seats.

‘This is quiet. The Friday and Saturday night late night showings are always packed out.’

They’d arrived just in time. The trailers finished, and the lights dimmed. The film rating card appeared on the screen, and the curtains drew back further.

Lisa shivered.

‘Cold?’ Nick whispered, slipping his arm around her shoulders.

It felt good. She snuggled in closer. ‘Not any more,’ she whispered in his ear.

He held her tighter. How could she feel so safe and relaxed with someone who’d been a complete stranger a few hours ago? It was like she’d known him forever. She pulled away slightly so she could see his expression. He was looking at her intently. He appeared to be deciding whether to kiss her or not. Lisa made the decision for him.

‘Did you enjoy it?’ Nick asked as they walked out of the cinema nearly two hours later.

She was tempted to ask whether he meant the film or the kiss, which had reached parts of her that no other kiss had reached before, but she guessed he was referring to the film. ‘Yeah - I think so.’

That sounded pathetic, but she didn’t feel able to comment on the plot. Her mind had kept wandering to what it would be like to do a lot more with Nick than just kiss him, interspersed with her inner voice lecturing her on how stupid it was to jump out of one relationship and straight into another with a stranger.

But she’d have plenty of time to think that through properly later. Right now she was getting concerned that her stomach was starting to churn. Was it nerves about what might happen next or could it be indigestion? It didn’t feel like butterflies - more like a herd of elephants stampeding across her guts. It must be indigestion.

‘I better go. I’ve got to be up early tomorrow.’ She looked at her watch. ‘Today, I should say.’

‘Ok.’ He looked disappointed. ‘I’ll walk you back to your hotel.’

‘Mmm,’ she said. She was feeling more queasy. Right now a walk was not that appealing.

Nick looked concerned. ‘You’ve gone grey. I’ll flag down a taxi.’

‘Yes, that would be good.’ She shivered, hoping that the sick feeling would go away.

‘Cold again?’ Nick asked, slipping his arm around her shoulders.

It felt reassuring. She snuggled in closer. She ought to be enjoying this but she was too busy focussing on not throwing up. If she could just take a few more deep breaths, she was sure the feeling would pass.

She pulled away slightly so she could see Nick’s expression. He appeared to be deciding whether to kiss her or not. Her stomach growled.

‘I’m really sorry, but I’m not feeling …’ She couldn’t finish her sentence as a wave of nausea came over her. She started to break out in a cold sweat.

He put his hand out for a taxi that was slowing down for the traffic lights. ‘We’re in luck,’ he said as it pulled over to the kerb .

She felt far too queasy to acknowledge him. There was no way of fighting the cramping sensation in her stomach. She spun away from him and threw up in the gutter, accidentally catching the cab’s rear wheel.

‘Sorry mate,’ the cab driver said. ‘She’s not getting in here.’ He sped off before Nick could even touch the door handle.

Lisa was mortified. So much for a romantic end to the evening. He wasn’t going to fancy kissing her again now. ‘I think it must’ve been that hot dog. Bit too spicy on top of the booze. Oh no!’

She leaned over and threw up again in the gutter.

‘Any more?’ he said, holding her hair back and stroking her back. He still sounded concerned but then anyone would be when they’d narrowly missed having their shoes pebble-dashed with a half-digested hot dog.

She started to feel more with it. ‘I think that’s it now. Better out than in,’ she joked as she stood back up and took a few steps backwards so she could lean on the cinema wall. It felt reassuring to have something solid behind her, though if the ground had opened up and swallowed her, never to be seen again, it would have been preferable.

Nick leaned against the wall next to her. ‘I can flag down another cab, but I think the next driver’s going to be just as reluctant to take you.’

‘How will he know?’ Lisa asked, shutting her eyes while she took another deep breath to steady her nerves.

‘The clue’s on your right leg.’

She looked down and noticed a streak of vomit soaking into the denim on her thigh. ‘Eugh. That’s disgusting. I’m really sorry.’

‘It’s not your fault. You’re still looking a bit peaky. I don’t think we should risk walking back to your hotel. You can come back to mine if you want. It’s only five minutes’ walk away. I promise I won’t try anything on. ’

Back in the cinema, she’d been hoping he would try something on. Now, she was just plain embarrassed, but there didn’t seem to be a viable alternative.

‘You’re right. We’ll go to yours. I’m so sorry.’

‘It’s ok.’ He put his arm around her again. ‘We’ll take it steady.’