Chapter 10 #2
‘Oh, he disappeared down to London as soon as my Mum told him she was expecting and never came back.’ I glanced out of the windscreen at the glowing pub.
‘He was a struggling actor, and my mum wanted to become a singer.’ I let out an ironic laugh.
‘They were both so frustrated with their lot and never achieved what they wanted to in life.’ I delivered a small smile.
‘I think that’s why I’m so hell-bent on being successful.
I want to make something of my life and not live like my mum does.
She wallows in regret all the time, and it’s eaten her up. ’
‘Do you see your parents?’
I shook my head. ‘My mum very occasionally, if she’s got nothing better to do, but my dad never kept in touch. He got married and has four kids of his own now. Lives in the south of England somewhere. Ironic really. Dad of the year when it suited him.’
‘Well, they’re missing out on so much, not having you in their life.’
I drank him in. I couldn’t believe I’d just sat in a strange pub car park and revealed so much of myself to a guy I’d only known for three days.
If someone had said to me I’d do just that, I would’ve thought they were nuts.
No way would Daisy Madden, struggling actor, very independent, have even considered that.
I could feel a shaky smile tugging at my face. ‘That’s a lovely thing to say.’
‘It’s true.’
I noticed the way Evan’s mouth arranged itself when he was thinking; how it tilted up at one corner, almost like he was bemused. What would his lips taste like? How would his mouth feel on mine?
I fidgeted in my car seat. ‘So, enough about me. How about you, Evan Lord?’
‘What about me?’
‘What’s your story? You seem to get on so well with your parents. Still, I’m not surprised; they’re amazing.’
Evan toyed with his dad’s car keys. ‘Yes, they’re great. Very kind and supportive.’
‘And Dane?’
A strange flash of something passed across Evan’s expression. ‘He’s self-obsessed.’ His lips curled. ‘Life’s a game to him a lot of the time.’
I waited for Evan to elaborate but he didn’t. He cranked open his driver side door and clambered out. ‘Time to go and have our eardrums assaulted for the next ninety minutes.’
We entered the pub doors to be greeted by a sea of bodies, with varying degrees of length of hair and ages. Rock T-shirts were being sported by the vast majority of the crowd.
The interior of The Whiskey Jar consisted of sea green and grey walls, with a semi-circular bar with mirrored panels behind it.
Booths ran all the way towards the back, and tables and chairs were clustered close together.
There was a makeshift stage several feet in front of us, on which Dane was testing the microphone and the other band members were getting themselves arranged with their instruments. The clinking of glasses could just be heard over the sound of chatter and laughter.
Dane’s fellow band members of Disciple all had the same look, with their snake hips and longer hair.
Dane adjusted the microphone stand, spotted me, grinned and winked. I found myself blushing, grinning and waving back.
Evan’s expression darkened, but he didn’t say anything.
Then Dane noticed his brother beside me, and his brows shot up in surprise.
‘I’ll get the drinks,’ said Evan, setting off towards the bar.
‘No you won’t,’ I protested. ‘You and your parents are putting me up in that gorgeous house. The drinks are on me.’
Evan gave me a long look. ‘You’re very determined.’
‘Pig-headed, some say.’
‘I thought that as well, but I didn’t want to be rude.’
‘Hasn’t stopped you before.’
‘I’ll go and get them then,’ said Evan.
I thrust a twenty-pound note into Evan’s reluctant palm and requested a white wine. He ventured into the pub crowd and made his way towards the bar.
‘Hey, Daisy. Wow. You look stunning.’
Dane had bounded off the stage, his loose, blond hair flying behind him. I felt myself glow under his compliment. He was like a firework that you couldn’t help but admire. He jerked his head in his brother’s general direction. ‘Am I hallucinating, or did I just see Evan with you?’
‘No, you’re not hallucinating. Evan wanted to come along.’
‘Evan?’ he repeated. ‘Wanted to come to one of our gigs?’ Dane folded his arms. He was wearing several leather bracelets. ‘He doesn’t usually come along. He never has before.’ His lips twitched at a smile through his fair stubble. ‘Snow Patrol and Bastille are about his limit.’
‘Dane. You ready?’
One of the other band members, a tattooed guy in a red Alice Cooper T-shirt signalled from behind where we were standing.
‘Yep. Just coming, Jay.’ Dane bathed me in another of his flashing smiles. ‘If you’re lucky, I might dedicate one of our songs to you.’
I grinned back at him. ‘I bet you say that to all the girls.’
‘No, I don’t. Well, only the most stunning ones.’
Then he was off, striding back towards the stage as though he owned the whole pub and everyone in it.
‘What did Barbie want?’ Evan handed me my glass of white wine.
I arched one brow at him. ‘That’s your kid brother you’re talking about.’
‘I know. Don’t remind me.’
I took a savouring mouthful of the crisp, white wine.
What was going on between Evan and Dane?
They were forever sniping, trying to get one up on each other, scrambling to come up with snarky comments to fire in each other’s direction.
Any more thought about their fraught relationship was brought to an abrupt end by Dane’s gravelly voice booming into the mic.
‘Good evening, folks. We are Disciple.’ He craned his neck across the top of the heads of the applauding and cheering crowd.
‘And this first song is for the beautiful girl over there in the pink top. This is just for you, Daisy.’
It took me a moment to realise that Dane was referring to me. The blood rushed to my face as a number of curious heads turned to look in my direction. A couple of girls in leather jackets scowled over at me.
Evan muttered something under his breath which sounded like ‘Prick.’
Dane had a powerful singing voice as he belted out lyrics about love and losing your mind over it.
The other guys in the band played their guitars and drums respectively with so much passion and concentration.
I found myself captivated by Dane’s performance.
He was a true showman, prowling about the stage and engaging with the crowd.
At the end of the song, Dane soaked up the whoops and thunderous applause.
It was as Dane was about to launch into his next track, which he said was called ‘Losing your Levity’, that my mobile rang in my bag. It was Octavia. My heart gave a little skip of optimism. Did she have good news on the acting job front?
I set my half-empty wine glass down on the corner of the table nearest us and caught Evan’s attention.
He was supping his pint and looked the epitome of boredom.
If he didn’t enjoy Dane’s music, why had he come along tonight?
Was it because I said I was going? Or was I flattering myself?
I blinked away my wandering thoughts. ‘Evan, I’ve just got to take this.
It’s my agent on the phone. Won’t be long. ’
‘Ok. I’m not going anywhere. Unfortunately.’
I couldn’t help but smile at Evan’s tortured expression.
I weaved my way through the pub crowd, then stepped out of the languid atmosphere and into the fresh, zinging spring evening. Darkness was pushing out the tangerine sky over the shop rooftops.
‘Oh! I can hear loud music. Having a great time, sweetheart?’ asked Octavia.
‘Yes, not bad, apart from not being able to make it the rest of the way home, due to those two bombs they discovered.’
‘I saw that on the news,’ she breathed into my ear with drama. ‘Crikey. It’s all going on there, isn’t it?’
I thought about Evan and The Ramblings.
‘Anyway,’ she carried on, with an air of importance. ‘I just wanted to let you know that there’s a couple of auditions in a few weeks’ time that I’d like to put you forward for.’
I clutched my phone harder to my ear. ‘Really? Oh, that’s great, Octavia. Thank you!’
Excitement dared to flare in my chest. ‘So, what are they for? Who are they with?’ I started to pace up and down the pub entrance, with bouts of clapping, stomping and music filtering out.
A kernel of optimism bloomed in my chest. ‘Do you think the fallout from that review is starting to wane then?’
Octavia started to speak, but I was so delighted to hear that there might be some new roles on the horizon that I didn’t give her an opportunity to explain. ‘Is this for a new project? A TV series? Do I know anyone involved?’
‘Daisy, for heaven’s sake!’ Octavia’s bark made me stand to attention. ‘If you’ll just let me get a word in, I’ll explain!’
‘Sorry. I’m just relieved, that’s all.’
‘I got that impression.’ Octavia cleared her throat. ‘Now, please don’t get carried away. We’re not talking about the London Palladium. One is for a new, bespoke furniture company in South Kensington for their TV advert, and the other is the part of a nurse in a new BBC daytime soap opera.’
I digested this information. ‘A nurse? How big is the part?’
‘Oh, it’s not a regular gig. It’s a brief walk-on. You get four lines.’
My stomach felt like the bottom had fallen out of it. I didn’t want to sound ungrateful. I really didn’t. But a furniture ad and four measly lines? ‘And that’s it?’ I managed.
‘I’m afraid so. At least for the time being.’
I let out a long, low breath of resignation.
‘But you never know. They could lead to something else,’ said Octavia, trying to jolly me along.
I wasn’t sure what a furniture ad and four lines about someone’s medical condition could do to boost my dying acting career.
I shook my head, even though Octavia couldn’t see me.
Disappointment hollowed me out. ‘Thanks, Octavia. I really appreciate it, but there’s no point. ’ I swallowed. ‘I’m taking a break.’
More drums and wailing guitars seeped through the closed pub doors.
Octavia’s voice became crisp. ‘Suit yourself, Daisy, but lots of other people will be chasing those roles. Beggars can’t be choosers, and all that.’
There was a brittle silence before she spoke again. ‘I’ll let you get back to your partying.’
I slung my mobile back in my bag.
I banged through the pub doors, leaving behind the sweet May night and stepping back into flying, long hair, leather and denim jackets and clanking beer glasses.
Evan had his back to me.
I started to approach and was about to tap him on the shoulder. I was thinking about telling him about the call with Octavia just now so I could get it off my chest. I’d confided in him about my parents just now, so why not this? He was a good listener.
But as I drummed up my nerve to talk to him, I noticed he was engaged in an animated conversation with someone.
It was only as I drew closer, that I recognised who he was talking to. It was Sacha.
I screeched to an embarrassed halt. They were both laughing.
My breath trapped itself in my throat as she stretched out one hand and rested it on Evan’s arm.
She was gazing up at him, her lips slightly parted, and every so often, she threw her head back in an exaggerated laugh.
She was dolled up in black, strappy kitten heels and a glittery dark jacket, and she was wearing charcoal leather trousers that looked like they’d been sprayed on.
My stomach twisted.
She must’ve noticed the staring woman with the long, mink-coloured hair, because she dragged her attention away from Evan and gave me a look.
But I remained rooted to the spot in morbid fascination as she leant up and pushed that stubborn lock of dark hair back from Evan’s forehead.
And I’d been blaming Dane for being a compulsive flirt.
At least he was open about what he was. You knew what you were getting into.
But Evan, with his straight moral compass demeanour …
had he been playing me for an idiot these last few days?
Letting me think he was genuine, when in fact he was a deceiver like Leon?
There was more laughter burbling between Sacha and Evan. I felt such an idiot. But it was my own fault. The pain I was feeling was self-inflicted. I’d suspected there was something still lurking between them, and it looked like I’d been proven right.
Dane finished singing the band’s latest song on their setlist about a lost love, and the riotous applause took off again.
I managed to clap and pin a smile on my face as Dane caught my eye from the stage. ‘Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do.’ He crooned into the mike. His light eyes were glittering. I suspected he’d downed a few pints.
On hearing Dane mention my name, Evan spun round.
His expression was unreadable.
Sacha followed his gaze, and her mouth flatlined when she saw Evan looking back at me.
I stared ahead towards the stage and waved at Dane. I knew I was being petty, but I gave him what I hoped was my most dazzling smile. What was the matter with me? What did I think I was doing? Was I trying to make Evan jealous?
Evan’s jaw clenched.
I folded my arms and wrapped them around myself for comfort as Evan was then barrelled by Sacha right past me and out of the pub.