Chapter 5
five
. . .
Luke
A few days had passed since the gig and what happened at Kate’s.
Benny and Joel quizzed me when I got in that night, wanting to know how things had gone but I didn’t answer them.
I’d stormed off into the room I’d been designated and kept to myself for the remainder of the night.
I wasn’t truly angry at anything, just frustrated.
Kate obviously didn’t trust me enough to let me in, but as I thought more about it, it was clear that she wouldn’t.
As she had pointed out, we barely knew each other anymore.
Admittedly, not much had changed and yet, everything had.
The next morning I’d filled my band mates in on the events of the night before. They’d wolf whistled when I explained about the hot and heavy kissing but went silent when I mentioned the scar.
“What procedure did she have that would leave a big scar?” Benny had questioned.
I shrugged my shoulders helplessly. How could I tell him when I had no answers?
We talked more about what we could do to get to the truth and everything Kate had said to me.
I felt silly discussing it all with them, but I needed their help.
Three heads were better than one…and that’s when we came up with The Plan.
Monday morning rolled around, the sun shining brightly in the sky above us as we made our way to Sweet Dreams. I relished the cool breeze dancing across my skin.
It ruffled my hair as we strolled along, a small bounce in my step as I anticipated putting The Plan into action.
It was simplistic in its’ entirety, yet perfectly sneaky.
Kate would come back to us, and she wouldn’t be able to refuse.
I came to a halt outside the venue from Saturday night and took a deep breath.
I glanced from side to side at my friends as they waited for me to make the first move, then pushed the door open and stepped inside.
It was the same greeter from the first time standing at the welcome point.
As soon as she saw us, she gave us a big smile.
“Hi!” she greeted. “You guys were amazing on Saturday!”
“Thanks,” I mumbled, searching past her for the brunette who’d occupied my thoughts since arriving in our hometown.
“Are you here for Ted or Kate?” the girl asked, waiting expectantly for my response.
“Can we speak to both of them please?” I asked.
Her eyes widened in alarm but wisely didn’t speak.
She turned on her heels, beckoning for us to follow her.
Showing us to a table near the window, she went to fetch Ted and Kate for us, retreating quickly out to the back area where the offices were hidden. Joel chuckled.
“Did you see her face? I think you freaked her out, man.”
“Oh. I didn’t mean to,” I replied, unsure if this would really work.
Giving myself a mental headshake, I told myself it would all be fine.
It had to work. We’d gone over it several times and it was easier to say now that we’d practiced it.
I groaned, fiddling with a ring on my right thumb.
What if I forgot what to say? Benny leaned closer, placing his hand on my shoulder and giving a gentle squeeze.
“Calm down, Luke. It’ll all be fine,” he murmured, just as Kate and her boss came into view.
We stood up in unison, greeting them with smiles as they came over.
Ted shook hands with each of us before sitting down.
Kate stood awkwardly to the side of us until I gestured to the spare chair next to me.
She sat down silently, her face unreadable.
Without thinking, I reached out and took her left hand in my right one, keeping them under the table so the others wouldn’t suspect.
She was startled, but kept quiet, waiting to see what was going to take place.
I began to rub my thumb over the back of her hand, causing some of the tension in her shoulders to disappear.
I relished the fact I could do that and smiled, turning my attention back to Ted who was waffling on about the other night to Benny.
Joel was giving his best deadpan expression, attempting to put Ted off except it didn’t deter the owner of Sweet Dreams. I swallowed my laughter down at Joel’s annoyance at Ted’s indifference to him.
Eventually, Ted stopped talking and faced me.
“Right. What can we do for you fellas? ”
“We’d like to hire Kate for a couple of days a week and that can’t happen without your approval, so here we are, asking you both for permission,” I told him, giving Kate’s hand a squeeze underneath the table.
Kate stared at me as though I’d grown two heads but I paid no attention to her, keeping my gaze focused on the man in front of me.
He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, his eyebrows raised until they nearly touched his hairline.
After a moment, he leaned forwards and laced his fingers together as he rested his elbows against the table. His back was ramrod straight, his shoulders bunched together in preparation for a fight.
“What, exactly, do you want to hire Kate for?” he questioned with a quiet tone that dared you to say the wrong thing. I admired that he was being protective of her. That was how a good boss should be.
“Nothing untoward, I promise,” I replied easily. “Kate used to be in our band and we need a female singer for a song we’re working on. We’d like her to help us with it.”
Ted’s demeanour changed in an instant, the smile firmly back in place as his face brightened.
“Oh! Well then, yes of course! I can’t see a problem with that,” he agreed amiably.
“I beg your pardon?” Kate spluttered, speaking for the first time since she sat down. “What do you mean, ‘yes of course?’ What if I don’t want to?”
She turned her incredulous gaze on me, her eyes blazing at the audacity of the men surrounding her. I stifled a laugh.
“Well we need you and you’ve said yourself, you never want to get in the way of our career so we would like your help and will pay you for your time. Now that your boss has agreed, there’s no real reason to say no. Or is there?”
I waited for her to refuse our request, to storm out and never look back. Anticipation filled the air as we wondered what she might do. After several tense beats as the clock ticked on, she blew out an exasperated breath, slumping back in her chair with an irritated expression on her face.
“Doesn’t look like I’ve got much choice does it?” she responded grumpily. I shook my head, chuckling as Benny and Joel let out whoops of excitement.
“Yes! Kate’s coming back!” they sang in unison.
“Only for one song, to help you out and that’s it,” she reminded us firmly, not that anybody took any notice of that. The Plan was working.
We exchanged phone numbers so I could contact her about the sessions.
The first one was scheduled for the next day so I dropped her a message with the details of an address and time as I strolled along the path as we headed back home.
I received a thumbs up emoji within seconds and smiled at her attempt at defiance.
I could tell she was annoyed at having this sprung on her with no way of saying no, but that had been the whole point.
I was asking for her help, offering to pay for her time and Ted was more than happy to let us have her as it meant he could use it as an added selling point when we next played there.
Plus, I’d offered to do the next gig at half price again, much to the chagrin of my band mates.
“Remind me again why we’re losing out on money just so you can get your girlfriend back?” Joel groused, kicking at a pile of small stones on the path in front of him.
“Look, I’ll split my share between you and Benny and do the next gig for free. Alright? That way, you’re not losing out,” I suggested, pausing when Joel came to an abrupt halt, eyeing me incredulously.
“Seriously, that’s how much you want her back?” he questioned.
“You know it is, and I never had her in the first place,” I reminded him gently, making my feet move forwards once more.
“Yeah, only because you were too chicken shit to do anything about it. We’ve got The Plan now! You’ve got us on board. We’re happy to help you but can you please stop making decisions about the money without us? We’re a team, with equal decision rights,” he grumbled.
“You’re right. I’m sorry, Joel. Benny? I apologise to you as well.
I made decisions without consulting you both and that’s not right.
I promise not to do it anymore. Ok?” I asked, peering at them both.
I should’ve thought how my actions would affect them.
I didn’t want to let my friends down when they’d stuck by me through thick and thin. Benny patted my arm, hard, with a grin.
“It’s alright you soppy git. Just don’t do it again. Now come on, let’s go grab some grub! I’m starving,” he announced, striding off ahead of us. I turned to Joel, waiting to see what he said.
“It’s fine. You know I love you but I’ll punch you in the face if you do it again. Understood?” he questioned, a smug grin on his face. I grinned back.
“Understood.”