Chapter 3
The night of their charity event at Radio City Music Hall arrived and Angelia was excited to be back in New York, her second home since joining the band, to play their acoustic set.
The Lorelie Dean Foundation had been set up prior to Lorelie’s death in order to further research into the rare type of heart condition that had taken the singer’s life too soon.
The band’s record company Blue Demon Records had arranged the gig with guest performers, and upcoming stars, The Errant Brothers, a trio of actual brothers from New York who played funky rock music.
Heath had discovered them on a rare night out in the city a year before and had recommended their management team sign them.
He clearly had a good eye for talent. The brothers were extremely talented guys and had snapped up the chance to support Angel and the Fallen so the high-end black-tie event was publicised and had completely sold out within an hour of tickets going on sale.
Now the night had arrived, Angelia stood in front of the full-length mirror in her dressing room and smoothed down the black velvet of her fitted gown.
It was strange to be wearing such formal clothing when the band was so used to jeans and leather, but she liked the change.
She wasn’t so sure the guys would feel the same, however.
‘You look stunning, Angel,’ her Welsh personal assistant, Meghan, told her, adding, ‘But I hope you can breathe because wow, it sure is fitted.’
Angelia pursed her lips and crumpled her brow. ‘I can’t say it’s the most comfortable thing I’ve ever worn but it’s a really lovely dress. And anyway, deep breaths are overrated.’ She giggled but then turned to face her assistant. ‘Although, you don’t think it’s too tight, do you?’
‘Oh, heck no! That’s not what I’m saying at all.
You look incredible. If I looked like you, I’d be wearing that stuff all the time.
No, you look absolutely gorgeous.’ Meghan, originally from Cardiff, was a pretty woman in her late twenties, around five feet five inches tall and curvy, with shoulder-length brown hair and thick-rimmed glasses.
She had studied PR at university in London and remained there for work once her course had finished.
When she had first been employed by Den at the management company to assist Angelia, the guys had nicknamed her Velma after the Scooby Doo character which Angelia had chastised them for.
They soon grew to respect her, however, when it became evident that she was a black belt in Judo, a part-time certified Krav Maga instructor, and an all-round tough cookie.
In addition to this, she was incredibly efficient and very good at her job.
Where Meghan was concerned, looks were definitely, 100 per cent deceiving.
There was a knock on the door and Meghan answered it. ‘Oh, hi, Ms Locke, I had no idea you were here. Come on in,’ she said as she stood aside.
Angelia and the Yorkshire actress had been friends ever since Scotland Rocks and they would meet for dinner when in the same city, which sadly wasn’t as often these days since Ruby had drastically reduced her Hollywood commitments once she had become a mum.
Ruby stepped into the room and gasped. ‘Bloody hell, Angel, you look incredible!’
Angelia giggled, her outspoken friend certainly didn’t mince her words. ‘Thanks, Ruby. It’s so lovely to see you.’ She hugged her tightly. ‘It’s been far too long.’
‘It has. And I’m so sorry to hear about that rat dumping you by text message. I couldn’t believe it when you messaged me to tell me. What an arse. I hope you know you deserve so much better.’
Angelia scoffed. ‘So people keep telling me. But I’m yet to believe it.’
‘Hey, it’s true. The right man is out there.’
‘Hmm, well, I think I’ll be swearing off dating for a wee while. I’m sick of getting dumped.’
‘Not all men are as immature as Dane Bakker, you know,’ Ruby said.
‘In fact, you’ll have to let me know when you’re up for dating again because I know someone who I think would be perfect for you.
He’s an actor you’ll no doubt have heard of.
He’s gorgeous, sweet and I think he could be just what you need.
No rush though. But I know he loves the band and has a crush on the lead singer. ’ She gave a theatrical wink.
Angelia smiled. ‘Thanks, but I’m still smarting a little from what happened with Dane. It may be a while, I hope you don’t mind.’
Ruby waved a dismissive hand. ‘Don’t be daft. He doesn’t know I’m talking to you about him so it’s not a problem.’
Angelia wrapped her arms around her body and tried to eradicate thoughts of her footballer ex. ‘Thanks, Ruby. I was really excited when I found out you were in New York. So, what brings you over this time? Another premiere?’
‘Actually no. Mitch is with me this time, and for once it’s a romantic weekend away instead of a work thing. My mum and dad are looking after Rosie so we’re making the most of the “us” time.’
Angelia pictured the pretty little girl with her fiery red curls who she had seen and chatted to on video calls. ‘Oh, I bet they’re loving that, getting to dote on their granddaughter.’
Ruby rolled her eyes. ‘Hmm. Let’s just say she may only be a toddler, but she knows how to wrap them around her finger. Mitch keeps suggesting we call her. He misses her so much.’ She shook her head and smiled. ‘And of course she’s such a daddy’s girl.’
Angelia couldn’t help wishing she had a Mitch in her life. He and Ruby were simply meant for each other. ‘That’s so sweet. It’ll be lovely to see him. It’s been ages.’
‘He said the same. We’ll have to meet up for dinner before we leave. Anyway, I’m missing the support act, so I’d better go. See you after the show.’ They hugged again and Ruby left.
Tickets for the Radio City show had, in Angelia’s opinion, been sold for extortionate amounts of money.
But regardless of that fact, people were keen to be there, all dressed up in their finery, to see Angel and the Fallen and their supporting guests, The Errant Brothers, play their acoustic sets.
Special merchandise had been designed with all the profits going straight to the charity.
The band were in high spirits because, not only was it a very worthwhile cause, but it was to be the last gig of their latest tour around America which had been incredible, but incredibly draining too.
Angelia was mostly looking forward to a few weeks off to recharge her physical and mental batteries.
Radio City Music Hall was a wonderful Art Deco venue decorated in golden hues with marble and Bakelite accents; the acoustics were incredible thanks to the fact that the stage in the auditorium had a wonderful curved canopy designed to resemble a sunrise and even though the ceiling was a massive eighty-plus feet above the seating it felt quite intimate compared to some of the places they usually headlined.
In fact, the evening promised to be a little more relaxed and perhaps subdued than their usual energetic performances.
They were to be in a fixed place on a candlelit stage which would be a huge change from stomping around it.
Although she wasn’t sure she could stomp in her dress even if she had wanted to.
There was another knock on her dressing room door and when Meghan opened it this time it was Heath and Josh.
‘Well, look at you boys,’ Angelia said, grinning at the two suited men who looked about as comfortable as she felt.
‘I feel trussed up like a bloody Christmas turkey,’ Josh said, tugging at the collar of his shirt and grimacing. The tattoos that covered his entire upper body were only just visible, peeping out from where his hands emerged from his suit jacket sleeves.
‘Aye, we’re going to melt out there under the lights in this get-up,’ Heath said with a huff. ‘I don’t get it, they’ve paid to see Angel and the Fallen, not the New York Philharmonic, so I don’t get why we have to dress like this. Everyone knows what we usually wear for our shows.’
‘Oh, stop moaning and lighten up, you two,’ Meghan said. ‘It’s for charity, remember. And at least you can breathe. Take a moment to think about your lead singer.’ She gestured towards Angelia. ‘She’s been pretty much poured into that dress.’
Josh cringed as he looked her up and down. ‘Aye, it is tight, Angel.’
Heath whacked his arm and, without turning to face him, said to Angelia, ‘You look great though.’
Josh scowled and rubbed his arm. ‘I didn’t say she didn’t look great, did I?’
‘For goodness’ sake, it’s like being in the room with my little brothers,’ Meghan said with a deep sigh and a shake of her head as Angelia watched the whole thing unfolding with amusement. Meghan was like a mum chastising her children; a usual state of affairs.
Bear poked his head around the door, but his eyes were covered by his hand. ‘Are you decent?’
‘Have we ever been?’ Josh asked with a chuckle.
Bear removed his hand from his eyes and stepped into the room. ‘Oh, you guys are in here. I was just coming to ask Angel if she’d seen yous. Anyway, The Errant Brothers went down a storm. They’re done now, so we’re up.’
‘Right, folks, let’s get this road on the show,’ Heath said; he said it before every gig as if it was a lucky talisman of a phrase.
* * *
They walked out onto the stage to a loud applause, but it was much tamer than they were used to; no whistles or screams of ‘Dom! I want to have your babies!’
The band looked smart, if a little odd with their shaggy hair, stubbled chins and tattoos poking out from their sleeves and collars of their evening suits.
Anouk wore a flowing black gown akin to something Stevie Nicks would wear, and Angelia quietly wondered, with no little envy, why the stylist had not put her in something similar.