All too soon, it is time for the Dollz and me to take to the stage. Cherry is complaining that her weight gain is making the costumes uncomfortable, whereas, personally, I think it’s the extreme smallness and ridiculous thong backs that make the costumes uncomfortable. I’m just glad not to be in a wig or Barbie dress.
I glance down at my fabulous and sexy black second skin of a dress with sparkly tassels. It has my trademark cut-out bits to reveal my flat stomach. It lifts my boobs up like two small party balloons poking out and the Dollz have insisted we wear a selection of hot pants, glittery over-the-knee socks or boots, rhinestone bodysuits or catsuits with a leg missing, as though we’d marched into Tay Tay’s wardrobe and helped ourselves. We resemble a fashion tribute to each of her tours. But she has worked miracles in bringing calm and a sense of forgiveness to the group, so it’s totally worth it.
‘We look unbelievably fabulous,’ says Tash, admiring herself in the mirror. ‘I’m not sure we’ve ever looked this amazing.’ We all agree.
‘Las Vegas certainly agrees with us,’ says Big Mand, spectacular tonight in her fishnet body-stocking, glitter hot pants and crop top that accentuates her generous curves. Big Sue has braved the catsuit with leg cut out because she has legs three metres long and is stunning. They keep acting shyly around one another and giggling.
‘So, we’ll stick to the rehearsal plan,’ I say, gathering everyone around me. ‘All six of us start with the intro, then you do the next four numbers, then I’ll do the next three, we do two more together and then I’ll finish with a banger, and you join in for an encore. Okay?’
‘I’ve never felt this nervous in my life,’ says Liberty. ‘It’s this place. It’s electric. Everything about it is bigger, better and brighter than anything I’ve ever seen.’
‘And it’s not because Hank Junior is in the audience?’ supplies Cherry. ‘Why don’t you take the front position like you did at Benidorm Palace when you were showing off for Luke? Hank’ll get a real eyeful.’ Cherry winks at her and peeks behind the curtain. ‘Did you tell him to chew on a toothpick?’
‘I’m nothing if not thorough,’ brags Liberty, adding that Hank Junior is also very commando beneath the cowboy jeans and chaps.
‘He’s sitting right at the front with Matteo and the boys.’
At the mention of Matteo, my pulse begins to race as adrenaline floods my system. ‘Let’s go out there and give Las Vegas the best performance ever!’ I squeal as we hear the opening bars blare out of the speakers and the American host welcoming us on stage.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Cocktail Hour. Tonight’s entertainment is brought to you all the way from England, the United Kingdom of Britain.’
We troop onto the stage to loud applause, a buzzing energy filling the air, lights blinding us to the audience as we take our positions and belt out a singalong banger to get the crowd going even more.
Cherry has incorporated some special high-octane dance moves worthy of a Las Vegas show that seem to work wonders. The audience are whooping, cheering and joining in with us. By the time my solo section comes around, I am on fire. The lights are lowered, ready for a few power ballads to give the crowd a break. Matteo comes fully into view. The first thing I notice is that he can’t take his eyes away from mine. And as though I have him under my spell, I sing so hypnotically that I can almost feel the magnetic force between us, the invisible threads that tie my feelings to his. Because of all the classical singing, I am pitch-perfect and out to impress the hell out of him and the whole of Las Vegas. I’m singing the words from the depths of my soul, and I mean every single one of them. I have to force myself to face the audience, dragging my gaze from his. And when the Dollz come back on stage I know I’ve outdone myself because Liberty is eye-rolling me.
‘Alright, pet. We know you can sing. You don’t have to go so overboard,’ she jokes.
By the time our set is finished, the audience is begging for more. Instead of exiting the stage with us, Liberty runs to the front and leaps off the stage into Hank’s waiting arms. She straddles him as the crowd go wild. He’s dutifully wearing the Stetson hat and a ridiculously bushy fake moustache but removes the toothpick. It’s all very, very cute. Last to leave the stage, I am doing one final wave to the crowd when a movement catches my eye. Luke is sitting near the back with a sad expression on his face.
OMG. What am I going to do about him? I just wish he’d go back home and forget about me. I make my mind upnotto meet him at midnight, to make sure he understands thatnothingwill ever develop between us.
I look back at Matteo. I’m so head over heels in love with him. He smiles back at me before twisting in his seat to see who I was gawping at. He immediately frowns.
Uh oh.
Luke scrapes back his chair and holds out a hand to Birdie, who gets up with him. Birdie gives Matteo a withering look. Matteo’s face is a mask, and she is clearly not pleased with the lack of reaction.
Luke smiles forlornly and walks towards me. Then he sees Matteo’s face and seems to think better of it. He turns back towards Birdie, and I see her nodding at him. Birdie is in a figure-hugging, backless, peacock-blue silk dress. Luke is dressed for a night at the Proms. They make a striking couple. They are both confirmed sapiosexuals, and they both have music, a love of the limelight and being borderline obsessives in common. But the determination on Luke’s face convinces me that he will not easily be rejected. And the sheer persistence of Birdie to always get her own way makes me sure she will stop at nothing until Matteo is hers. A sinking feeling swirls in my stomach as we make our way off stage.
* * *
‘That was amazing,’ says Liam when we make our way back to their table. ‘You were all incredible.’
‘What a way to make an impression on your opening night,’ gushes Ged.
At least our agent Nancy will be pleased. We have another show here at The Cocktail Hour bar and one dodgy birthday favour for Eddie from Talent Star, and the rest of the time is all pre-moon shenanigans and romance, if Matteo would stop glaring at Luke.
‘Who’s for a spot of gambling?’ asks Cherry, her face lit up. ‘Connie, you’ll come, won’t you? I need someone to carry all my chips. I’m going on a gambling rampage. I feel so lucky tonight.’
She means she needs me to stop her remortgaging her home should she accidentally board the gambling bullet train.
‘Count us in,’ says Sister Kevin as he drapes an arm around Tash, pulling her close.
‘Yep,’ says Big Mand. ‘Sue and I thought we’d try The Poker Room if anyone is interested?’
‘We’d love to,’ says Ged. ‘If that’s okay?’
He’s taking a big gamble. The four of them haven’t hung out since the Algar Falls outing incident.
