“Imagine if the press found out.”
“We already kissed, Keyla,” I confess, my eyes dropping to the floor.
Her face sags as her eyes rake over me, sympathy radiating.
“Well, if you can’t stop it,” she says, sighing, “you’re going to need a burner phone and nerves of steel.”
I laugh wearily and we hug.“I’ll call you in Mexico,” I say as we push our way into the crowd and head in opposite directions.But right as I leave Keyla’s side, ready to shut this night down, I hear the announcement of my nightmares.
“Next up we have Bug and Dials.Bug and Dials in the house?”
Did I hear that right?
Matt is craning his neck to look for me, and when our eyes meet, he waves cheerily.
I could run.Right now.I could go back and grab my handbag and run out of the club.
“Come on, Bug.You’re up,” Matt says, looking pleased with himself.
“Bug!Bug!Bug!”shout the team, fist-pumping the air.
“Bug?Yikes,” Michelle says, showing me all her teeth in a smile that is 80 percent grimace.
“Great,” I say, glaring at Archie and Matt.“How the hell do I get them to respect a boss called Bug?”
“I don’t know, but don’t leave your crowd waiting,” says Archie, motioning that we need to hurry, as Matt pushes me toward the stage, his hand on my lower back.
“Come on, boss, your team have been waiting.”
I know what the song is going to be before we even get to the stage, and I pick up the microphone and sigh loudly into it, causing it to squeal.Classic.Absolutely classic.I hold my hand up like a visor and peer around the room at all the faces staring in my direction.The memory comes flooding back, and when I look over at Matt, he appears utterly delighted with himself.
The familiar piano chords of “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” begin and I turn to Matt, who grabs my hand, and I snarl at him, yanking my hand back to hoots and cheers from the audience.
“Matt, you’re a pain in the arse, you know that?”I shout over the music.
“Memories, Bug,” he says, laughing.
I know he’s a little tipsy, but it floors me that he remembers this song.Our song.
It was a karaoke night at the Star and Crown a few weeks before Matt was leaving for Rossini.He pulled a reluctantme onstage then too, and we laughed and squealed our way through this very tune.Matt was holding my hand.Archie was there.All the other drivers.I stumbled off the stage, deliriously happy, and smacked straight into Jack Sheppard.
“You’re so in love with him,” Jack said, rolling his eyes, laughing, as he draped his arm around my shoulder.“Don’t make a fool of yourself.”
I recall it so clearly now.The abject humiliation.Being called out so brutally.But still, I was grateful.It was the smack in the face I needed.
“Don’t go breaking my heart,” Matt sings, his voice warm and gravelly andalmostin tune.And yet, here he is, a different Matt, in a different time, and now...is it any different?
“I couldn’t if I tried,” I say back dryly, the sarcasm dripping off my vocals.The room erupts in laughter, which eases the tension a little, and I glare between him and the karaoke screen as we continue to sing, as if I need any help to remember the lyrics to this song.
“Right from the start...”
“I gave you my heart.”I half sing, half speak the line and Matt grins at me.
He has no idea how loaded this fucking song is for me.
It’s enough.I stare up at the ceiling, purposefully singing badly off-key, willing the song to end.Matt tries to grab my hand again, but I edge away from him to the end of the stage.
I’m embarrassed as hell.With myself more than anything.I feel like everyone in that booth can tell exactly what’s going on, and they’re going to judge me for it.I shouldn’t be here.I shouldn’t be singing on a stage with Matt Warner.
