‘Maybe later.’ Liv waved a hand and swept inside.
The main room of the bar had red walls displaying framed photos of infamous criminals. Liv was about to say hi to a woman she thought she recognized. She stopped, realizing she’d seen her in a reality show that set up unsuspecting distant relatives on blind dates.
The bar soon flooded with people, many of them pretty young women who didn’t typically look like Essie Starling readers. She was glad not many people actually knew what writers looked like. Soon, all Liv could see around her were the tops of people’s heads. She kept on her dark glasses.
A young barman placed a glass in front of her, and poured purple liquid from a pitcher. ‘Care for a free drink?’ he said. ‘Our Jack the Ripper cocktail.’
Liv needed some liquid courage and took a sip. She could still feel Jake’s disappointment rippling through her.
‘Good stuff, huh?’ he said.
‘If you like rocket fuel.’ She tried not to cough.
‘Nice to see a mature lady in here,’ the barman said with a wink. ‘You on your own?’
The wordmaturemade Liv feel like Stilton cheese. She took off her sunglasses and emulated one of Essie’s steely stares. ‘Yes, by choice,’ she said.
He skulked away, leaving the pitcher with her.
Liv hitched herself up on a high stool. The last time she’d been anywhere like this was for her thirtieth birthday. The cleaning team she worked with at the time had dragged her to a nightclub with a sticky floor and music so loud it made her chest thump. She danced all night until her feet were covered with blisters. She’d felt too old for that kind of night out, even then.
After Liv had been sitting at the bar and sipping purple booze for over an hour, there was still no sign of Hank. The pitcher was now half empty, and she was regretting not going to the Paperpress staff awards.
Suddenly, there was a microphone screech. Everyone in the bar crunched their shoulders to their ears. Liv slid off her stool, stood on her tiptoes and saw a flash of red shirt and a denim jacket.
It’s him, she thought and her stomach jumped. She tried to edge her way closer, but the crowd was a wall of bodies.
‘Hey, y’all, thanks for joining me tonight,’ Hank said. ‘Hank’s Bar is open for a criminally good time. Hang out, don’t get arrested, and grab a beer or three.’ He launched into a speech for ten minutes, about how it was his dream to have lots of Hank’s Bars across the UK and the USA.
Camera flashes went off and two huge bodyguards flanked him when he left the microphone.
Liv sank back onto her heels. She blew out her cheeks. Her chances of getting close to him were zero.The DJ turned up the music and the bar grew even busier. The floor vibrated beneath her feet and she became more hemmed in, unable to move. Someone knocked her elbow and another person trod on her toe. When she felt a splash of liquid on her shin, she’d had enough. She jostled her way through the crowd and eventually found the nearest exit. She pushed outside and gulped in the fresh air, glad to feel cool speckles of rain on her face.
There was an argument going on outside. Two men raised their voices. One gestured with his fist and stormed towards her. Liv shrank back to let him past.
The remaining man stood alone and stared up at the sky. He raised his glass to his lips and took a long drink. Liv almost fainted when she realized it was Hank. She stayed with her back pressed against the wall, not quite able to believe she was standing only a few metres away from Essie’s ex-husband. His tan skin was handsomely creased, reminding her of the rich leather covers of old books.
Gradually, he became aware of her presence. ‘Hey, doll,’ he said, with a slight slur in his voice. ‘You okay?’
Liv held her breath. She stroked her bobbed hair, slipped on Essie’s sunglasses again and stepped out of the shadows to stand before him.
Hank looked at her briefly before doing a double take. He barked a surprised laugh. ‘Jeez, you look like someone I know.’
A voice in Liv’s head told her to go home, but she wanted to talk to him more. ‘I hope it’s someone you like,’ she said.
As they faced each other, the raindrops grew heavier. Hank’s eyes didn’t leave her, sweeping over her clothes and hair. ‘You’re getting soaked.’ He shrugged off his denim jacket and draped it around her shoulders.His short shirtsleeves showed off his biceps, and Liv realized she had never seen him wearing long sleeves in any photos. He’d have no need for bee-shaped cufflinks, and Essie had commissioned them a long time before she’d even met Hank.
‘You should get back inside,’ he said.
Liv shook her head. ‘It’s too busy in there,’ she said. She couldn’t believe she was actually turning down his offer. But her feet were sore and the rocket fuel was kicking in, making her light-headed.
‘I know a place,’ he said. ‘Come with me.’
‘Where?’
‘Don’t worry. I don’t bite.’ Hank held out his hand. ‘Got me a VIP zone.’
He was every bit as magnetic as his author photos. Liv let him lead her through a door.
