Her eyes light up. “Pink hair, no filter,andyou’re a Fleetwood Mac fan? Girlie, you and me are gonna get along just fine.” We link arms as we walk in, and she agrees with me that Christine McVeigh is one ofthebiggest gifts to music of the twentieth century. The Red Lion is a nice establishment. Ithas that traditional pub smell of beers gone by and the promise of honey roasted peanuts, but it’s clean and stylishly decorated, with bare brickwork and beams mixing with pop art on the walls. The staff are always cutting-edge-of-Alternative-cool, and ever so helpful in the past when I’ve gigged here and needed help lugging my gear.
Sadie buys us both a large glass of Chardonnay, in spite of my protests that I’ll pay. She just waves me off and says, “Buy me one later”.
I definitely will.
She leads us to a table in the corner at the front of the karaoke ‘stage’, a flimsy looking grey platform. Emily and Eli are already sat nursing their drinks, talking to each other with intent expressions. Their focus on each other is so absolute that it’s clear they only need each other, and that’s all they’ll ever need. No wonder they’re getting married. It’s almost a shame to interrupt them, but then Emily looks up and greets us both with a huge smile and a hug apiece.
Eli, on the other hand, is scrutinising me, and isn’t disguising it. I must admit I’m not a hundred percent sure what to make of him. He’s polite enough, and based on our brief interactions so far I wouldn’t say he’s unfriendly towards me. But heisguarded. Watchful, even perhaps a little suspicious. As unsure of me as I am of him.
“Leo not here yet?” Sadie asks as she sits next to Emily, and I take a seat on her other side.
“Not yet, though he did just text me saying he’s on his way and asking for our drink order,” she says, raising her eyebrows comically.
“Shit,” Sadie chuckles, “I guess we’re all for it.” I give her a questioning look. “The first round is always on Leo,” she explains. “It’s basically written in stone. Oh, speaking of, how’s your tattoo coming along?”
“Sogood.” I put my glass down and turn, lifting the back of my vest and pullover up. They’ll only be able to see fragments through the loose crochet of my top, the parts that aren’t already covered by my camisole, and I want them to be able to really see what an amazing job Dean is doing.
“Oh,nice,” Sadie says approvingly, “that’s looking really good! How are you finding it? Isn’t this your first one?”
I pull my top down again, rolling my eyes when I see people at other tables are giving me surprised looks.Oh, chill out, it’s just a bare back.“So far, so incredible. I’ve gotten used to the way the needle feels, and Dean is doingthemost exceptional job. Better than I ever hoped for. He’s made it miles better than how I pictured it in my head when I first thought about having a - what?”
“No, nothing,” Emily says quickly as she and Sadie beam at me like I’ve said something adorable. Even Eli is smiling down into his pint. I don’t get it, but I don’t think they’d explain if I asked them, so I don’t bother.
I’m about to ask instead if I’m right that Dean isn’t coming tonight, when the man who’s been setting up the karaoke machine a few feet away turns and freezes when he sees Sadie. She gives him a playful little wave. “Wait,” he says, looking at her with an expression akin to dread. I can’t quite tell if he’s joking around or not.
“Hi, John,” Sadie says.
He takes a step towards her. “Sadie, please tell me he’s not - ”
“Buddy,” a deep, rumbling voice says behind him, and Leo appears, holding a pint and slinging his other arm around his shoulders.
“NO,” John exclaims, backing away and shrugging Leo’s arm off. “No. No, no, no, NO. Get out. Fucking get outta here.” He points towards the exit and pushing him backwards.
Leo just laughs. “What’s up, brother?” The room goes quiet, everyone pausing their conversations to watch them and eavesdrop.
“Not again,” John bursts out. “Youcannotdo this to me again, Mills. I almost lost this gig last time.”
“What?” Leo asks with faux innocence, but there’s a big, shit eating grin spreading across his handsome pirate face.
“What do you mean, ‘what’?! Two words, mate: Primal Scream.” John is almost shouting as he counts the two words off on his fingers. “I told you never again, and I meant it.”
“What happened?” I ask Sadie, who’s almost crying with laughter.
She clears her throat and brings herself under enough control to be able to tell me. “Ah, Leo gets… How shall I put this… He, ah, throws himself into karaoke body and soul, and…” She starts laughing again.
“And,” Emily continues with a grin, “the last time John held a karaoke night here, Leo sangRocksby Primal Scream - ”
“Andcaused a small fire,” John finishes.
“Itwasonly asmallfire,” Leo points out reasonably.
John splutters. “There…shouldn’t have…beenone at all!”
Leo shrugs and pulls his wallet out. “Tell you what, I’ll pay for the inevitable damage tonight in advance. And if I don’t causeany, I won’t even ask for it back. Deal?” Counting out a few notes, he shells out what looks like approximately three hundred pounds to John, who starts to look marginally more mollified, if defeated. “It’s gonna be fine,” Leo tells him. “I promise, OK, IpromiseI won’t cause any fires this time.”
John grumbles, but it’s a little more good natured this time, and he pockets the cash. “If this isn’t enough to cover the damage you cause…”
“I’ll pay the balance,” Leo finishes smoothly. He turns to the rest of us, and his eyes light up in a most gratifying way whenhe sees me. “Liaden! You made it.” I get kissed on each cheek. “And looking lovely.” He looks at the table and frowns at all the glasses. “Why do you all already have drinks?” His eyes take on a kicked puppy quality.
