‘What I really drink most is lager or white wine.’ He takes a big mouthful and forces it down his throat with two large gulps. He shivers, coughing when his mouth is empty.
‘Maybe what you should have ordered is a lager or a white wine.’
‘That’s the last time I try to impress a pretty girl.’ He gets closer to me, leaning forward on his chair so that his mouth is nearer to my ear. The hairs on my arms stand to attention.
‘You really are trying all the lines tonight, aren’t you, Alex?’ His name is heavy on my tongue, and I love the way it rolls around my mouth like a smoothie on a hot day.
‘Is it working?’
I push the tumbler against my bottom lip and breathe out a smile. ‘Ask me again when I’ve finished this.’ I tip my head back and pour the entire thing down my throat, like a shot. As soon as it hits my stomach, the world spins even more than it was before. The lights all blur into one and I can’t make out any of the people anymore. The floor is moving – a sea and I’m a boat. I slam the glass down on the bar.
‘Is it working?’ Alex asks again, seeming not to notice what state I’ve found myself in.
I get up, trying to find my footing on the moving floor without falling over and seeming as drunk as I am. Alex jumps up and takes my arm, I put my weight on him.
‘You coming with me?’ he whispers, his breath hot against my neck. He nods in the direction of the exit. ‘I need to get this cover taken off my phone on the way out.’
My instinct is to follow him, but Jess’s words are under my skin.Tour tickets go on sale in a few weeks, and we need to completely turn this around before then.
They burn against my desires.
We’ve already committed to venues which means we need bums on seats in stadiums… breaking contractual obligations.
Luc’s leg against mine under the table, the smile on his face when he told me I could do anything I wanted.
I don’t want to be one of those singers whose career ends on a flop: performing to near-empty stadiums, being dropped by their label, or a final album that doesn’t even chart.
Alex Pauls pulling on my hand to drag me towards the exit brings the whole room into focus, my senses sharper than they’ve ever been. The room stops spinning, my head clears. I pull backwards and it all happens so fast.
The clasp around my neck holding my dress in place snaps and I try to catch the front before it exposes me. I think I mostly manage it, but I’m glad for Renée’s no-phone policy all the same.
‘Oh shit,’ Alex gasps.
He doesn’t try to help because realistically what can he do? I’m not entirely sure whether it was his fault or simply the way I moved. I hold the straps together behind my neck but there is no stretch in the material to tie it in a knot. Kareem should be arriving in – I check my watch – ten minutes.
‘Here.’ Alex pulls off the infamous leather jacket he’s never seen without and hands it to me. ‘Zip it up and no one will know any difference.’
He grabs us two glasses of water from the bar and two of those strong coffees they serve so that guests can sober themselves up before leaving and facing the cameras. I throw both beverages down my throat, the heat from Alex’s leather jacket prickling my skin. I’m too hot. I need to get out of here.
The man at the cloakroom takes the cover off my phone.
‘Can I at least give you my number so I can get the jacket back?’
I shake my head. ‘I’ll have my people get it to your people.’ The cover clicks off my phone and there are responses from Luc sitting on my screen. ‘Twenty-five minutes before you leave, please,’ I ask.
Alex nods. ‘You’re really cool, Sienna Martin.’
Is being called cool still a compliment? It makes me sound like I’m a kid.
The door opens and Dennis meets me directly outside the door, ready to escort me the ten necessary steps to Kareem’s car. Most of the cameras are blocked by the venue’s security but I can still see those tell-tale flashes. I’m in the car as quick as I can.
All of the messages from Luc are sent within a few minutes about two hours ago.
LUC
SORRY. Today has been mental
I’ve only just seenthose photos
