His eyes trace faint lines over my face and everyone around us falls away. It’s just me and him. He reaches forward and brushes a loose piece of hair which has fallen from my low ponytail behind my ear. A camera flash goes off.
Well, they’re not abovethat, are they?
‘Well-timed,’ I whisper but pull backwards to put some space between us and clear my throat. He grabs my hand. Constant contact to convince everyone we’re in love. We might as well borrow real-life experiences from ten years ago,right? Little touches here and there, under the table, on each other’s hands, legs pressed together.
‘I need to go to the bathroom,’ I whisper.
I lock myself in a toilet stall, Dennis waiting outside, and lean against the door. I pull my phone out of my bag, doing my usual checks of all the newspapers and social media comments. There are photos of me and Luc at the start of the night, a goofy grin on Luc’s face while I’m laughing and trying to shield my eyes from the camera flashes.SIENNA MARTIN MORE LOVED UP THAN EVER WITH NEW MAN LUC NICHOLLS, reads one headline.SIENNA MARTIN LOOKS EVERY INCH IN LOVE AS SHE STEPS OUT WITH BOYFRIEND LUC NICHOLLS, says another.
The photo I posted on Instagram earlier tonight is gaining traction. The comments screaming about how they know Luc is going to be there. One says, ‘our girlie is in love and wants to scream it from the rooftops,’ while another adds, ‘coming to take the title of world’s most gorgeous couple.’
Maybe convincing everyone we’re in love is starting to work.
We walk past a server with a tray balanced on the end of her arm. Twelve champagne flutes balanced perfectly like they’re an extension of her limbs. Rory grabs me and Luc as we walk past, gesturing for us both to grab a drink from the tray.
‘I need to introduce you to someone,’ he says.
Luc and I follow Rory as he pushes through the crowds, contorting his body to fit in tiny gaps, to not inconvenience them and ask them to move. Luc and I don’t have the same problem. When we walk towards them, they step aside, their mouths agape, trying to pretend they don’t know who I am. They’re above saying hi, but not above gawking at me.
There’s a woman standing near the stage. The way she stands, nodding while listening to what people are saying, tellsme she must be important. And that’s before I see the queue of people lining up to speak to her. The smile decorating her face with her silver hair in a loose bun at the nape of her neck gives her an almost ethereal quality. She smiles at everyone she meets, listening to what they have to say and not hurrying them along. She seems to know exactly what each person speaking to her needs to hear. I can almost see the cogs in her brain turning as she tries to figure each person out. The way the lady seems to care about everyone she meets… it feels like maternal instinct.
We keep following Rory until we’re standing right in front of her, a queue of people smiling at us like we’ve not committed the cardinal sin of skipping a queue in England.
‘Ada,’ Rory smiles when a space becomes available. ‘I thought you might like to meet my sister, Sienna Martin.’
‘Sienna!’ Ada opens her arms and pulls me in. ‘It’s so lovely to meet you, darling.’ She smells of lavender and Dove soap. Exactly the same as Nana. As soon as she lets me go, she hugs Luc. ‘You must be Luc. What a gorgeous couple you make.’
‘Thank you so much, Ada,’ Luc smiles, draping his arm over my shoulder and kissing my temple. My skin erupts in goosebumps, and I fold my arms across my chest. Luc is taking full advantage of our new boundaries: no kissing on the mouth, but a limited amount of affection.
‘Ada heads up Gabrielle’s – the charity we’re working with,’ Rory tells us.
‘What an important cause,’ I reply. ‘I’m thrilled to be here. Thank you for inviting me and trusting me with this.’
‘Oh, don’t be silly. I’m glad you said yes.’ Ada rubs her hand against my bare arm soothingly. ‘I felt a bit naughty asking Rory to ask you, knowing you wouldn’t be able to say no to your brother.’
‘Oh, I do. All the time,’ I point out.
‘She does,’ Rory agrees. His attention is drawn across theroom. He’s still working his way through the two syllables when he’s walking away.
‘Good, now I get you all to myself,’ Ada smirks and pulls me and Luc away from the queue of people forming near her. They look disappointed but don’t protest.
‘You’re auctioning one of your guitars and a signed copy of every one of your albums?’
It’s theSweethearts Inside at Nightguitar, the deep blues, oranges and purples recognisable anywhere from that tour. The one I used for the acoustic section withI’ll Give You My MorningsandCity Breath.
‘I am. Did I bring enough?’
‘Plenty! Don’t be silly.’ Her thumb traces the freckles on my arm. ‘Everything must mean so much to you.’
‘It does, but I only have so much room.’ I smile. ‘But it– I only used the guitar for two songs on tour. I was keeping it in case I wanted to do a nostalgia thing.’ I pause for a moment and look at Luc, not sure whether I should continue. I do anyway. ‘But honestly, I could just get a new one. A replica.’
Ada laughs. ‘Quite true, dear.’
‘The guitar. I signed it. I hope that’s okay. Rory said I should.’
She laughs again. ‘Of course.’ She pauses. ‘And you’ll be performing?’
‘If you still want me too. I thought an acoustic ofSweethearts Inside at Night, maybe? To match the guitar.’
