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‘I can’t believe you never told me you were besties with Drive With Care!’

‘I’m not. I mean, we grew up together but he was Rocco’s best friend and he and Frankie hung out with them far more than I did.’

‘But still. You know them!’

‘Just Jay, and anyway, they only got famous after Rocco and Jay had fallen out by that point and…’ Valentina trailed off as Leanne’s interest was distracted by Micky’s arrival, and Leanne went off to chat, or more precisely flirt with him, and all that was left for Valentina to do was wait. And drink more gin.

Eventually Micky got word he was to bring Valentina and Leanne backstage. He led them behind the bar, through a door, and down a dank and dimly lit, flyer-plastered hallway, past towers of plastic drinks crates and stacks of chairs, before showing them into what appeared to be a very small storage room.

Valentina was relieved to see there were no white kittens. Just a table with some beers, tubes of Pringles, a kettle, packet of Twinings tea and a stripey picnic-style cool bag.

Jay was standing next to Si having an intense conversation. Valentina stood rather awkwardly until Jay looked up and saw her.

He bounded over. ‘It’s so good to see you,’ he said moments before she was engulfed in a bear hug.

Si, who was sitting on a stack of boxes, paused from rolling a cigarette and raised his hand in greeting.

‘That was brilliant. A great concert,’ Valentina said, a little shyly. It was so strange seeing Jay Costello after all this time.

Jay cocked his head to the side. ‘I have to say, I’m slightly surprised to see you here.’

Leanne magically materialised, wedging herself between Valentina and Jay.

‘I’m a HUGE fan. I’ve always loved your music. I’ve still got the copy of Rolling Stone magazine when you’d just released your first single.’ Leanne batted her eyelashes so much, Valentina wondered if she’d had a bad reaction to the dry ice that had been pumped out during one of the band’s slower numbers.

‘Thanks,’ Jay said.

‘Valentina’s much more into Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, whereas I’ve always loved rock.’

Valentina knew enough about music elitism to recognise when she was being thrown under the music snobs’ bus.

Then Leanne launched into full music journalist mode, talking about early influences, until Jay’s mobile began to ring. He looked at the caller ID for a moment and sighed before excusing himself and walking to the back of the room to answer it.

Cole was sitting on an amp scrolling through his phone.

‘Looks like it’s going to be heavy rain and high winds tomorrow… warning folk not to travel after five as that’s when the winds will pick up. I’m glad I’m heading up to Edinburgh tonight. Anyone likely to be travelling over the danger time?’ He looked up expectantly. ‘Manchester looks like it’ll be hit quite badly too, Si.’

Si lit his cigarette and picked up his bass guitar that was propped against the wall.

‘Si?’ Cole said. ‘Did you hear me?’

Si struck a discord and looked up at his bandmate insolently through a cloud of cigarette smoke. ‘I heard you. I always fucking hear you as your voice continually bores. Into. My. Skull.’

The two men looked at each other, creating a very uncomfortable atmosphere until Valentina spoke up, addressing Cole.

‘I… hi. Can I ask what that instrument was that you were playing, the weird one that didn’t have any strings or anything.’

Cole turned to Valentina. ‘Yeah, it’s a theremin. It’s played by disrupting the air in precise little movements. It was first used in the nineteen twenties and garnered notoriety when the creator conducted a series of concerts around Europe. The sound was described as otherworldly.’

‘Is it difficult to play?’

‘It does take a lot of practice, a lot of self-control over the movements.’

‘Yeah, we all know you’re all about the self-control, and you’re always fucking otherworldly,’ Si muttered.

Valentina was aware of Jay raising his voice and getting exasperated with whoever he was talking to on his mobile.

The drummer, Arlo, and Micky came into the room. Arlo glanced over to Jay in concern before turning to Valentina.