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‘My sister?’ he enunciated slowly.

‘Yeah. And I’m pretty sure she feels the same way.’ Jay’s blush deepened.

Rocco thought back to all those times he’d gone out, leaving Jay and Frankie watching television, or doing jigsaws or walking Bella, or having their stupid film club evenings eating popcorn and staying up until all hours in the snug. Without him.

Now anger, as well as jealousy ripped through Rocco’s chest.

‘So, you sign a record deal and off you pop on a world tour. What about Frankie? What does she do?’

‘I, um…’ Jay looked unsure.

‘Does she wait at home, desperate for a call from you? What happens when she opens a paper and sees you with your arm round some random model?’

‘I’d never cheat on her!’

‘Sex sells. You know how the tabloids work.’

‘I don’t, actually! And why would we even be in a paper? We’ve not even signed⁠—’

‘The tabloids won’t give a shit about Frankie’s feelings. Don’t be naïve. Of course a new rock band will be photographed. There will be an entire department at your record company ready to create sensational headlines to get your name out. And my sister will be collateral damage. You want her to become jealous and insecure? Dreading reading a story about you? Seeing you all over the internet?’

Jay looked worried.

‘She can stay with me and no, nothing’s goi⁠—’

‘You want her to give up her course to follow you like some sad little groupie? She’s at the very start of her university course. She’s winning prizes! There’s talk of scholarships! You could end up ruining her life and her future. You need to leave my sister alone,’ Rocco said before launching himself at Jay. He shoved him against one of the bandstand’s pillars and swung a punch. It wasn’t terribly accurate and although it made contact with Jay’s jaw, it was merely a glance as Jay ducked and jumped out of the way so Rocco’s fist mainly hit plaster. Rocco turned and ran at Jay, rugby-tackle style, slamming his head into Jay’s chest and they both hit the floor. Jay kicked out, scuffling his feet against the wooden boards, and managed to crack Rocco’s kneecap and Rocco thumped his fist into Jay’s side then another onto his face. With surprising strength, Jay pushed Rocco off and scrambled to his feet.

Breathing hard, and half bent over, Jay held an arm out in front of himself in a bid to ward Rocco off. There was blood under Jay’s nose.

‘Feel better?’ Jay panted. ‘Look, I’m sorry I’ve hurt you but⁠—’

‘You’re the one that’s hurt,’ Rocco said, trying to ignore the pounding of his knee.

Jay touched the back of his hand against his nose and then glanced down at the bloody smear it left.

‘I mean, I’m sorry I upset you, but things with Frankie are⁠—’

‘Finished!’

‘You can’t decide that.’

‘I can. Fucking me over to steal my song is one thing, but⁠—’

‘As if! At best you wrote some of the chorus and some of the verse. But I have to play it because you can’t manage the lead guitar.’

‘You made it harder!’

‘It’s diminished seventh chords! You don’t have to be Jimi fucking Hendrix to master it. So, actually, you’re not that great on guitar, you’re pretty basic.’

That stung.

‘I wrote most of the words to the chorus.’

‘Which I rewrote because it sounded like you’d got it from the great big cliché book of love song lyrics! So, your song writing isn’t that hot either!’

‘I can refuse you the rights to “Twisted Serenade”. I’ll get my dad to draw up a legal document.’ Rocco had no idea if that would be possible, or if his dad would even entertain anything like that but he was willing to give it a try. ‘Unless,’ Rocco took a deep breath, ‘unless you agree to never come back to Drumkeldy again.’

‘What? My mum lives here.’ Jay gave a laugh of disbelief.