The Heart Series: Complete Boxed Set (79 page)

“Then that’s all I need to hear.” He sighed, sounding a lot more relaxed.

“Joel, there you are. I was wondering where you sneaked off to—oh, sorry, are you on the phone?” a sultry voice crooned in the background.

“Sorry, Iz, one moment. Yeah, I’m on the phone to Iz, what’s up?”

“There are some reporters here from the local paper. They want to take a few pics and write up a quick report. It’s for their music section. We can’t do an exposé on the band if the main man isn’t there.”

“Okay, tell him I’ll be there in five.”

“We need you now, Joel, you can speak to your girlfriend later on. This is far more important.”

Girlfriend? The cheek!

'“Actually she’s my fiancée,” Joel added and I smiled. Yeah, put her in her place.

“Girlfriend, fiancée, all of that is insignificant. I told you from the start I’m here to promote, if you want my help, you’ll come now and speak to the reporter. We need to get the ball rolling, the more exposure on the band the better,” she all but snapped. Jeez, she soon switched personalities within seconds, the act alone sent a level of unease to run right through me.

“Sorry, Iz, I have to go, there’s a reporter waiting. I’ll speak to you tomorrow. Love you.”

“Love you—”

He hung up before I’d even finished the sentence. Chantel was being pretty brutal, which I knew wouldn’t go down well with Joel, but he would have to suck it up. There was no point adding to the drama, I would bite my tongue for now.

* * *

Over the next week, the likes on Joel’s band page climbed and Chantel was indeed correct they’d hit the ten thousand mark and continued to grow. I was astounded at the amount of publicity they were getting, Chantel was obviously doing a good job. I had to give her that at least. Joel was constantly occupied so we were down to one call a day after my performance, but we were both that tired. I couldn’t help feel sad that the communication part of our relationship was slowly going down hill. I missed our chats throughout the day, but I had to be realistic and put up with it. Joel was working in the pub during the day and then spending nights with the band. If they weren’t performing, they were busy trying to get themselves out there. They were signed up to every social media site going. Elijah informed me Joel was on Instagram. He was following the band, but I knew it was the photos of Joel he was mainly after.

Saturday finally arrived, the day Elijah and Sam were heading up to Manchester to see the play, and of course go for our big night out. He had talked non-stop all week. I wasn’t envious of Sam having to hear it all day long, but he was so in love he would put up with just about anything. I could just imagine the car journey now.

I got a text through just after rehearsals saying they were here and were outside the theatre. The plan was to meet up after, but I knew he would be bursting for a catch up and I couldn’t wait to see him as well. I headed out the main doors and ducked my head outside to be greeted with an excited squeal. I was grabbed and hugged within an inch of my life.

“Oh my god, Izzy, it’s been forever since I saw my bestie. Oh look at you, wow you look amazing.” He stood back marveling at me, smiling.

“All the performances and rehearsals take it out of you.” It really did.

“This body is banging, oh you are going to look fabulous in your wedding dress. That reminds me, I need measurements.”

Oh he was off already.

“Maybe get them later on, Elijah,” Sam warned and I mouthed a thank you. He winked back in return.

“Fine, but I’m not going home without them,” he insisted, pulling a look of warning.

“I promise tomorrow you can take my measurements.” Just not right this second.

“Now show me around the place, I want to meet the girls. I can’t wait to see them in person. The other night was so fun but tonight will be better.” He clapped his hands excitedly, I couldn’t help but laugh at his enthusiasm.

I led them both through the theatre, up the corridor to where the changing rooms were. I poked my head in to make sure they were decent, but Elijah didn’t give me that long before he burst through the door, playfully shoving me out of the way.

“Well I need no introductions, you know who I am, ladies.” He spun around before bowing in an over dramatic way.

“Are you Elijah by any chance?” Micha grinned.

“The one and only. Oh, come here, both of you, so I can squish you.”

I was glad to not be part of the hugging circle. I was still recovering from the first one.

“Oh my, you both are hotter in person. FaceTiming does not do you both justice,” Elijah remarked, much to their pleasure.

“Thanks.” They both grinned hard at the compliment.

“You are way hotter too.” Micha winked. “And who is the sexy guy in the corner?”

All eyes turned on Sam who blushed.

“This is my boyfriend so hands off, ladies, as you’re missing the right equipment.”

“Hey, I have a boyfriend,” Micha retorted.

“Ahh, but you’re still looking, but I know it’s only human nature to be drawn to sexy hot men.”

“Elijah,” Sam groaned, growing even redder.

“Oh he can’t take a compliment so I usually show him in other ways.”

“Elijah,” Sam warned.

“Okay okay, so enough about me, tell me everything. I need to get up to speed on all the gossip. Who are the hotties ’round here? Tell me everything.”

“This will take a while. We have three hours till the show, so let’s hit Starbucks and we can fill you in there,” Micha suggested.

“Sounds good to me, ladies, lead the way.”

* * *

I quickly ran the towel through my wet hair. It had been another grueling performance and now I was destined for a night of dancing. Elijah was taking no prisoners. I had a feeling we’d be out till the early hours of the morning, despite my body’s protests. I knew I had to make this night special for him to make up for all the others I had missed out on since leaving for the tour.

“Here Iz, let me do our hair. I can give it a quick blow dry and then add a few waves, and you’ll be good to go. I’ve laid out your outfit on the bed.”

It was just like old times. “Thanks, I’ve missed you bringing some order to my life. Where’s Sam?”

“Oh he’s busy watching the Broadchurch box set. It’s his new obsession. He thinks he’s just as good as the police in working out who the killer is. I told him I’ll text when we’re good to go, but knowing Sam he’d stay in and watch his DVD if he could. I know I’ve said it like a million times, but you were amazing out there tonight. I couldn’t have been prouder watching you dance your heart out on stage. I’m so happy for you. I just hope my turn will come soon. I need a little bit of luck to come my way.”

“It will, trust me, anyone with the talent you have will not go to waste. Your time will come and I will be a proud member of the audience watching you strut your stuff on stage.”

“Do you really think so, Iz?” he asked almost hesitantly.

“I know so.”

“Oh you’re going to make me want to cry. Come on, I need to get this hair styled, else we’ll be here all night and we have a night out to enjoy.”

Twenty minutes later I was dressed, hair done as Elijah applied the last of my makeup. A loud knock at the door brought our attention back, and Elijah answered, welcoming in our guests.

“Ladies, come on in, you both look stunning showing off those fine legs.”

“Why, thank you.” Corinne beamed.

“How about a couple of shots to get this party started?” Micha jiggled the bottle and I groaned. At this rate, I would be pissed before I even left the hotel room.

“Oh come on, Iz, we need to get this party started.” Elijah nudged me playfully and I laughed.

“Fine, but I’m only doing one,” I warned.

“She’s doing two.” Micha winked at Elijah.

“Err, hello, I am standing here, you know?”

“Oh get this down your neck and then you might lighten up,” Elijah joked and I snatched it from his hand.

“Fine.”

“Are we ready, down in one? Three, two, one.”

We all tipped our glasses back and the sounds of groans filled the room as all our throats burned with the potent liquid.

“Oh god, that was strong. How about another?” Elijah chuckled as I shook my head.

“No, I’m out.” I coughed, barely able to catch my breath as it was. I was not putting myself through that again.

“Wimp,” Elijah mocked as all three threw back another, instantly coughing after. I knew I had made the right decision.

“Wow, well that certainly got the blood pumping through my veins. Are we all set for our big night out?” Elijah asked excitedly.

“Yep, let’s do this,” Micha shrieked, looking way too eager to leave.

“I just need to ring Sam first and then we can leave.” Elijah grabbed me from behind encircling me in a hug. “Tonight is going to be amazing, Iz. I can feel it in my bones.”

I grinned at his words. It was definitely going to be interesting one that was for sure.

“Seriously, how long is this queue?” Elijah fumed as his eyes roamed along the long line of people patiently waiting to enter to start their night.

“I know, but trust me, it is so worth it. Once we get in, we’ll be here all night. The music is amazing, the DJs are the best, that’s the reason it’s so popular. Once we get in and grab a table, we’ll be set. It won’t take long, I promise,” Micha urged as we all let out loud sighs of annoyance. My feet were already hurting in these heels before we had even got in the club.

Thirty minutes later, we finally walked through the doors. The place was already heaving. Sam and Elijah headed for the bar after taking out orders, while the rest of us went to hunt down a good table.

The short red dress I was wearing sent a little attention my way. It was a present from Elijah, so I could hardly turn down the chance to wear but it was a little shorter than I liked and teaming it with six-inch stilettos was only highlighting the fact even more.

“Hey darling, there’s room for one between us if you want to squeeze in,” an annoying blonde hair guy chimed up when I walked past.

Ugh.

“No, thanks.” I smiled but it came out more like a grimace.

“Oh come on, let’s buy you a drink, maybe loosen you up a little,” he offered, grinning. His smile made me shudder.

“Err, we have our own table, thanks,” Micha retorted, encircling her arm around my shoulder to guide me away from the braying mob.

“Your loss, darling,” the ringleader shouted, pissed by our refusal. I was just glad to be led away. They looked like trouble. God knows what their behavior would be like after a couple hours of solid drinking. I was led over to a table in the far corner. It was far enough away from the idiots with still a good view of the dance floor. I knew it wouldn’t take long before Elijah would be invading it and showing off his moves. He would be the main attraction soon. I was happy to sip on my drink and observe. That was about all I could manage right now. The fatigue had taken over, but I knew Elijah would not let me off so easily.

“Here we go, ladies, a round of Cosmos, the first of many.” Elijah beamed, looking all too pleased at playing the host.

“I’ve never had a Cosmo before,” Mich admitted.

“What? Well, get your virgin lips wrapped around this. You are going to love it.”

“It’s been a long time since I was a virgin.” Micha grinned and we all laughed.

“Oh me too.” Elijah winked back, taking a long sip.

“Wow, that is gorgeous. I might need to have a few more of these before the night is through.” Micha practically drained her glass within seconds.

“I totally agree.” Elijah threw back his own and smiled. “Fancy coming to the bar, Micha? You can fill me in on all the goss while we wait.”

“Of course, my pleasure. Oooh, I want to come too.” Corinne jumped up and left me and Sam sat there.

I scooted over and kissed his cheek, pressing my mouth against his ear. “Hey, Sam, having a good time?”

“Hmmmm.” He wasn’t very convincing.

“Yep, me too.”

“I’d rather be at the hotel watching Broadchurch. No offense, Iz, it’s just I’ve been working long hours and it’s taking its toll. I’m just too tired to go clubbing.”

I rested my head against his shoulder. “I know, eight shows a week is wiping me out, I’d rather be in bed with my Kindle.” I was in the middle of a great book that I was dying to get back to it. I cursed that there wasn’t enough hours in the day to get some serious reading done. It was my one love that was truly being disturbed, and I hated when my Kindle time was disrupted.

“What are we like?” He chuckled, putting his arm around me, pulling me in tighter against him.

I nuzzled into his neck. “Now this is nice, I could seriously doze off now, well, if they turned down the music a little.

“Oh me too. Do you think we could sneak off back to the hotel? I am so ready to leave,” he suggested.

“I think they might notice or else I would,” I replied, yawning once more. “I know its wishful thinking on my part, it’s just I’m at this part in the book where the big reveal is about to happen, and if I’m right about what I think it is then I will be so annoyed. I just want to know already.”

“I’m like that with Broadchurch. I think I know who the killer is, the one I first thought was far too obvious, but I think I have it sussed now. I just need to confirm it.”

“It’s so annoying.” I sighed and could feel myself become slightly intoxicated by Sam’s cologne. You could tell he was Elijah’s boyfriend, okay, he smelt amazing. Though I’d expect nothing less.

We sat their snuggled against each other when we were rudely awakened.

“Err, what do you think you’re doing, Iz? I think you’ll find he’s already taken,” Elijah retorted, but I could hear the humour in his voice. A smile touched my lips before my eye peeped open to find three of them looking on us.

“We were just resting our eyes,” I replied innocently.

“In here with this music? How the hell could you possibly sleep at this decibel?”

“Oh trust me, we could,” Sam huffed.

“Come on, wake up, the pair of you, this is supposed to be a fun night,” Elijah chided, handing Sam his beer and me my second Cosmo.

“Thanks,” I muttered, taking a quick swig.

“And you, what are you doing letting my friends snuggle up against you? You know we only snuggle together. You made me a little jealous. You’re going to have to make it up to me later.”

Sam smiled at Elijah’s pout. “Yeah, what do you have in mind?”

“Well, first of all, you have to kiss me because those lips belong to me, and the rest, I’ll figure out later when we get back to the hotel room.”

“That I can do.” He pressed his lips up tight against Elijah’s but it seemed that wasn’t enough and Elijah soon took over kissing him. Micha and Corinne whooped but others seemed to have an issue with it.

“Faggots, make me sick, doing that right in front of everyone.” It was no surprise it was the pervy guy from earlier. His green eyes sent daggers Elijah’s and Sam’s way, and I felt the anger rising inside me.

“What did you just say?” I snapped, jumping up.

“You heard, I thought you had better taste but obviously not. It’s not too late to change your mind.” He grabbed me and pulled him into me.

“Get off me—”

“Get your fucking hands off her,” Elijah warned, storming forward to protect me.

“Or what, faggot boy?” he sneered.

“Oh you want me to show you.” He stepped closer, locking eyes with him. He manoeuvred me safely away so he could square up to him.

“Elijah, he’s not worth it, just let it go,” I pleaded, feeling scared for his safety.

“No, he deserves a right hook in that homophobic face, if he doesn’t hit him then I will.”

“Micha, you’re not helping,” Sam chided.

“Elijah, come on, just leave it, please,” I begged again, hoping I’d get through to him.

“Elijah’s eyes locked on mine, and I could see the anger present there. He had every right after this arsehole had stepped in and caused trouble, but I wasn’t about to let him ruin the night. “Fine,” he snapped, stepping back. “But stay the fuck out of my sight.”

“Oh don’t worry, I won’t be coming near you and your boyfriend, that kind of thing makes me sick to my stomach.”

Elijah surged forward, but Sam held him back. “Please, Elijah, he’s just a bigoted arsehole. He’s not going to change his mind and hitting him will make no difference.”

“Yeah, but it might make me feel better,” he muttered bitterly.

“Any time faggot, any time.”

My eyes widened in horror, but Corinne got in before the rest of us. It was fair to say you could have heard the slap over the music.

“Bitch.” He launched forward but a guy behind grabbed and pulled him back. “Mate, we don’t want to get chucked out. Calm the fuck down.”

“That bitch just slapped me,” he growled.

“I know but now is not the time or the place.”

He glared at us all for the next few seconds, his eyes full of anger, as the red hand print began to form on his face. He was pissed, and a part of me was scared at what he was about to do next.

Eventually he stepped back, giving us all one last standoff stare before walking off. We all let out a collective sigh of relief except Elijah who seemed more pissed than ever.

“Elijah,” Sam asked, registering his icy mood.

“Don’t,” he warned.

“I just—”

“You had no right, this was my fight. I could have handled myself, but you had to stick your oar in. I’m sick of bowing down to fucking idiots like that who think we’re wrong for loving someone different from them. I’m tired of having to justify myself for being in love with someone. You should have let me resolve this in my own way. Idiots like that need to be taught that it isn’t right the way they pour their evil beliefs onto others. I have as much right to love whoever I want.”

“I’m sorry, but I just didn’t want to see you hurt, that’s all,” he protested, trying to make him see sense.

“This was my fight, and you should have kept out of it.”

“Does the same go for me as well?” Corinne was still shaking and looked on the verge of tears.

“You could have gotten hurt defending me, Corinne. You hardly know me. You shouldn’t have stepped in. I’d have never forgiven myself if he had laid a finger on you,” Elijah relented.

“I would do it again in a heartbeat, Elijah. I know we’ve barely just met, but you have such a good soul. I hate to see you beaten down by idiots like that. I didn’t want him to touch you, so I stepped in. But, fuck me, I thought for a moment I was going to be toast.”

I think we all did.

“He’d never have gotten that far. I was two seconds away from slamming his face into next week. I may come across gay as fuck, but trust me, after almost getting my head kicked in when I was seventeen, I made sure I would never be put in that position again. I went to a lot of self-defence classes, I know how to throw a killer punch, and he wasn’t far off being the receiver of one of them.”

“I just didn’t want to see you hurt.” Her voice trembled and her body shook as she descended into sobs. Elijah pulled her into him.

“Shush, you were too brave for your own good, but promise me you won’t do anything reckless like that. Well, only if you let me show you how to defend yourself,” he soothed.

“I’d like that.” She snuggled into his chest as he continued whispering words of reassurance in her ear. She chuckled a few times, and I knew he was slowly bringing her back around.

“What a night,” I whispered to Sam and he nodded.

“I don’t think I’m coming out ’round Manchester again.”

“Oh yes, we are,” Elijah shrieked. “We’re not letting bigoted men tell us where and when we can’t go. Now come on, another round of drinks, we are far too sober for this to end on a good note. Come on, Iz.” He dragged me off before I even had time to protest. We squeezed through the crowds to join the queue at the bar.

“Elijah, are you okay?” I asked, concerned about what had just had moments earlier.

“I will be.” He smiled but he wasn’t that convincing.

“You scared me, standing up to him, you know you should just walk away.”

“I’m sick of it, Iz, living my life while people turn their noses up at me doing something so natural as kiss my boyfriend. How would you like it if people frowned on you kissing Joel?” he growled, surprising me with his tone.

“I wouldn’t care.”

“Course you would,” he snapped.

“No, I wouldn’t. He’s my fiancé and he’s hot, so I’d damn well kiss him all day long whether people liked it or night.” No one would stop me from kissing Joel.

“I might kiss him too.”

“Elijah,” I warned.

“Come here and hug me, I’ve missed this.” He sighed into my hair as we stood with arms encircled around each other. I didn’t care whether anyone was watching. I was helping my best friend.

“Oh, I needed that. Now let’s gets the drinks and then we are hitting the dancefloor, and we are going to dance till our feet bleed.”

“I think mine already are in these shoes,” I groaned. They were killing me.

“Shush woman, you are rocking those heels, that’s the main thing.”

He was always a fashionista till the core.

Several shots, Cosmos and vodkas later, we were more than ready to hit the dancefloor, all my inhibitions were left behind the moment the alcohol touched my lips. Elijah even persuaded Sam to join us and for the DJ to mix in some Lady Gaga. He was in his element, and I could tell by his face that it was exactly what he needed. We bumped and grinded for the next hour. My body was crying out for water. I was on the verge of passing out. I signaled to Elijah where I was heading and he nodded as he lost himself in the music. Corinne grabbed me and followed me over to the bar.

“Oh, Iz, if I stand much longer I’m going to pee myself, can you get me a water? I won’t be long.” I nodded as it was easier than trying to compete with the music.