by M. B. Feeney
“Hey, Zoe. Could you do me a favour?” He leaned around the door frame and looked at me.
“Sure.” I assumed he was going to ask me to tell Sam where he’d gone.
“Phone Will, invite him over, and spend the day in bed. Don’t let the future bother you, live for now.” With another word of thanks, he left the flat. A few moments later, I heard the huge door to the pub slam close. Slowly, I walked down to slide the bolts back into place.
I’d been sat alone in the lounge of the pub, nursing a glass of whiskey, for almost an hour before I plucked up the courage to get Will’s card from my bag and stare at his number. Before I could chicken out, I tapped out his number on my phone and press call.
“Hello?” Of course he didn’t recognise the number, He’d only ever called the pub number.
“Hey.” Was all I could manage to say.
“Oh, hey Zoe.”
I couldn’t tell if his tone of voice meant if he was pleased to hear from me, or if he was pissed off.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.” I looked up at the clock above the bar and saw it wasn’t even ten a.m.
“No, you’re good. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I just… I thought I would…” Crap, I had no idea what to say. I couldn’t follow Preston’s example and ask him to spend the day in bed with me. “I’d like to cook for you. Will you come over later?”
Okay. Not what I was expecting to say.
“That would be great. I can be there in a couple of hours. Is that good with you?”
I mentally ran through what food I had in my kitchen in the flat. Thankfully, I wouldn’t need to do any shopping.
“Sounds perfect.”
With a cheery goodbye, Will ended the call leaving me to question my own sanity. I knocked back the drink and went back up to the flat and wondered what the hell I was going to cook. Once again, I picked up my phone and scrolled through my contacts.
“Gwen. I need help.”
“What else is new mon ami?”
“Not fucking funny.” I filled her in on my morning, and when she asked why Will wasn’t already at the flat, I sidestepped the question.
“Get a shepherd’s pie on the go. Get it all prepped, then it can go in the oven whenever you’re ready.”
As much as she annoyed me at times, I loved Gwen with all my heart and soul.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now, go cook. I’ll be in tomorrow, and I want details about last night.” I hung up without responding.
It was bad enough having the knowledge that Preston had walked in on Will and I fucking like teenagers, but to have to verbalise it would be mortifying. Pushing him out of my mind, I went into the kitchen and made a start on the food.
Will rang me from outside the pub, letting me know he’d arrived as the doorbell only rang in the pub. I jogged down the stairs to let him in, fluffing my hair and pinching my cheeks on the way. Once again, nerves flooded me as I took a deep breath before unlocking the door and heaving it open. I wasn’t sure how he was going to act, or if he was going to say anything about Preston.
“Hey.”
“Hey Zoe. I did ring the bell a few times, but there was no answer.”
“Yeah, I forgot to mention that it only rings down here, sorry.” I stood to one side to let him in, before locking the door back up behind him. For the first time since he’d walked into the pub that first time, things between us were awkward.
“It’s cool.”
I led the way up to the flat, feeling Will following me closely.
“Wow, something smells amazing.” He blurted out as soon as he closed the door to the flat behind him.
“Thanks. It’s nothing special if I’m honest, but it’s filling so I hope you’re hungry.”
“Starved. Reece doesn’t keep much decent food at his place.”
“Oh, I assumed you were at the hotel when I called.”
“Yeah, I haven’t been spending much time there.”
As we made awkward small talk, I led the way into the living room and poured us both a large glass of wine. I didn’t know if he was a wine drinker, but I didn’t ask.
“Why’s that?” I thought I knew the answer, but I wanted to hear him say it.
“Mary’s there. Things between us are a bit… uncomfortable.”
I handed him the glass, and watched as he took a large mouthful. His adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed; just watching the movement made my mouth go dry.
“Yeah, break ups can be brutal.”
“They can be, certainly. Especially when the two involved want different things.”
Remembering the conversation I had with Johnny during the shoot, I thought about how he said Mary wanted her and Will to get back together, despite it being him to break things off. That couldn’t be easy to deal with, working together, and having to stay in the same hotels while travelling.
“I don’t blame you for staying with Reece as much as you can. I’d probably do the same.”
“It’s great having someone to stay with, but I think I’m starting to piss off his girlfriend. I try to only go over there when we’re working, so I’m not in the way too much.”
“How much longer until you’re done and able to head back home?”
I’d wondered what the answer to this question was for a while now, but this was the first time I’d asked it out loud.
“The band are heading back in two days, they’ve got a US tour to prepare for, but I’m staying a while longer. I’ve got some more edits to do, and I want to fill out the video with some touristy shots. Make it clear where the video was done.” He took another sip of his wine, once again drawing my eyes to his throat. “Also, I kinda just want to have a bit of a vacation. I can’t remember the last time I had one, I’ll just need to find a new hotel once the others head back home. I can’t stay with Reece; I don’t even know how long I’ll be staying.”
“When does the tour start?” I hadn’t seen any mention of a tour on any social media, so I assumed it was just in the planning stages for now.
“We’re not sure yet. Mary’s working on contacting venues once she gets back home. Once we have those, we can release dates.”
As a fan, you never see the work that goes on behind the scenes, you just see tour dates and buy a ticket. Or, in some cases, moan about a tour date not being in your hometown, or even country.
“My lips are sealed. I promise I won’t say anything to anyone. A comeback tour’s a big deal, especially if it’s a surprise.”
“I’m not sure how much of a surprise it’ll be after the new video and single drop, but hey. It’ll still be bedlam once the word’s out.”
“Believe me, I can totally imagine. I’m glad I got to see the guys live again. Being a European fan of a US based band isn’t easy a lot of the time.”
Silence descended over us, not as awkward as before, but still a little uncomfortable. I sipped at my wine, trying not to watch Will do the same.
“Hey. I thought Preston was crashing here last night.” There was a weird tone to his voice, and I remembered how the two of them spoke to each other down in the pub. “He’s not going to join us, is he?”
“No, he’s gone. We’re alone.”
“Gone?”
I explained about our conversation about his and Melanie’s relationship, and how Preston felt about it all.
“Good for him. I love that guy like a brother, even when he’s a complete douche. He deserves to be happy, and he was never going to be happy sleeping with anything with a pulse and breasts.”
So, those rumours were true too…
“I have to pass messages on to everyone. He left in a bit of a rush.”
“Thanks for talking some sense into him. He’s been like a bear with a sore head since he arrived.” There was that tone again. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about him.”
Fuck.
“Can we talk as we eat? The food’s ready.”
Will nodded and followed me into the kitchen where I fussed around, dishing up the shepherd’s pie and some salad. After handing Will his plate, I led the way back into the living room, and over to the small table set up in the corner of the room. Sitting opposite me, Will was clearly trying to formulate his thoughts into words. A couple of times he looked up from his plate at me, opened his mouth, then closed it and looked back down.
“Did you fuck Preston?” He blurted out, eventually. For a moment, I was shocked into silence, unable to find words for a response.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but no. I didn’t.” Putting my cutlery down, I looked him dead in the eye, my anger rising the way it did the previous evening when he referred to me as ‘my woman’.
“He wanted to though, I could tell. I could also tell you were enjoying his attention.”
“I’m not quite sure what you’re accusing me of here. No, Preston didn’t want to get me into bed. That man is completely in love with the mother of his son, he just puts on a front to those around him.” I ignored the part where he accused me, not in so many words, of being a whore.
Will sighed and put down his own cutlery. Without saying anything, he stood up and walked into the kitchen. I heard him light a cigarette. After a minute or so, I followed him in, and stood in the doorway, my hands on my hips. Waiting.
“I’m sorry.”
“What exactly are you apologising for?”
“For over-reacting. I’m not usually like this, but whenever P’s around, I get defensive. He’s the reason I broke things off with Mary, indirectly.”
“Let me guess. She’s always had a lady boner for him, and even when the two of you were thing, you could see her assessing him and wondered if she would rather be with him than you?”
“Pretty much.”
“You’re an idiot.” It was my turn to blurt something out.
“Excuse me?”
“I’ve had two people tell me that Mary throws me the evils every time we even as much as look at each other. That woman is still hung up on you, big time. She hates that we’re friends,” he winced a little at my description of us. “We get on, we have a laugh, and she probably knows we’ve fucked. She doesn’t like it, she wants you back.”
“No, she doesn’t. She just doesn’t want anyone else to want me.”
He went on to explain how after they’d broken up, Mary had turned up at his apartment, drunk as a skunk, begging him to take her back. He’d refused, poured her into his bed, and slept on the sofa. The next morning, she’d told him she’d never loved him, that no one ever would because she would make sure he wouldn’t get close to anyone.
“Okay… sounds like an utter ‘psycho ex-girlfriend’. Maybe it’s a good idea you got out when you did.”
“She was controlling and clingy. The only reason she hasn’t said anything to you directly about me is because all the guys love you and would stand up for you, not that you need it. She’s envious of you, and not just because of me.”
“Well, she’s a damn fool.”
Stubbing out his cigarette, Will looked at me, a soft smile on his face. He walked over to me, and trapped me against the work surface with his arms either side of me.
“No, I am. I should never have projected my paranoia about Preston on to you. I want to make the most of… whatever this is.”
I looked up at him, my eyes moving slowly across his face until I lock onto his; the dark blue irises twinkling under the overhead light.
“Then make the most of it.”
Barely had the words come out of my mouth when his lips were on mine, causing me to moan loudly. I hadn’t realised how much I’d missed the contact with him, until it was happening.
“Remind me where your bedroom is?” He murmured as he trailed kisses along my jawline.
I led the way.
Sam pulled me into a tight hug the moment he walked into the pub.
“I’m going home tonight, and I needed to come in to say goodbye. I owe you a lot, and I’ll never forget you.” He mumbled in my ear as I struggled to breathe.
“You’ll have no one to thank if you don’t stop squeezing me, Hollis.”
He let me go, grinning. The bastard knew exactly what he was doing, and because of that, I was really going to miss him.
“Listen, I want to keep in touch once I’m home, keep you up to date beyond what fan pages report. Would that be okay?” I looked at him as if he’d grown three heads.
“Of course, I would love to stay in contact.”
“Great. Will already gave me your number.”
“Of course he did.” I rolled my eyes, cutting a glance at the man in question who stood to one side.
“You said your piece, my turn.” Johnny pushed Sam out of the way and enveloped me in another bone-crushing hug.
“Jesus Christ. Someone’s had their spinach.” My voice was thick with emotion. I hadn’t expected everyone to turn up at the pub to say goodbye.
“Spinach?” He looked very confused.
“Please tell me you’ve heard of Popeye.”
“Vaguely…”
I couldn’t help but shake my head, uttering something about ‘Americans…’
After Johnny had said his goodbyes, I got hugged by Bryan and Martin, both of them thanking me for accepting them as part of the band. I tried to reassure them that they had managed that by themselves by proving themselves to the fans, but they insisted I had helped.
Tears sprang to my eyes as they gathered themselves together to head out to the taxi Mary had waiting to take them to the airport. I had noticed she hadn’t come in with them, and it bugged me, so I followed the five of them outside and watched them pile into the black cab.
“It was nice to meet you Mary.” My voice was high as I called out to her when the door was still open. Johnny, Sam, and Will grinned at me as Mary completely blanked me.
“I’ll make sure these guys get to the airport on time, then I’ll come back before heading over to Reece’s to get some work done, okay?” Will stuck his head out of the window, giving me a quick kiss.
“Yeah, that’ll be great.” I looked at the others and called out for them to have safe travels as the driver pulled away.
I really was going to miss them all, well most of them; Mary could disappear from my life forever.
Gwen seated herself at the end of the bar and watched me finish up my paperwork in silence as Casey wandered around the pub collecting the empties. She tapped her fingernails on the bar in front of her, distracting me.
“What?” I didn’t look at her, but I could tell she had something to say.
“So, they went back home today?”
“Yeah. They came in to say goodbye, then piled into a taxi to the airport.”
“It’s going to be weird without them.” She sighed.
“It is, but that’s life. We can always look back on the good times, like we did after the tour.”
“Some of us had more good times than others, huh.” My pen slipped out of my hand when she nudged me in the ribs with her elbow. “Store them up for when you get lonely.”
It became clear that Gwen thought Will had gone back to the US too. I was just about to correct her, when the man himself walked in.
“How the hell do you do that?” I blurted out as he joined us.
“Do what? Hey Gwen.” Gwen stared at him, her mouth dropping open. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Turn up whenever someone talks about you or mentions your name.”
“Talking about me, were you? I hope it was juicy.” He placed his chin in his hand and looked at the two of us, flittering his eyelashes.
“What are you doing here?” Gwen couldn’t hold it in anymore. Her question made me burst out laughing causing a look of confusion to flicker on Will’s face.
“He’s staying behind to finish editing the video, and to have a bit of a holiday.” I explained.
“Oh… nice.” Gwen raised her drink in a toast to Will. “Maybe you two cou-�
�� Her words cut off mid-sentence as I gave her leg a quick kick.
“Maybe us two could what?” Crap, Will hadn’t missed what she was going to say. Not surprising considering how quiet the pub was. The time between lunch and the end of office hours was always the same.
“Go sightseeing.” Gwen finished, lamely, making me roll my eyes again. I’d been doing a lot of that recently, it was no wonder I hadn’t rolled them out of my head completely.
“Sure. We can do that.” Will agreed. “I can edit during the week, then on a Sunday, you can take me to all the best places.”
“Can I now?” I looked at the two of them in turn. “When do I get to plan my day off?”
“Oh, come on Zoe. Will’s only staying for a little while. Make the most of the time you have together.”
She’d only just found out he was staying in the UK, now Gwen was planning his time and making assumptions.
“Actually, I don’t know how long I’m staying. It’s all a bit open-ended and up in the air right now.”
“Even better.” Gwen winked at me as Will looked down at his watch.
“I gotta go. Reece will be back, so I can get some work done for a couple of hours. I’ll see you ladies later.” He planted a quick kiss on both of our cheeks and ran out of the door.
“Well, well, well…”
“Whatever you’re going to say, don’t.”
At that precise moment, Casey came over to join us.
“Will stayed in the UK I see.”
“I’m going down to the office. I have work to do.”
Gathering my papers, I left the two of them sitting, heads together, cackling like a pair of witches. There was nothing I wanted less than being teased about Will staying behind in the UK. They’d be worse when they found out I’d offered him a room for the duration of his stay. He couldn’t move in with Reece due to his friend being out at work all day, and then wanting to spend time with his girlfriend in the evenings.
It had made sense two nights ago, when I offered in the spur of the moment as we lay in my bed. Now, I wasn’t so sure; there was no way I would rescind the offer, but when my friends found out, I would never hear the end of it.