See You at the Show

by Michelle Betham

  “Yeah. It does.”

  “So, what did you do about that then? You know, with me not being around?”

  Their mouths were almost touching now. “Wouldn’t you like to know, Mr. Madison.”

  He’d been away in Washington, for meetings with the U.S. President, for the past four days and he’d missed her. So much. He’d missed this, this incredible, intense way she welcomed him home; the things she said, the way she looked.

  He closed his eyes as he kissed her slowly, pulling her body against his. She felt warm and beautifully familiar, and tonight the world would see what a lucky man he really was.

  “You never did kiss like a politician, did you?”

  He laughed, stroking the white blonde hair from her eyes. “And how did you think a politician would kiss?”

  “Uptight…reserved…”

  “And I’m not like that?”

  “Jesus, no!”

  “Good. That’s good.” He leaned forward to kiss her again. “I love you, Stevie.”

  “Yeah. Right back at ya, Prime Minister.”

  He smiled, desperate to see her naked after so many days away from her, wanting to make love to her so badly. “I’m going to have a very, very quick shower, and then maybe you can welcome me home properly, ok?”

  “Yeah, ok. I guess you deserve that, after all those incredibly boring meetings you must have had to sit through.”

  He laughed, so relieved to be home and find she was still here because every day he was away he feared he’d come back to find her gone. He was asking a lot of her, and there was a hell of a lot more asking to be done, but not tonight. Tonight he just wanted to enjoy being home. “Just give me ten minutes, ok?”

  She smiled, letting him go, watching as he walked off to go upstairs and get showered and changed.

  He lived, most of the time, in Downing Street but there were many nights when he came here, to his more secluded and very private new home. Nobody – except those who needed to – knew that this was where Prime Minister Madison kept his secret lover. And even when the secret was out Stevie hoped with all her heart that this place would stay as undiscovered as it had been so far. It was bad enough sharing it with the stringent security that existed around Daniel and his life but at least they were discreet. She doubted the press and media would be.

  She still had her own flat in North London. That was her independence and she refused to let that part of her go, but if things moved on with Daniel who knew what else she’d be willing to give up. Because she was feeling the need to go there less and less.

  She went back into the kitchen, pulling herself up onto the worktop and taking out her ‘phone, speed-dialling Johnny. The band was over in L.A. – back home for Johnny and Mark - promoting their new album and getting ready for their soon-to-begin American and European Arena tour. She still missed the buzz being with the guys used to give her in the run up to a tour but when she weighed that up against living without Daniel there was no competition. Daniel won.

  Johnny’s soft American voice came loud and clear down the line. “Hey stranger! How’re things?”

  “We’re going public, Johnny. Tonight. And I’m bricking it. This isn’t gonna go well, I just know it isn’t.”

  “Is Daniel worried?”

  “No.” She really needed a cigarette but that was something else she’d given up for Daniel. When he wasn’t around, anyway.

  “So, what’s the problem?”

  “I’m living in the real world here, Johnny. They’re gonna freak when they see me.”

  “If Daniel isn’t worried…”

  “Daniel isn’t worried because Daniel is currently living in a world where everyone loves him and he thinks because of that they’re just gonna accept this tattooed biker rock chick as his partner. It sounds ridiculous even saying it. It’s just not gonna happen.”

  “Will you just slow down, honey? Come on. Get back in control here, you’re freaking me out.”

  She took a deep breath. Being accepted was only part of the problem. Whether she was or she wasn’t she’d still be out there, linked in the most intimate way possible to the British Prime Minister in the full glare of the public eye. People would want to know about her. Some people would want to know more than others. And that’s what unnerved Stevie more than anything. She’d put off talking to Daniel. She’d put off telling him everything. But had she left it too late?

  “You’ve gone all quiet now. You wanna tell me what’s up?” Johnny asked, knocking her back to reality.

  “Shit! I don’t know, Johnny. I’m all over the place today. I just don’t know if I can do this.”

  “Listen, baby, if you’re not ready then tell him. He can’t force you to do anything.”

  “I’m sick of the secrecy, J. I’m tired of hiding.”

  “And he’s still worth all this is he? All this crap he’s putting you through?”

  She started kicking her heels against the cupboard doors. She really could do with a cigarette; her nerves were shot to pieces.

  “He’s worth it.”

  “You sure about that?”

  “How’s Mark?” she asked, avoiding the question.

  “Drinking himself stupid, staying out all night, sleeping with anything that smiles at him, shoving shitloads of coke up his nose any chance he gets…we lost him for two days in Vegas last week. He’s fine.”

  She closed her eyes for a second as memories of Mark Cassidy flooded her head. Memories she could do without tonight.

  “He misses you, Stevie.”

  The words hit her harder than she’d expected them to; because it was the first time she’d heard them. “Does he?” Why had she asked that? She didn’t need to know the answer. It wouldn’t do any good.

  “Do you care?”

  She needed that cigarette more than ever now. “Yeah, I care.” More than she wanted to. She heard Daniel’s voice from upstairs, singing along to the radio. “I’ve gotta go, Johnny. Big night and all that.”

  “Hey, Stevie?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Knock ‘em dead, kiddo.”

  She threw her ‘phone aside, not sure exactly what she’d got out of that conversation. If anything. Sometimes it was just nice to hear Johnny’s voice, that Californian accent that reminded her so much of – well, it was just nice.

  “Is everything ok?”

  She looked up as Daniel walked into the room and she slid down from the bench, walking over to him. He had just a white towel wrapped around his waist and he smelt of peppermint and grapefruit, his skin still warm and damp from the shower.

  “Everything’s fine, baby.”

  She felt her stomach flip over as she looked at him. The Prime Minister. What the hell was she doing here? All of a sudden a million reasons why this was all wrong flooded her head and she let go of him, walking away.

  “I can’t do this, Daniel.”

  “Stevie…”

  He followed her into the living room as she flung herself down onto one of the sofas. “Can’t do what?” He sat down next to her and she looked up at him.

  “This. Us. This isn’t my world. I don’t belong here.”

  “Says who?”

  “Look at me! Come on, Daniel; get your head out the fucking clouds will you? Stop pretending everything is fine because it isn’t. I can’t go out there tonight, I can’t do it.”

  “Hey, hey, will you just calm down.”

  She pushed a hand through her hair, turning away from him. “I am calm.”

  “It sounds like it.”

  He took her hand and she let him, although she still didn’t look at him. “Stevie?”

  Ok. Do you know what?” she said, looking back at him, kneeling up beside him. “Let’s just do this. Fuck them all! I have never cared what other people think of me so why should I start now?”

  There were a hundred reasons why she should start now but what was the point? She wasn’t going to give him up, she couldn’t do that. And if that was the case then what
was the point in putting this off any longer? It was going to happen sometime. It might as well be now.

  He smiled. “Are you sure? Because…”

  She wasn’t sure, of course she wasn’t, but the time had come to stop thinking about everything and just do it. So she shut him up with a kiss. A long, deep kiss. “Just make love to me, Daniel. Please. Just do that.”

  Because, right now, it was the only thing that was going to come anywhere close to calming her down. Daniel Madison, Prime Minister, was about to introduce her to the world. And whatever happened after that would just have to be dealt with. One way or another.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Angus wasn’t happy. He was irritated, and mainly with himself for believing that Daniel Madison would forget Stevie Stone the second he’d set foot inside Number Ten. Naivety wasn’t something Angus was prone to but he’d certainly displayed it in this situation, and now here they were with the press and the media out in their droves just waiting to see who this mystery woman was that had snared the heart of one of the most popular Prime Minister’s the country had ever seen. Would that still be the case when they caught sight of Stevie Stone?

  He looked at his watch as he waited at the entrance of the hotel, listening to the buzz of the waiting photographers and journalists. They didn’t have a name, they had no idea who this woman was that was about to step out of that car with Daniel Madison. They had no idea at all. But Angus knew everything about her. He knew every little detail, every lie, every secret. And tomorrow he’d make the ‘phone call, he’d put the wheels in motion so yes, he knew all about Stevie Stone and before long, so would everybody else. Only then could he be certain that she’d be out of Daniel’s life. Forever.

  ***

  Samantha felt sick to her stomach. She didn’t want to watch what was going to happen any second now but she couldn’t take her eyes off the TV screen as the black Jaguar pulled up outside the hotel and the waiting press surged forward to catch a glimpse of this woman that had taken her husband away from her. This woman that Angus had assured her wouldn’t be in Daniel’s life for long and yet here she still was. And now Daniel was making his new relationship common knowledge and all Samantha had were divorce papers and the promise of a hefty settlement that she didn’t want and certainly didn’t need. She wanted Daniel. She wanted her husband, she wanted that life she’d always dreamed of. Angus had told her it was still going to happen, Daniel would come to his senses all too soon, he’d promised her that would happen. So all Samantha could do was pray that he was right because this was so painful to have to sit back and watch from the sidelines.

  Every time she left the house she got looks of pity and sympathy and she couldn’t begin to think of the looks she was going to get once they’d seen this woman. But she was going to continue to hold her head high and not let anyone know how hard this was for her. She’d continue to do that because one day she’d be back where she belonged. By Daniel’s side. And everything would be right with her world. Just as it should be.

  ***

  Mark didn’t care anymore. Nothing mattered, nothing was important. He got through most days on a diet of alcohol, coke and a big dose of auto-pilot because the one thing that had kept him on the right track was gone. She was gone and he couldn’t deal with that. He was trying, in his own way he was trying but every day was a constant battle with his feelings and he was exhausted. He should be happy to be back in his home country, back in California, a place he loved, but he just wanted to be where she was. This was too far away.

  He threw himself down onto the sofa in the living room of his L.A. home, opening his second, or third – he wasn’t counting - beer of the day and it was only two in the afternoon. They had a small gig tonight on Sunset Boulevard to promote the album and he wasn’t really in the mood for any of it but he’d get through it, he always did. Even if he didn’t really want to anymore. Black Rock Diamond had once been his life but the goalposts had shifted, the game had changed. Without Stevie Black Rock Diamond meant nothing. Without Stevie Mark had no life, and he could just sit back and accept that or he could do something about it. But at that precise moment in time he had no idea which way that was going to go.

  ***

  Stevie clung onto Daniel’s hand as the car made its way through the London streets, surrounded by the usual security that now accompanied him everywhere. She wasn’t saying much, she was too nervous to speak; all she was aware of was her heart beating ten to the dozen and Daniel’s voice as he talked into his ‘phone. He was attached to his ‘phone a lot these days, it was something she was having to get used to.

  “It’s going to be alright.”

  She turned to look at him as he slipped his ‘phone back into his inside jacket pocket, giving her hand a quick squeeze.

  “Is it? Look at me, Daniel. How can I possibly fit into your world? No-one’s ever going to accept me.”

  He smiled, leaning over to kiss her gently. “You look stunning.”

  “I don’t feel comfortable.”

  He hadn’t made her, and he hadn’t asked her to, but she’d felt obliged to cover up her tattoos, and she hadn’t missed the look of silent relief on his face when she’d shown him the dress she was going to wear. She alone was going to be a big enough shock so she’d figured the tattoos were probably a step too far tonight. But she refused to lose who she was completely so she’d chosen a long-sleeved but figure-hugging black dress, short enough to show off her long, tanned legs but not too short as to over-shock the stuffy political set. She’d teamed it with high black ankle boots, her make-up light and natural, a black scarf tied around her white blonde hair in an Axl Rose bandana-style. She still looked very much Stevie Stone, rock chick – albeit a more toned down version than usual.

  “You look incredible, Stevie, really.”

  “I’m having to get used to dresses, Daniel. I’m having to get used to heels and I hate heels. And I very rarely do dresses, you know that.” She looked at him. “What’re you smiling at?”

  “You have no idea how beautiful you are.”

  “Jesus. You are such a charmer.” He laughed and she couldn’t help smiling. “I’m glad you’re relaxed.”

  He gave her hand another squeeze, running his fingers up her leg to her thigh.

  “Daniel…what are you doing?”

  “I love you, Stevie Stone.”

  She smiled again; she couldn’t help it, despite the nerves. “Yeah. I kinda love you too, Mr. P.M.”

  She closed her eyes as he kissed her slowly, letting his hand rest on her thigh, but as the car drew to a halt she pulled away, a wave of nausea washing over her as the nerves hit her tenfold.

  “I can’t do this, Daniel. I’m terrified.”

  He squeezed her hand again, bringing it up to his mouth and kissing it gently, smiling that smile but it wasn’t helping. She looked out of the window at the mass of people outside, the press and photographers, the cameras waiting to film their arrival and beam it round the world. She’d dealt with stuff like this when she’d been with the band but that had been easy because none of it had ever been focused on her. Even when she’d been out with Mark it still wasn’t her they’d been interested in and that was the way she liked it. But this was different. This was all about her and that didn’t make her feel comfortable. She didn’t want to be in the public eye, she didn’t want people to know who she was. For many, many reasons.

  “Just hold my hand and it’ll be fine,” Daniel said, stroking the hair from her eyes, still smiling that smile. “It’ll be fine. I promise.”

  She looked at him, into those trusting green eyes of his and her stomach settled a little bit, but not enough for her to feel any better about the situation. It was too late to turn back now though. It was too late to do anything except move forward into that frightening unknown.

  So she did as Daniel told her, held onto his hand like her life depended on it and hoped beyond anything else that this wasn’t the beginning of something she just couldn’t
control.

  ***

  Luke Franklin looked up from his laptop as the noise of what sounded like a million camera shutters going off at once resounded from the screen. He didn’t even know why the news channel was on, he wanted to watch the football. His dad must have switched it over and he’d been so busy “social networking” he hadn’t realised. Where was his dad anyway? The least he could have done was switch the channel back over when he’d left the room.

  He kept watching the screen. He was distracted now, anyway, and his attention had suddenly been caught by the woman who was holding onto the hand of the new Prime Minister. He wasn’t all that bothered by politics but nobody could have missed the recent publicity surrounding Daniel Madison’s new relationship. The world and its mother seemed to be interested in who this new woman was and what she looked like, but Luke was absolutely certain nobody had expected her to look like this. The woman holding onto Prime Minister Madison’s hand couldn’t have looked any further from the typical partner of a politician if she’d tried. She was stunning! Luke couldn’t take his eyes off her. He’d never really taken any notice of older women before because they’d all seemed so boring, but this one looked so far from boring - how the hell had someone like Daniel Madison managed to snare someone like that? And she had the most incredible legs!

  Connor Franklin walked back into the room, his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his jeans, looking over at his seventeen year old son who seemed engrossed in whatever was on the TV. Something had his attention, that was for sure.

  “What’s happening?” Connor asked, moving round to where he could see the TV.

  “Daniel Madison’s new girlfriend,” Luke replied, still staring at the screen.

  Connor followed Luke’s gaze, looking at the crowds gathering around the P.M. and the new woman in his life, watching as she turned round, the camera focusing on the face of the most beautiful woman Connor had ever seen. A woman Connor slowly began to recognise. A woman he’d never thought he’d ever see again. She was older, and she looked so different to the last time he’d seen her but it was definitely her. Stefanie Fredriksen. Unfinished business.