Playing Along (30 page)

Mark is sitting shuffling a pack of cards. “You could, you know, wear a penguin suit. I mean like a real one with a beak and everything. Should I run the idea by Stacey?” Mark is way more talkative since the band have been working on his song. George realizes now how important that was to his self-esteem.

“Good luck with that,” says Simon, looking nervous. “Oh yeah, George, and Stace says she’s got a bunch of friends she could set you up with.”

“Not necessary,” says George.

“Why’s that?” asks Duncan, who is already on his third bottle of beer. “You saving yourself for our Fanny? I saw her down the hallway just now. Not a scratch of make-up. Could pass for fifteen. She’s ripe for the picking, G Whizz. If you’re not biting anymore, I will.”

“Help yourself,” says George, knowing it’s unlikely that he can avoid seeing Fanny for the entire evening.

“I would, but she seems to think she’s not finished with you. She told me it was extremely top secret urgent that she talks to you pronto. Shall I send her in?”

“Very funny,” says George, looking forward to a life with a woman who is psychologically sound. “She has a direct line to the underworld or something, Dunc. She talks to her dead boyfriend, Sebastian. She’s completely mad.”

“Just my type,” says Duncan opening up another bottle of beer. “I’ll convince her tonight. After we’ve won.”

George needs to tell Gabe to supervise Duncan. He doesn’t want him off his head before they’ve even rehearsed.

LEXI
February 16
^th
, 2010
Metropolitan Hotel, London, 4:00 p.m.

Lexi walks down the long, minimalist hallway with a growing excitement about tonight’s festivities. She’s decided she’s not going to tell anyone about the kiss. Or the hand holding. Or her heart, which feels as if it has been lit by a thousand flickering candles. Not even Meg. It’s hers to savor for a little while longer. She’ll be back home in a few days. Back to reality. Back to Lance. They’ve only been dating for six weeks. It’s not like they’ve even discussed being exclusive, except they see each other every weekend, so she knows that they are. But for right now all she wants to do is continue this adventure while she can. This might be the first time in her life she has actually rebelled and it feels exhilarating. Sliding her key in the slot, Lexi plots out her next hour. She’s going to run a hot bath and shave her legs. The door swings open.

“Surprise!”

Lance is lying on the bed wearing the tiniest pair of black briefs, an over-enthusiastic smile and nothing else.
Oh dear God
.

“Lance! What… what are you doing here?” She throws her bags down on the floor and looks around the room, flustered, wishing someone could wave a magic wand and make him go away.

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m surprising you!”

“Well, holy crap, that worked. You really
have
surprised me.”

“Good. That was the intention. Are you happy?” he rolls off the bed and walks towards her for a hug. She can see the bulge growing in his underwear like a balloon inflating. She wants to scream.

“I’m just a little taken aback, that’s all. I don’t really like surprises.” He pulls her towards him. He smells like pretzels. The only word running a marathon of circles in her head is
George, George, George.

“Let me see what I can do to rectify that. I raided the mini bar. I’ve opened up a bottle of champagne. You’ve got to agree that London is one of the most romantic cities on earth.” He has no idea how very much in agreement she is. He tries to kiss her and she wriggles away.

“I’m sorry, Lance. It really is good to see you,” she lies, “it’s just that I’m not feeling great. I’ve been a little queasy all day. It must have been something I ate.”

“Here, gorgeous,” he says, leading her towards the bed, “sit down, I’ll give you a foot massage.” Now she wants to scream even louder than before, as he unzips her boots and starts kneading the balls of her feet.

“How’s that? If I’m not wrong, there’s an acupressure point right about here that helps with nausea.” It would have to be a pretty big point to help tackle what Lexi is feeling.

“That’s helping a bit, thank you,” she says, withdrawing her foot. “So what’s the story? I’m very busy with work, you know.”

“No story. I just couldn’t stand another second without you and it happened that the firm needed me to fly to Paris to meet with another engineer for that bridge project, so I thought I would kill two birds with one stone and make a little pit stop. I know you’re busy. I’ll only bother you after hours,” he says, winking. Lance has definitely killed more than two birds with his stone.

“Paris? When are you leaving?” she doesn’t want to be too obvious but she needs to know.

“Thursday morning and I was hoping you would come with me to celebrate.”

“Celebrate what?” asks Lexi, glancing at the digital clock next to the bed.

“Our engagement.”

“Excuse me?” Has he just said what she thinks he’s said?

“That is if you’ll say yes.” Lance falls dramatically to one knee, and now because his briefs are obscured, he looks as if he’s naked. He slips his hand under the mattress and pulls out a large, glinting diamond ring.

“I love you, Lexi Jacobs. I only realized how much when you got on that plane and flew away from me. I know it hasn’t been long but you’re everything I’ve been searching for in a woman. Kind, beautiful, sexy, intelligent, responsible. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Her heart stops beating for a second and she closes her eyes. All her candles have been blown out. This cannot be happening. When she opens them again, Lance is still balancing in front of her holding the ring. She starts to speak but is drowned out by an extremely loud knocking.

“Lexi! Lexi, are you in there?” Russell is hammering insistently. “Lexi, are you there?”

“Yes!” she calls, leaping up from the bed and running to the door, anything to try and get away from the question at hand.

“Did you just say yes?” asks Lance. “Was that a yes?”

Lexi throws open the door and comes face to face with a very traumatized-looking Russell. His linen trousers are ripped at the knee and he is holding a napkin to his chin. Lexi can see blood seeping through.

“Russell! What happened to you?”

“I was mugged by some terrifying yobos outside the tube station. They ripped my fanny pack from around my waist and threw me to the ground. It was dreadful.”

“Oh you poor thing!” says Lexi, guiding Russell into the room, “Come and sit down.”

Lance begins frantically pulling on his jeans.

“Lance, my goodness, what are you doing here?” asks Russell, who is rather shaky on his legs.

“I’m proposing to Lexi, Russell,” says Lance, “in fact I was right in the middle of it.” He holds out the diamond for proof.

“I
do
choose my moments, don’t I?” says Russell, accepting the glass of water that Lexi has poured for him, “What did she say?”

“Well, the last word out of her mouth was—yes,” says Lance, looking hopefully to Lexi, who is feeling bizarrely suspended in time, wondering how long the three of them can survive her silence. She just doesn’t know what’s supposed to happen next. Is this the happy ending that everyone is waiting for?

GEORGE
16
^th
February, 2010
Earls Court, 7:00 p.m.

LEXI
February 16
^th
, 2010
Earls Court, 7:00 p.m.

George has managed to manoeuvre Lexi away from the table, pretending that he wants to introduce her to someone. She had arrived separately from Russell, and George had begun to worry, speculating that maybe she wasn’t going to show. She looks amazing in a short black skirt, ankle boots and a leather jacket. Her hair is the colour of walnut wood.

“Hi again.” Everyone is eating before the show begins and he has to lean in to be heard above the noise. He puts his hand on the back of her waist, finding it difficult not to touch her.

“Hi,” Lexi is trying to remove Lance from her mind. She left him at the hotel eating a club sandwich. “Are you sure I can’t come with you?” he’d said.

“Definitely sure—it’s business.”

“You look very spectacular.” George is close enough so that she can feel his breath.

“Have you seen Lady Gaga yet?”

“Oh her…. Boooring.”

“You nervous?”

“I will be if I don’t get your phone number soon.”

“How many girls have heard that?”

“Only the ones I kissed today. Care to see the list?”

“Not really. But now that you mention it, I might ask if Fanny Arundel is on it.”

“Ask away.”

“Is she your girlfriend?”

“Absolutely not. The questions are starting. Does this mean we’re getting serious?” George has never been more at ease with a woman.

“That depends. I do need to talk to you about something.”

“I’m about to get a bit busy being a rock star. Can I see you alone later?”

“I’m not sure that’s the best idea…”

“Trust me—it is.” There is something about Lexi that is both reassuring and intriguing. He knows that underneath her poised exterior he’ll discover a more fragile layer. He’s ready to explore.

“Why should I trust you? I hardly know you…”

“But we do know each other, Lexi, don’t we? Don’t tell me you’re not feeling the connection too?”

“I am, George. I am. But it’s kinda’ freaking me out because there are things that you don’t know. It’s complicated.” The glint of the diamond ring flashes before Lexi’s eyes.

“I
do
know, Lexi. I’ve been wanting to tell you. I—” Gabe skids to a halt in front of them. “George, where the hell have you been? They need you backstage—now. Everyone’s waiting.”

“Okay, I’m coming,” he steps away from Lexi. “I’ll see you after the performance. I’ll finish the story then.”

8:15 p.m.

George is in his element. No dancers. No fancy light show. No gimmicks. Just him and the boys doing what they do best with nothing to hide behind. Tonight they are singing “Under the Radar”—one single gem. One chance to confirm that they’ve been nominated for a reason. He’s singing to a roomful of fans and peers, but really he’s only singing to one person and this time he knows exactly who she is.

How could I have left you

Tried so hard to forget you

You slipped under the radar

I’ll start looking today

The static in my brain

Slowly driving me insane

Searching for a name

I never even knew

Try and end this

Searching

I’ve missed the crucial clue

never ending searching

for you, you, you

You slipped under the radar

I was looking away

I was looking away

He wrote this song three years ago, long before he was even aware of Lexi’s existence. The best part of singing these lyrics tonight is knowing that they are no longer true.

Lexi can hear glasses clinking, but mostly just a hushed silence as George holds the room enrapt. This should really be one of the most exciting and magical nights of her life—in London at The Brits, sipping champagne, watching George Bryce on stage singing in his incredibly sexy voice, actually knowing for sure that the one woman he wants to be with tonight is her.

Instead Lexi is consumed with a guilt that is making her fidget. How can she be so fickle? So careless? So selfish? No men for months and then two arrive at the same time, both offering her completely different directions. She wishes now for the girl she once was, the all-American prom queen with her future laid out neatly before her, like a laundered outfit hanging on the back of a chair. Or does she?
These are not real problems
, Lexi reminds herself.
Think of what other people in the world are suffering through and here I am whining about being wanted by two different men
. Lexi looks up at George on stage, singing beautifully, sounding dreamy and vulnerable. As usual, his lyrics are talking to her. All she has to do is try and work out exactly what they are saying.

9:25 p.m.

“And the Listener’s Choice award for best album of the year goes to Thesis!” The table erupts. George takes a deep breath and looks around at the boys. Duncan’s eyes look disturbingly glazed. Stacey has wrapped herself around Simon’s neck. Mark is kissing Anna. He catches Lexi’s eye instead. She smiles. He wants to kiss her again, right now. He can’t wait to tell her everything—how he saw her running, how he saw her in the third row, how he saw her on the television, how he wants to continue seeing her every day of his life. He doesn’t. He smiles back. He walks with the rest of the band to the stage. He accepts the award from Lily Allen and says graciously into the mike, “The Listener’s award means the most to us. If
you
weren’t listening, you wouldn’t be hearing, so thanks for listening, hearing and voting. Cheers!” He hands the microphone to Mark, who is customarily reserved in these situations. “Thanks to our fans and families,” says Mark, holding up the award. “We love you all!” The audience clap and holler. Duncan tries to grab the microphone, but thankfully the music kicks in and they are ushered off stage quickly before he can say anything.

Lexi watches George accept the award. Before she knows it he’ll be pulling her away again, trying to talk. Trying to kiss. She resolves to tell him everything about Lance. She realizes that’s her only choice.

10:05 p.m.

The awards are over and the mood is effervescent. It has been a memorable ceremony and George was blown away by Dizzee Rascal’s duet with Florence. Robbie Williams wound up the evening with a medley of old trusties and Lexi had asked, “Who’s that?”— a reminder to George to be grateful that they are known on both sides of the globe. There will be a slew of all night parties to choose from now, but George’s only intent is to slip away with Lexi. Maybe they’ll take a taxi to the Embankment and walk along the river, or perhaps he’ll take her to his favourite spot on Primrose Hill.

Lexi feels slightly relieved ever since making the decision to come clean to George and a few glasses of crisp white wine have helped take the edge off. They’ll talk. She’ll explain her dilemma. He’ll understand. Won’t he?