“Oh, let me help you.”
I jumped up to pick up the cups and the lady looked as if I’d just offended her entire family. “No, madam,” she bowed her head. “This is my pleasure.”
Awkwardly, I stepped back and lowered myself back down to my seat. I refused to look at the guys because I could hear Hayes’s stupid wheezing sound he made when he was trying to hold in his laughter. It sounded like whistling kettle.
“Mrs Clover,” Angel snorted when she left the room. “She takes her job seriously.”
“Does she only work here when Risk is home?”
“No, all year round,” Hayes answered. “She has her own key. On the top floor, in his entertainment room, Risk has this huge aquarium that is made into the walls, it wraps around the room and has hundreds of saltwater fish. It’s gorgeous. She comes by daily to feed and check on them and she does whatever cleaning she has to. She stocks up on food when she knows Risk is coming home.”
Wow.
“I wonder if she’d come and work for me in Southwold.”
Everyone chuckled at me but I wasn’t joking.
I tried to relax as best as I could but I was glad when Risk came into the room not long after Mrs Clover left. He sat right next to me, slung his arm over my shoulder and stared at me. Instantly, I was embarrassed.
“What?”
“You look extra sexy.” His eyes scanned my face. “I’ve never seen you wear eye make-up before.”
“Thank Summer,” I said. “She said I needed a smoky eye and winged eyeliner if I was attending a Blood Oath concert.”
He stared at my eyes.
“She made it look like little drops of blood are dripping from your eyeliner.”
“Nice, right?”
“Sexy,” he corrected. “So fucking sexy.”
I flushed. “Risk, everyone can hear you.”
“She’s so cute,” Summer gushed to Hayes. “How can a caveman like him have a sweetie like her.”
“Because she’s not around him enough to know how boring he really is.”
“Eat my dick, demon.”
Angel laughed, not insulted by Risk in the slightest.
I leaned into him. “Are you nervous?”
“Nope,” he answered. “I can’t wait.”
He looked ready to bounce off the walls with excitement.
“Is it different?” I murmured. “Being sober?”
“Yeah,” he kissed my nose. “Like I’m gonna be fully present for it, you know? I never used or drank on stage, but I did before and after so my mind was always clouded when I performed. This is a reset for me, for the band.”
I nodded. “I can’t wait to see you in action.”
“And what about me?” May asked, entering the room. “I’m the best performer in the band.”
“Here we go,” Summer rolled her dark brown eyes. “Modest May in the flesh.”
I laughed. “Modest May.”
May scowled between myself and Summer.
“There are two of them to try and tear me down now,” May nudged Angel’s leg. “Your missus better be nice to me.”
“Not likely.”
We laughed.
“Let’s get moving, guys!” a voice hollered from the hall. “Curtain drops in three hours, wheels up in five.”
Everyone got up, but Risk held me down onto the sofa.
“What is it?”
“I want to give you something.”
I leaned in to kiss him, he smiled and pecked my lips.
“Thank you, but not a kiss.”
I blinked. “What d’you wanna give me then?”
“A gift . . . Happy belated Valentine’s Day. I wanted to give this to you yesterday but you were so upset that I was leaving so I saved it for today instead.”
He pulled out a black box from behind his back and handed it to me. My face burned because I had completely forgotten the significance of the day because I hadn’t celebrated it in nine years. I felt pressured because everyone in the room was watching us. With shaking hands, I lifted the lid of the box and I gasped when the most stunning white gold bracelet I had ever seen stared back at me. Hanging from the bracelet were two charms, a small microphone and a little guitar that appeared to be made completely out of diamonds.
“Risk.” I whispered. “Oh my god.”
“D’you like it?”
“Like it.” I looked up at him with tears in my eyes. “I love it. I’ve never owned a bracelet before, this is absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much, but I didn’t get you anything.”
“Yeah, you did,” he smiled. “You’re coming to my first sober show . . . this is my biggest first and you’re gonna be here for it.”
“Oh, honey.” My chin quivered.
“Oh, fuck! Eye make-up, eye make-up!”
Summer’s shouting was a reminder that I had make-up on and I instantly used my free hand to fan my face to force my tears to go away. Summer grabbed some napkins that were sitting on the coffee table and thrust them into my face. I grabbed a bunch and placed them under my eyes until the threat of crying passed. When I lowered the tissue, I saw some black smudges on the white cloth.