Page 37 of Muddy Messy Love

Looking back to the stage, I narrow in on a familiar face and squint through my cosmo haze to ensure I’m seeing right. I am. It’s him. “Um, Jen. That lead singer—I know him. That’s Tej Patil. He works at Mini-Bees.”

Her glossy lips drop open. “No way.”

“Way. He sings to the kids. Never knew he was in a band though.”

She slaps her hand down over mine. “You have to introduce us.”

“It would be weird if I didn’t say hello, I guess. Later though. They’re about to start.”

Tej steps up to the mic, raking fingers through his tousled hair. He’s all Green Day grunge with black-rimmed eyes, a red tartan suit jacket, and skinny black jeans. “Good evening, dear patrons of this amazing establishment. Thanks for coming out tonight. As you might know, we are Riot of the Ruby Soul.”Cheers and whistles erupt across the crowd. “Thank you.” Tej smiles. “We have a pretty special show planned tonight. Hope you like it.”

Tej swings his guitar into position, adjusting the strap over his shoulder, and with a nod, the drummer taps his sticks together three times. The medley of instruments boom through the speakers, charging the air and swallowing the room, and bass thumps through the seats, rattling our glasses on the table. Tej delivers the first line with a dark, gritty voice, and I arch a brow at Jen. “How doesheremind you of Ed Sheeran?” Don’t get me wrong, I love Ed, but Tej is edgier. More intense. Angrier.

She leans across the table. “He writes his own songs too. And just look at that cheeky smile. Don’t you want to pinch those chubby cheeks?”

I’m not convinced we’re watching the same man, but one thing’s for sure: Tej is an epic showman—a grunge god who commands the stage with charisma and skill, luring the crowd into his orbit and leading them on a journey through his soul.

Jen pulls me from the booth and drags me to the dance floor, and two hours pass as if they were twenty minutes. The music and movement finish what the cosmos started, purging the last scraps of pain from my cells and freeing my mind from looping torture.

Wiping dampness from my brow, I guzzle down a bottle of water. Bodies gyrate around me, and sweat stifles the air. Riot of the Ruby Soul ascends into the climax of their encore, and Liam bounces around the dance floor, flailing his arms like the kids atMini-Bees. Jen shakes her head, and I laugh. Beer number five never ceases to entertain.

As the final song ends, Tej’s guitar cuts through the air with a vibrato-filled power chord that lingers. Then the music cuts out, and the crowd goes wild. Tej frees his guitar and leans into the mic. “Thank you very much,” he says, Elvis-style with a wink.

We cheer, clap, and whistle our thanks, and slowly the bodies disperse. Top-forty music hijacks the speakers, coaxing some to stay and dance, but many head for the bar or out the door.

“Introduce us, introduce us!” Jen says.

“Okay, okay. Follow me.” I push through the remaining crowd, liquid courage fuelling my nerve, and halt stage side, fiddling with my hands, flanked by Jen and Liam. “Tej?”

He snaps his head towards me, and a smile lights up his face. “Avery?” Standing up, he leans his guitar against the amp and walks over. “Hey, what a surprise. Did you see the show?”

I nod. “You were incredible. I had no idea—well, I mean I did—at work you’re great, but on stage you’re something else.” My voice comes jittery and high like a fangirl half my age, and I cringe.

“Thanks,” Tej says, his grin sparkling. He shoves his hands inside the front pockets of his jeans, and his straight white teeth glisten under the dim stage lights.

A petite hand pincers my waist, and I clear my throat. “Oh, I’d like to introduce you to my friends. This is Jen and her boyfriend, Liam. Jen’s a huge fan.”

Tej leans down, fist-bumping Liam. “It’s great to meet you both. Thanks for coming to the show.” He offers his hand out to Jen, and she grips it with both of hers, jumping up and down.

“No. Thank you!” she says. “You’re awesome. I love you.” She freezes as her words sink in and then flushes beetroot. Liam grumbles unintelligibly, but Tej throws his head back and laughs.

“Thanks, Jen. We love our fans too.” Prying his hand from her grasp as politely as possible, he turns to me. “I don’t suppose you guys have time for a drink?”

I shrug and smile, ignoring the muffled squeal circling Jen’s throat. “Sounds great.”

Tej grins. “Give me ten to finish up here, and I’ll come find you.”

As he heads off, Jen squeezes my shoulders, still bouncing. “Holy shit. We get todrinkwith him.”

Liam rolls his eyes. “C’mon, crazy girl. Let’s wait for him at the bar.” He wraps his arms around Jen’s waist from behind and picks her up. Protesting, she surrenders her grip on me, then pouts as she’s carried away.

As promised, Tej soon finds us, and his charisma doesn’t stop on stage. Our conversation flows like Van Gogh. We discuss everything from Benedict Kane to existential ponderings to memories of our respective school years, and I take every opportunity to rile Jen in her inebriated, smitten state.

She smacks her hand down on the bar and points to me. “You can talk, Little Miss Perfect. Remember when you got a C-plus on your science test and sobbed like the world was ending?”

I do. Vividly. I narrow my eyes on her. “How about you? I seem to remember steam pouring out your ears when Mr. Curnow gave you a ‘good job’ on your rabbit presentation.”

Her eyes grow wide. “That’s because it was epic. How many other kids got live, detailed footage of their rabbits mating?”

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