Page 56 of I Knew You Were Trouble

‘Will the friends be at the house?’

‘I think so, but the family’s been asked to keep the visit under wraps, so there isn’t a waiting crowd outside on the street.’

‘How long will the boys be there?’

‘Ziggy says about thirty to forty minutes. They’ll take some photos, sign some autographs, et cetera.’

‘Who’s her favourite band member?’

‘Cal, I think, but I imagine it’s now Aidan.’

I lean forward, looking through the windscreen at the cars in front, speeding through Sydney’s suburbs, back towards the neighbourhood of Bondi.

‘Don’t worry, we’re right on their tail,’ Meredith reassures me.

‘Have everything running from the get-go,’ I say, switching on my hand-held camera, giving Duncan a nudge. ‘I want them arriving at the door.’

Duncan follows my lead. ‘Roger that,’ he mutters.

‘It’s a good look on you, Duncan,’ Meredith says up front.

‘What is?’

Meredith rubs her chin before returning her eyes to the road ahead. ‘The shadow.’

I shoot Duncan a knowing smile.

He blushes. ‘Cheers,’he mutters.

The first thing I see when I step out of the car on the residential street is Aidan clutching a sizeable bouquet of pink and red roses. He’s wearing high-tops, loose-fitting combat trousers, a sexy, fitted white T-shirt and sunglasses. Last night, lying in bed, the wine in my system, all I could think about was his arousal pressing into me, until I couldn’t take it anymore, the dull ache between my legs once again needing to be dealt with. Maybe he would have reacted that way to any girl sitting in his lap. Yet I want to know if it happenedbecauseit was me.

Rebel Heart’s arrival in this residential community is purposefully low-key. It’s still early and no crowds have gathered. There’s a man on the street affixing a surfboard to the roof of his car. Even at this hour, the sun blazes down from a clear sky. Duncan races up ahead of the boys and I’m relieved when they don’t even flinch at his presence, talking amongst themselves. Bodhi and members of his team hover as Ziggy ushers the five of them across the road towards a modest beige house with solar panels on the roof, a small white hybrid Toyota parked in the driveway. I film them from behind, even keeping Duncan in shot.

A woman answers the door, who I presume to be Jessie Fletcher’s mother. I hang back with Meredith, the boys all ease and friendliness as they enter the property. I glimpse a photographer already inside. By the time I enter, Jessie Fletcher is beaming from ear to ear, holding onto her flowers, surrounded by the band, and they are being photographed. She wears braces, baggy jeans and a crop-top, her hair loose about her shoulders. Aidan is talking animatedly about what he’d seen from the stage, Jessie’s friends all gathered behind her, their faces a cross between shyness and disbelief at what is taking place. It’s a sweet scene, the boys all laughing and joking and charming her mother and father, the younger teenage son looking on in disgust from the sofa, his arms crossed over his chest. Mrs Fletcher is so moved she starts crying, Aidan putting his arms around her shoulders. When Cal presents Jessie with five backstage passes for the concert that night, the girls all squeal in delight.

When the photographer requests pictures in the back garden, the boys dutifully file outside. I make eyes with Duncan to follow, to keep filming, and Meredith goes too. I remain behind with Ziggy.

‘This was a really nice thing to do,’ I say.

‘Screws with my schedule though, don’t it?’ Ziggy says in a whispered hiss. ‘They’ve got interviews all day and they’re all bloody knackered. Last thing we needed was to drive out to bloody Bondi before tonight’s show. Aidan blimmin’ insisted.’

‘I’m sure the family will appreciate the gesture,’ I say, warmth spreading through me at the news that this was Aidan’s specific wish. ‘Plus, it’s all good press for them, right?’

Ziggy’s already looking at his watch. ‘Ten more minutes and we’re out of here.’

‘Thanks for giving Meredith a heads-up.’

‘Yeah, well, I thought you were the one who was gonna bring me trouble with Aidan. Doesn’t seem to be the case; you two have made your peace. Now he’s got that Haven girl clinging to him instead.’

‘Right.’ I swallow, because I can only manage a single word over the invisible set of fists that are, at this moment, pummelling my ribcage and making my jealous heart ache.

Ziggy goes outside. I’m waiting in the living room with a grumpy teenaged boy when Aidan comes back inside.

I’m surprised to see him. ‘Hey,’ he says in a low tone, removing his sunglasses and hooking them over the neckline of his T-shirt. ‘Have you got a minute?’

‘Sure,’ I say and he looks around, ushering us both into the adjacent kitchen.

When we’re alone, Aidan rubs the back of his neck. ‘I, uh, wanted to explain… about last night. In case you got the wrong idea.’

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