Page 8 of Another Lucky Number

‘I said…yes, it is.’

‘That explains it then. You don’t know the golden rule. Everyone, shall we share it with Emma? Ready… and...’

‘If your name’s put up, you gotta come up!’ the entire bar singsongs at me.

With my terror intensified by this unwanted attention, I throw a helpless look at Cat, who looks back at me with sympathetic eyes. This is my worst nightmare. It’s a karaoke cult. And I’m not getting out alive.

‘Up. Up. Up. Up,’ the crowd continue their chanting.

Glaring at Amber, I climb out of my seat and head for the DJ box, prompting the chanting to turn into cheering applause and foot stamping. Not such a chilled crowd after all then.

‘How you doing, Emma?’ The karaoke MC gives me an inappropriate slap on the back when I reach him. ‘The hardest part is getting out of your seat.’

Though I’m generally a pacifist (or more accurately, an avoider of conflict) I want to kick him in the balls for this. Hard. I’d also kick Amber in the balls if she had any.

He hands me the microphone and I shuffle over to the stage, where the song title materialises on the screen:Rich Girlby Gwen Stefani. Typical bloody Amber. She’s intentionally added to my discomfort with her own private joke. I throw a you’re-so-dead-if-I-make-it-through-the-next-three-minutes warning in her direction. Cat looks dutifully humiliated on my behalf, but Amber simply whoops: ‘Sing like it’s real, sister!’

Deciding it’s best to ignore her, as well as everyone else in the bar, I fix my eyes on the screen. The intro starts and before I know what’s happening, I’m tunelessly expelling the lyrics.Similar to the woman who was singing when we first arrived, I’m faltering and off-time, but without the saving grace of being able to sing in key. My off-pitch warbling fills the bar, every inch of me consumed by humiliation.

As I reluctantly murder line after line, I become more aware of my surroundings, realising only when the second verse starts, that everyone is singing and clapping along. I dare a quick glance at the nearest tables, which to my surprise, are full of smiling, encouraging faces. Their support is like a drug. Now I’ve discovered it, I need more to keep me going.

Sweeping the sea of faces, I direct a brief cringing smile at Cat, who’s cheering louder than anyone else. Then, while stumbling through a shockingly bad rendition of Eve’s featured rap – holding out my hands in acceptance of my lack of talent – I inadvertently lock eyes with a man I didn’t spot before now. He’s older than me, maybe mid-thirties, tall, with mid-brown hair and a well-manicured beard. His fitted linen shirt perfectly defines his muscular physique and caramel tan.

In that one single look, I feel a surge of electricity between us: his smouldering gaze boring into mine, lips betraying his amusement at my performance, but at the same time, appearing to tease me with the slightest hint of a seductive smile. Flustered by this exchange, I lose my place and finish the song completely off-time, though this doesn’t seem to bother my onlookers, who roar and cheer as if I’m Gwen Stefani herself.

Finally free from the jaws of humiliation, I scurry back to my friends and climb back into my seat, playfully cuffing Amber across the back of the head as I do.

‘What was that for?’ she complains.

‘As if you need to ask. Thanks for making it even worse with your song choice.’

‘You’re welcome.’ She breaks into a mischievous grin.

‘You did great, honey.’ Cat puts her arm around me, giving me a squeeze. ‘The crowd loved you.’

‘It seems they did. And I got a lot more applause than you did, Amber.’ I fan myself with a napkin to cool myself down and disperse the residual embarrassment.

She ignores me and wanders off to the toilets.

Now back in a place of relative safety and calm, I remember about the mysterious man, but when I look around for him, he seems to have disappeared. And I’m surprised to find I’m a little disappointed.

‘Hey, when I was up there losing every last shred of dignity, I spotted a majorly hot man.’ I say to Cat. ‘We made eye contact – and if I wasn’t making a complete tool of myself up there – I would have said there was a moment between us.’

‘Really?’ Her face lights up with interest. ‘Maybe there was. Point him out.’

‘Well, that’s the thing… He’s disappeared, so I guess I’ll never know. Probably a good thing anyway. I know it’s early days, but I want to see what happens with James when I get home.’

‘That makes sense. Although remember you’ve only been on one date. You’re not exclusive – yet.’

‘What are you two yapping about?’ Amber says as she rejoins us.

‘About moving on to a karaoke-free bar.’ I climb back out of my seat. ‘Drink up and let’s go.’

‘No bloody fun, you lot,’ she grumbles as she trails out of the bar behind us.

Chapter Four

We check out another couple of bars before taking a taxi back to the resort. There’s plenty of banter on the way, which seems to amuse the driver. Mostly playful sniping between Amber and myself, regarding our equally dismal karaoke performances – though in her head that’s not how her moment of glory went.

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