Page 26 of Best Mistake Ever
So, for the first time in a year, I prop it on my thigh, hug it close to my body for a moment, then take a breath and begin to play.
9
BEATRICE
The next day, I’m kept incredibly busy going from marquee to marquee outside and room to room in the house, satisfying both the crew’s and the attendees myriad – and amusingly eclectic – demands and requests. Someone needs a USB cable, someone else wants me to refrigerate some meds, another has lost a nipple ring, and I dash about like a woman possessed, sourcing and fixing and placating. But I love it. I feel useful and in control. I think I was born to do this job. I love the bustle and the challenge of it. And being away from the computer screen, which I’m normally chained to, is wonderful.
I keep catching glimpses of Jonah as I’m rushing from task to task, but he keeps his distance, seemingly giving me the space to do my job without interfering. Trouble is, every time I catch sight of him, my head goes a bit fuzzy and I forget what it is I’m meant to be doing for a moment.
Chatting to him in the library last night after he caught me singing was both wonderful – because of his compliments – and fraught with stress, as I tried to navigate his questions about me – or rather Dee and her sister – without tripping myself up and giving anything incongruous away to him. I wasdesperate to ask him to tell me more about himself, especially his last relationship, but I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to remember it all and then not be able to recount it to Dee in enough detail.
The heat of his body in such close proximity to mine made me feel trippy and I’d had the weirdest urge to lean in closer to him. To feel what it would be like to touch him.
Sex appeal seemed to roll off him in waves and I was acutely aware of how attractive I found him, despite his gruff, grumpy persona.
I’ve never had a physical response to a man like that before – not with my first boyfriend during sixth form or for the couple of guys I slept with during my university days. Not even with the guy I had a short but intense holiday fling with just after I graduated.
But I also knew I had to keep my distance.
For the sake of my sanity. And for Dee’s career.
Mid-afternoon, Jonah disappears and I breathe a sigh of relief that he finally seems content that things are going well here and he doesn’t need to keep popping in to check on the place.
His mere presence, even in the periphery of my vision, has been making my nerves hum with awareness.
By nine thirty in the evening, I’ve finally managed to grab a bite to eat and I’m heading back over to the library to catch the end of the cabaret before I rush back to Dee’s flat for a few hours’ sleep, to recharge, ready for it all starting again in the morning.
The room is packed with people draped across all the armchairs and sofas in there, with everyone else crammed together on the floor, like a school assembly. There’s a great atmosphere amongst the audience though, who are clearly enjoying the performances being showcased for their pleasureand there are whoops and calls of encouragement as the next act is called to the stage.
I manage to sidle my way into the room and squeeze into a tiny space next to the bookcase, gazing around me at the crowd of jazzily dressed festival-goers, who all look as if they come from another world. Another planet.
And there’s Jonah again. He must have followed me in and is leaning nonchalantly against the wall near the door, watching the proceedings with such intense concentration, I wish I could see inside his mind. What must he think of all this? It’s clearly more than he was anticipating, but so far he seems pretty cool with it.
It’s a bit concerning that he keeps turning up wherever I am though.
Just as I’m thinking this, he turns and catches my eye, raising his eyebrows and motioning with a jerk of his head for me to join him where he’s standing.
Warmth pools between my legs at the intense look in his eye. This is ridiculous. I really need to pull myself together. I absolutely cannot develop a crush on Dee’s boss.
No matter how sexy he is.
Knowing I don’t have a choice but to join him, I reluctantly leave my space by the bookcase and plot the easiest route through the crowd, which involves walking all the way around the edge of the room.
‘Everything okay?’ I ask once I’ve finally managed to pick my way through the crowd of people sitting between me and him.
‘Yeah, good. I’ve changed my mind about playing in the cabaret.’ He motions to a guitar I’d not noticed before, which is propped against the wall next to him. ‘I figured, if you’re brave enough to get up and perform in front of a bunch of strangers, then I should be too. And they seem like a friendly crowd.’
‘Oh! Right. Well, great. I’m sure it’ll be fine to add you to the running list,’ I say, a little surprised at his change of heart, especially as he seemed so against the idea when I mentioned it to him before. I’m gratified by the notion that my own performance has inspired him to get involved too.
‘And I want you to sing with me,’ he adds, with a twinkle in his eye.
My heart flips over.
‘Really?’
‘Yes.’
‘Oh.’
