Page 5 of Wild Tonic
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll call you later.”
“Safe travels, buddy.”
Nate hung up and smiled broadly at the guy who had been glaring at him throughout the whole conversation. There was a part of him that wanted to call someone else, just to piss him off even more. Instead, he opened the photo album on his phone and pulled up the couple of pictures that Clementine, no, Clem, had taken of them last night. She was very different to Poppy, seeming more polished and put together, somehow. He wondered what she did. They hadn’t had much in-depth conversation and he honestly couldn’t remember if she’d mentioned a job or anything. He did know she didn’t live in Leeds though. If that had been her he’d seen rushing through the station earlier, had she been going north or south? Either way, he did think that maybe he’d like to see her again.
The train pulled in to Doncaster and the chap who had been so disapproving of his conversation got off. He left behind a newspaper and Nate spotted that it was the same one he’d been reading in the bar. The supplement was nestled between the pages of the sports section and Nate snatched it up and turned to the page he thought he’d seen Clem’s picture on.
He compared it to the picture on his phone. It was the same woman. He read the short caption underneath the shot of her with a couple of men and another girl:The cast of Pretty Rich Things celebrate the opening of Byron Thom’s new restaurant in Kensington. L-R, Finola Bright, 26; Byron Thom, 28; Gordon Melvin, 28; Clementine Cameron, 23.
Nate’s eyes widened. He re-read the caption several times.
The name of the show rang a bell deep in the recesses of his mind. Why did it seem so familiar? He racked his brain, trying to recall where he recognised it from. He’d ask Alik when he saw him; if anyone was going to know Alik would.
Chapter Four
Parker, I need to see you. I think I’m in big trouble. Please, please, PLEASE call me back!!!! Lxxxxx
When his phone screen flashed with a message from his ex, Parker Roberts didn’t know how to react. He and the actress Lexi Bloom had barely spoken since splitting up. There wasn’t much to talk about after Parker had found dick pics of her co-star on her phone. She maintained they had got there by accident and were part of the film the two of them were in. Then he’d seen the bank of messages between the two and discovered there was nothing accidental about them at all.
He wondered idly what she meant by ‘big trouble’, although he had no intention of finding out any more about it. His phone pinged again and he saw it was second missive from Lexi, this one with even more exclamation marks and capital letters. He flicked it to silent and shoved it under a cushion as Poppy McKenna came into the living room.
“I did half sweet and half salty.” She brandished a dish of popcorn at him. “Something for both of us.” Poppy settled onto the sofa beside him and stretched her legs out on the stool in front of them. “What are we watching again?”
It was a rare night in for him and they’d decided to watch a movie together. Parker had been busy working out the next moves for Blood Stone Riot and scouting some new bands for Numb Records, the label he was Artist Development Manager for. He was usually out and about in pubs and clubs listening to bands, deciding if they were good enough to approach to sign. He and Poppy had been a couple for a while now and he had recently moved into her house in North Ridge, to ensure stability for her daughter, India. It also made it easier for Nate to visit and maintain that routine for India too.
The fact he had gotten together with the wife of one of his band members wasn’t lost on him—it was usually the other way around. Poppy had been going through a hard time when Nate had been out on tour, and Parker found himself looking out for her. After a brief kiss in a London bar, it had swiftly developed into something far more permanent.
Inheriting an almost three-year-old had come as part of the package and he didn’t regret that for one moment. The insta-family was working well.
For a second, his mind flitted back to Lexi. Life with her certainly hadn’t been like that.
“I believe it’s your turn to choose.” He reached for a handful of popcorn and scooped up some of the sticky sweet kernels.
Poppy grinned and grabbed the remote, finding the latest chick-flick-romcom release she wanted to see. Parker was just grateful that it wasn’t one of Lexi’s.
The film washed over him as they sat there, Poppy snuggled in against his body. His hand idly stroked her ribs, occasionally brushing against the curve of her breast. Poppy sighed contentedly and moved in closer, her own fingers entwined in his. It was comfortable, easy and wholly satisfying.
Poppy’s phone chirruped into life, startling them both.
“Sorry! I thought it was on silent.” She pulled away from him and reached over to grab the offending item. Her face creased into a frown as she looked at the number. “Ugh, probably a typical nuisance caller. I don’t recognise the number.”
“At this time of night?” Parker glanced up at the clock on the wall. “It’s after nine, don’t they ever give up?”
The phone rang again.
“Clearly not.” He sighed.
“It’s a message.”
“Leave it. If it was important in the first place, they’ll call you back.”
But Poppy was already listening. “It might be about India’s play date tomorrow,” she added, the phone pressed to her ear. “It’s a new mum and I don’t want her to think I’m ignoring her.”
The politics of parenting was something Parker was still coming to terms with. He knew how important it was to Poppy for her to make a good impression in her circle and if someone new joined, she didn’t want them to be ignored. She’d been through that herself.
Stuffing some more popcorn into his mouth, he surreptitiously pulled his own phone out from its hiding place. There were further messages from Lexi, each seeming to be increasingly more frantic than the last. He didn’t have chance to read them as Poppy ended her call.
“Oh my God!” Her eyes were wide as she reached for the iPad on the table.
