Page 41 of Wild Tonic
“If you’ve got any copies or there are things stored in the cloud, I want you to destroy them. If any of this stuff ever sees the light of day, I’m going straight to the police and you’re going straight to prison.” Lexi threw the phone back at him. “And I never want to see you ever again.”
“Likewise. I don’t know what I saw in you anyway.” Tommy drained his beer, pushed back his chair and left the bar.
Lexi threw her arms around Parker. “Oh my God, we did it! Or rather you did it. I can’t thank you enough. That was amazing.” She began by kissing his cheek, but then somehow manoeuvred so she was kissing his lips.
Parker drew back as if he’d been electrocuted. “Hey, stop that. I’m here to help you with Tommy, nothing more.”
Lexi bit her lip. “Sorry, I guess I got carried away.” She sat back on her chair. “I meant what I said though. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Don’t make a habit of it though. I really don’t want to look at you in that position ever again.”
She giggled. “Promise.” Her phone buzzed with a message. “Gotta go. Meeting friends for some fizz. I think I deserve it, even if I’m not going to tell them the real reason.” She pulled on her coat, stood up, and blew Parker one last kiss before leaving the hotel.
Parker sank back into his chair, shaking his head at the situation. He waved at the barman and asked him to bring him a whisky. He felt he needed a treat too.
The door to the bar opened and Parker glanced up.
Poppy was the last person he expected to walk through the door. He watched her scan the room, before her eyes fell on him, her mouth curving into a big smile. She wore a tight black dress, that stopped mid-thigh, and clung to her body; knee-length boots and a bright red coat that clashed beautifully with her hair.
“What are you doing here?” he asked as she walked towards him. “I didn’t know you were in town today.”
“I met Chrissy and Lara for lunch and was going to go straight home, then thought I’d surprise you at work. Your PA said you were here.” Poppy sat down, and as she did so her skirt rose even higher.
“Yeah, I was, um, meeting a band we might be interested in signing.” He flinched a little at the lie. There was no real reason for Poppy to know what had gone on with Lexi.
“Do you have to go back to the office?” Poppy crossed her legs, and Parker’s eyes were drawn to them.
“What are you suggesting?”
“Did I ever tell you what happened the morning after the Roccia awards? Before I came to meet you for coffee?”
“No.” Parker racked his brains. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
She leaned over and whispered in his ear.
His gaze fell to the hem of her dress, and she recrossed her legs. “Are you teasing me?”
Her smile was coy as she pointed to the ceiling. “We could always get a room and you could find out…”
Chapter Twenty-Six
After discovering that Clem fled to her mother’s and wouldn’t be coming back, Nate felt there was little point in staying in Westbourne Deane. Anastasia had tried to worm her way into his affections, telling him what she thought he wanted to hear, mostly negative things about Clem. He headed back to North Ridge and holed up in his flat, with a guitar and some strong weed for company.
He still couldn’t quite understand what had happened. Yes, he remembered Anastasia trying to kiss him. He definitely remembered pushing her away. Then why were there pictures of the two of them kissing?
Each time he had tried to contact Clem, he hit a brick wall. She wasn’t accepting his calls and was probably deleting his messages without even listening to them.
He needed a distraction.
There was an unfinished song from their recording session that still needed a guitar solo. At the time, Nate had been too happy, too loved up, to find the anger and passion that the song desired. Now, however, he was in a totally different frame of mind and it was easier to channel those emotions. Riffs flooded out of him and he noted every one of them, saving some for the future. He had to harness the creativity while it was there.
It was late that evening when he tried to call Clem. Her phone went straight to voicemail and he ended up leaving her a rambling, incoherent message that she’d probably never listen to. After he hung up, he dialled Alik.
“Christ, Nate, do you know what time it is?” His best friend yawned down the line at him.
“Are you busy?”
“Caro just got in from work. We are about to go to bed.”
