Page 67 of One Day Like This (Excess All Areas 1)

“Don’t think negative. Think positive and manifest it into being.”

“I’m going to propose it to Luke, so it doesn’t look like I went around him to you. But I’d love if you could support it if he suggests it to the band. You guys are riding high right now, and like you said, I think we could get local bands, maybe even some bigger bands to lend a hand. Albert Hall seats two thousand two hundred. O2 Apollo seats three and a half thousand. And if we think really big, the Central Convention Complex seats nearly eleven thousand. My basic maths says we could raise a quarter of a million for the shelter.”

“That’s amazing!”

“I thought about what you said. I’m good at persuading people to pitch in.”

“I have faith in you, Iz. You’re ready for the leap from some dried goods to an arena.”

“Yes, but with you already on board, I already have an anchor.”

His heart squeezed at just how fucking good of a human being she was. “Speak to Luke. Tell him we tossed the idea around at the wedding if you like. Say we could be the draw rather than the support or something.”

“Okay. I’m going to call him.”

“Hate to say it, but he might be a bit busy.”

Izabel groaned. “Well, I’m just going to keep ringing until he gets his dick back in his pants and answers. Speak to you later. Love you.”

“Love you too, sweetheart.”

He hung up the phone.

Fuck.

He’s just told Iz he loved her. Casually. Without any big fuss. Without either of them even acknowledging it. His phone buzzed.

Did you just tell me you love me? Or was that an accident?

Matt grinned.

I just told you I loved you.

He got a GIF of a fist bump in return, and he looked at it at least twelve times, grinning each time, before the rest of the band got on the bus.

12

Izabel watched as the landscape whizzed by. In ten minutes, she’d be pulling into Liverpool Lime Street.

She was early, way earlier than anyone expected her to be. When she’d finally gotten hold of Luke and floated her concert idea, it had been after midnight, and he’d been on the tour bus headed for Liverpool. On the bunk above Matt.

Matt, who’d told her he loved her.

And then he’d messaged to confirm he meant it.

Now, thanks to Luke’s invitation to join them for her birthday, she was twenty minutes away from Matt’s orbit, if you included the cab she intended to take to the hotel.

She’d told Luke, and Matt, she’d be there by three, but her plan to meet Gemma had been cancelled when Gemma had called her with an upset stomach. Instead of the bottomless prosecco brunch, she’d grabbed a baguette at Victoria station for the train ride. She glanced at her phone and saw it wasn’t even noon. Nerves got the better of her and she called Matt.

“Hey, sweetheart.” His voice sounded rough, filled with gravel and a splash of Jack Daniel’s. It was ridiculous how much it made her melt.

“Hey. I ... couldn’t wait. My train gets there in like ten minutes. Can we see each other somehow?”

“Babe. I’ll come get you at the station. Wait. No. Luke’ll think that weird. Hang on, what time is it?”

“About fifteen minutes to twelve.”

“We’re meant to meet for lunch at twelve. Why don’t I make like I’m heading out with the guys, then, as they leave the building, I’ll say something came up I have to go deal with? I’ll message you when they’ve gone and send you my room number.”

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