Page 119 of One Day Like This (Excess All Areas 1)

Nan shrugged and reached for his hand. “I think that’s between Jase, God, and a bottle of vodka.”

“We had a band meeting. Luke and I talked some more. It’s not the same as it was, but he’s not ignoring me or walking out on the band. We’re going to sign. I thought about it from every angle. Jase knows this is our shot. We need to take it. With or without him. I figure contracts and lineups can always be amended later if he doesn’t appear.”

“Allyoucan do is show up, Matt. With or without Jase. I hope he chooses with. But if it’s without, you’ve got to carpe the fucking diem out of this.”

Emotions choked the back of his throat. “You’ve been scrolling on social media too much again, spouting wisdom this early on a Wednesday.”

“Maybe it’s just the great sex I had.”

Matt pretended to vomit. “Please, Nan.”

“It’s true. A good old bit of rumpy-pumpy is good for the brain.”

“So’s sudoku.”

“Sudoku doesn’t give you an orgasm, Matt. Unless I’ve been doing sudoku all wrong.”

Matt laughed. “Thanks. For the pep talk. For contacting Jase and trying. For ...” He looked around the kitchen, at the Formica-topped table where he’d eaten dinner, done homework, peeled more spuds than he could count, and sat out torturous hours of punishment. “Thanks for all of it, Nan.”

He squeezed her hand.

“I’m happy you finally have this chance because nobody has worked harder for it than you have. I’m proud of you, for looking out for your family. For Ben, Alex, Jase, and Luke. It would have been so easy to bail on them and go solo, but you never did. I’m glad Luke is giving you another chance. Make it right, son. While I understand why you did what you did, he deserved better from you.”

Matt nodded. “I know.”

“And I’m happy you have Izabel. I watched that girl flounder. Her mum should never have buggered off to Brighton and left her here at seventeen. I liked her before, but I like who she’s becoming even more. You’ve given her wings, Matt. Just make sure you don’t ever clip them.”

“It’s funny because she’s done the same for me. She gave me faith in myself and my music. Made it easier to step onstage.”

“Just go give it your best shot, Matt. That’s all anyone can ask.”

“I will.” He kissed her cheek, the one Gerry didn’t kiss because that would have been too gross. “And promise you’re using condoms,” he forced out with a grimace.

“Gerry brought a multipack. I didn’t know they came in different textures now.”

“Oh, God.” Matt put his hands over his ears. “I’m not listening.”

Thirty minutes later, with a fresh bunch of flowers in hand, roses this time, he stepped back into his apartment. He found Izabel in the bedroom.

“Hey, babe,” he said, shamelessly checking out her arse, but realising he didn’t have enough time left to do anything with the stirrings in his jeans.

“Did you pack your chargers for your phone and laptop?” Izabel asked, folding the last of his T-shirts and adding them to the case currently perched on the end of their bed.

Matt grinned. “Yes. Did that this morning.”

“What about stuff Parker Moseley might want to see? Will he want to see some of your merchandise?”

When she didn’t look up at him, he slid one arm around her waist and presented the bouquet of red roses in front of her. “I doubt he gives a rat’s arse what our merch looks like.”

“Oh, how pretty.” Izabel took the flowers from him and brought them to her nose as he placed a kiss on the side of her neck. He preferred her hair down usually, but up certainly gave him easy access.

“Not as pretty as you. Don’t smell as good either.”

He took the roses from her and placed them onto his case before playfully nudging Izabel down onto the bed. He crawled on next to her, and joy filtered through him when she snuggled right up against him. He kissed her temple as warmth filled him over her concern for him.

“I’m going to miss you,” Matt said.

Izabel drew circles on his chest. “It’s two nights. Tonight, you’ll be too focused on tomorrow’s meeting to notice I’m not there. And, if everything goes well, you’ll be too pissed tomorrow night to care. Which is as it should be.”

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