Page 34 of Never Too Late
‘Hi, guys, how did it go today? Did you do a lot of playing?’
‘Hi, Steph. We played pretty much all day. In fact, we’ve just come out of the studio now. Royalty is about to be reborn.’ Ben was sounding animated, and Steph was delighted for him, for all of them. ‘How about you? All go well?’
‘Yes, thanks. No problems.’ There was no point telling them she still had ten days to wait for the results. ‘That’s fantastic news about Royalty getting back together again. You’re going to make millions of people really happy, starting with me. So, what’s the plan for tomorrow? More of the same?’
This time Keith answered for the band. ‘If you’re up for it, we thought we might have a go at getting a near final version of one or two of them recorded up. We’re going to have to contact the record company pretty soon to give them the news and it would be good to have a few numbers in the can before we do. Are you going to be okay to take part tomorrow?’
‘I most certainly am. I can’t wait.’
Beside her, Rob glanced at his watch. ‘I’d better make a move. See you tomorrow.’
He was already turning for the door, accompanied by the dog, when Steph managed to get in a few words of thanks for collecting her from the airport. He gave her a little smile and a wave and disappeared.
When Steph went down to the beach next morning, it was with a renewed sense of optimism for the future, at least as far as her professional life was concerned. As far as her health was concerned, she was doing her best to heed her mother’s advice and try not to think about it, but it wasn’t easy. As for the violinist up on the headland she was convinced now more than ever that he wasn’t interested in her as anything other than a friend – an increasingly good friend but just a friend.
At the hospital they had told her not to swim for a few days, so although her bikini neatly masked the surgical dressing, she just waded into the sea until the water was up to her knees. Although they were well into September, the water temperature was still delightful, and it soon emerged that she wasn’t the only one to think so. A black shape came charging down the narrow path from the cliff top at breakneck speed and gave a volley of loud woofs before plunging into the water. Steph smiled as the Labrador doggy-paddled towards her and prodded her with his nose.
‘Ciao, bello. It’s good to see you.’
A shout from above made her look up again.
‘Steph, hey, do you want a coffee?’ It was the dog’s master who was looking to see what Waldorf had been barking at. He was standing at the top of the path, and she saw him point towards the beach. ‘I’ll come down.’
Steph felt a little pulse of pleasure to see and hear him and she waded back to the shore accompanied by her canine companion. By the time she reached the beach, Rob was already standing on the sand and this time she was the one to emerge, dripping, from the water. The feel of his eyes on her as she stepped out of the shallows aroused a series of emotions in her, ranging from embarrassment, to excitement, to good old-fashioned lust. She had never been one of those girls who enjoyed showing off her body and she felt decidedly awkward, knowing that only two minimal pieces of material separated her from being completely naked. Nevertheless, she did her best to appear nonchalant as she raised a hand and gave him a little wave.
‘Hi, Rob.’
‘Hi, Steph, looking good.’
She felt her cheeks flush. ‘I’ve just fallen out of bed, but thanks anyway, and I’d love a coffee.’ She could have told him he looked good as well, but she controlled the urge.
He glanced at her wet legs. ‘You’re soaking wet and the path up to the house is very rough even in flipflops. Unless you’ve got leather-soled feet or shoes, you’re going to find it hard work getting up there. I could always carry you, of course, but maybe it’s better if you wait here for a few minutes and I’ll bring the coffees down to the beach.’
The idea of being picked up and carried by him, clinging to his body, was enough to make her cheeks colour all the more. ‘If you really don’t mind bringing the coffee down here, that would be very kind, thanks. I’ll dry myself off and talk to Waldorf while you’re gone.’
He was true to his word and returned less than five minutes later with two little espresso coffees. By this time the dog was sprawled on the sand at Steph’s feet, grunting happily to himself as she scratched his tummy with her toes.
‘Waldorf’s really taken to you, hasn’t he?’ Rob handed her a cup and stood alongside her, looking down at the dog. Behind him the tiny waves sighed as they touched the shore.
‘I love him to bits, but you’re going to have a terrible job getting all the sand out of his fur now that he’s been rolling about on the beach.’
‘No problem. All I have to do is throw a stick into the water and by the time he’s swum out and brought it back a few times, he’ll be all clean again – although I do hose him down to get the salt out every now and then.’ He transferred his attention out to sea. ‘What a gorgeous day. It’s hard to believe we’re already in meteorological autumn.’
Steph stifled a giggle. Now he was the one talking about the weather. ‘The water’s a perfect temperature.’ Certainly, nobody could accuse this conversation of being too intimate.
As they sipped their coffees Rob repeated how pleased he was that it looked as though Royalty were about to be back up and running once more. ‘Dad must be over the moon. I take it this means they’re going to press on with the new album?’
‘That’s what we’re hoping. I think the plan is to carry on jamming all day today and maybe record a couple in their near final form, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.’
‘And Dad’s confirmed that you’ve agreed to play keyboards for them. I bet you never thought you’d end up doing that.’
‘For a legendary band like Royalty? Not even in my wildest dreams.’ She smiled at him. ‘I was telling my mum the other day that all those hours spent listening to Royalty in my room weren’t wasted after all. Don’t get me wrong: I had friends, but my room’s where the keyboard was. We didn’t have space in the house or we would have loved having a grand piano – assuming Mum and Dad could have afforded it, which is unlikely. If I’m ever somewhere with a grand I jump at the chance to play it. You can’t beat the sound.’
‘So would you say classical music is your first love or are you a modern music woman?’
Steph thought about it for a moment. ‘I suppose I would have to say that if it’s music to be listened to casually, I mostly prefer modern. But if it’s for playing, I love playing classical, particularly Chopin, almost anything by Chopin.’
He looked straight at her for a moment, and she struggled hard not to let the bright blue eyes overwhelm her. There was no getting away from it: she could so easily get hooked. Apparently unaware of her inner turmoil, he came up with a tantalising suggestion.
