Page 62 of Fake Rocks
“Hey, glad you could make it!” Tommo welcomed us as we reached the kitchen. “Come in, come in.” He pressed a bottle of beer into each of our hands.
We stood and chatted for a little while. It was stilted, polite and none of the guys wanted to talk specifically about what had happened after the gig. I’d distanced myself from them over the past few days, even though we should have been in the studio. Tommo and Barney drifted away, leaving Darren and I alone.
“Where the hell have you been all week?” Darren demanded. “You never answered any of my messages.”
I shrugged. “Around, you know.”
“And why haven’t you spoken to Tris since the gig?”
I wondered how he knew, but then remembered the two of them had become firm friends in the time Tris and I had been together. I hadn’t realised they were still in contact.
“I don’t have anything to say to him, Darren.” I took a swig of my beer and, at the same time, the moral high ground. “He lied to me about something pretty big. Who keeps a criminal record to themselves?”
“Maybe someone who was falsely accused of something? Who was trying to do a good deed for someone else?” Darren shook his head despairingly. “You should have at least heard him out.”
A seed of doubt began to sow itself in my head. Did he know more than he was telling me? What if Darren knew the truth? I wavered for a moment, before my resolve stiffened again. “Yeah, I could, but look how things worked out. We’re better off apart, Darren.”
“I told you not to fuck this one up, Saff. I told you he was a good guy.”
“Oh, but how wrong you were, Darren. Tris turned out to be a liar and a criminal.”
“No worse than some of the people you end up shagging. And at least he doesn’t end up in the gossip columns.” He raised an eyebrow.
My already bad mood darkened. “Cheers, Darren, I thought you were better than that.”
“I’m just saying what people are thinking.”
By people, I assumed he meant Barney and Tommo. Darren had been one of my closest friends for a long time and I knew I ought to listen to him.
But I was getting sick and tired of people telling me what I should do and what they thought was best for me. I needed to take back control.
“Well, if that’s whatpeopleare thinking, maybe we need to rethink the whole band?” I slammed my bottle down on the counter with such force, I was surprised it didn’t shatter. Without another word, I stalked out of the room.
Once in the hallway, I hesitated. It was all very well throwing a strop, but I was miles away from home and I didn’t really know anyone else at this party. As I was toying with the idea of getting a cab, a guy approached me, beer in one hand, a joint in the other.
“Well, well, the infamous Saff Barnes.”
I frowned. “Um, hi?”
He moved closer, holding the joint my way. “Carl.”
Gratefully, I accepted, taking a long toke, the influx of relaxation hitting almost immediately. “How do you know who I am?”
Carl shrugged. “Doesn’t everyone? Your reputation precedes you.”
His words hit a nerve. It was exactly what Jonas had been telling me. Exactly what we’d tried to stop by setting up a fake relationship with Tris. Except I’d taken things further and then screwed it up. As usual.
We moved into the living room and found space on one of the sofas, our bodies pushed close together. More beer appeared and Carl was happy to keep plying me with weed while we chatted.
I certainly wasn’t going to object.
Carl entertained me with colourful stories of his bohemian lifestyle, encouraging me to share similar experiences myself, all the while plying me with drinks and joints. Bolstered by the mellowing effects of the hash and several beers, I let my mouth run away with me, telling him about the plan we’d come up with to try to save my career.
“I can’t believe someone like you needed to hire a guy to go out with you.” Carl shook his head in disbelief, passing me another roll-up. “I mean, look at you.”
I’d toned down my appearance for the house party, wearing skin-tight black jeans and a strategically slashed vibrant cerise t-shirt which hinted at the cleavage underneath. My hair was pulled back in a half-ponytail and I’d kept my make-up light. I stared back at Carl through narrowed eyes. He was quite attractive in a scruffy, bearded man way. Totally different to Tris. Maybe he was what I needed right now. “You’re not so bad yourself.” I quirked a brow at him.
When he reached for me, I didn’t hesitate to kiss him back, feeling light-headed and woozy. Who knew he would have such an effect on me?
