Page 23 of Replay
“If that’s a real thing, then sure.”
He nodded.“It’s real.”He clapped his hands.“Just like you and Mr Mortensen.Fuck me, but we’re both winners, right?”
One high five later, and he was still beaming at her, eyes ablaze.Although, maybe that was the sugar rush kicking in.
“When does the single drop?”she asked.
Instantly, he sobered.“Today.”
Alle got out her phone.
“Don’t.”He clamped a hand across the screen.“Don’t look.”
“I was gonna download it.”
“But don’t.At least, not while I’m here.And don’t tell me, okay.If it flops.I don’t want to know.”
“And if it’s soaring?”
He shook his head.“Still don’t want to know.”He worried the nail of his index finger with his teeth.“See.Now I need something to take my mind off it.”Another round of squashed gummi bears went into his mouth.“You’re going to have to spill the details about you and Spook.That’s the only thing that’s going to block this nonsense out.”He sounded serious.She’d have believed him except for the twinkle in his gaze.
“Nice try.”Alle slapped his thigh.“Still not happening.Look, Ronnie.I know you’re just joking about, but please don’t in front of him.It’s new, and fragile.I don’t want a bunch of crass remarks to screw it up.He’s jittery.”
“I’m not joking.I was serious.”
“Ronnie.”
One long arm wrapped around her shoulder.“All right,” he agreed.“I’ll button my big mouth.Though, hot damn, girl.I was totally looking forward to some raunchy goss.I need a surrogate sex life; mine sure as hell ain’t going anywhere.I’m not flash or flush enough to compete with these guys.”He nodded his head towards the billboard poster of Black Halo advertising the cruise outside the window.
He didn’t need to compete.Also, that would change.Ronnie might not be able to see his future, but she could.It was why she’d agreed to work on his album.The man had talent oozing out of his spindly fingers, and if he ever managed to tame a little of his gangliness, he’d be seriously hot.The thing was; she wasn’t entirely certain that was the direction Ronnie wanted to take.The music industry could certainly mould him into superstar shape.The new haircut, combined with a little styling, and he’d be shit-hot amongst a certain section of society, but working with him, seeing his passion, and the intensity he could summon when he wasn’t fooling around, maybe that was a direction he ought to avoid.Maybe, Ronnie Bush was better off left to craft a different route to greatness than the one his current label and management had plotted out.
“Hey, if it’s any consolation, Spook reckons that a year ago, Xane would totally have banged you.”
“Xane would?”
“Mm.”
They both stared at Xane’s image on the billboard.
“You know, that is flattering,” Ronnie mused after a moment or two.“But I’m not seeing anyone getting a look in now.Not that I was in any way serious about the notion of copping off with him when I mentioned it before.I was just fishing for details on your obsession.In any case, I saw plenty of Xane and Luthor on our trip from Monte Carlo to Cannes to know exactly where his heart lies.They’re sickeningly cute.And, preposterously sexy.There ought to be laws against that.Also, I asked them.They’re both into buggery.I’m not sure I’d like that.”
Flames swept up Alle’s neck and into her cheeks and ears.He’d asked them!What the fuck had he asked them?Who went up to a couple and asked them if they routinely had anal sex?
Ronnie.Ronnie did.
“Don’t forget Dani,” she said.
“Gah,” he cried, arching his back, so that his head tipped over the seat back, while he stretched upward with his arms.“The three of them are enough to make my heart explode.It turns me on just thinking about their cuddly perfection.”He lowered his arms, keeping his fingertips pressed together.“No doubt I’ll be saying much the same about you and Spook before long.”
“Hope so,” she said, because that sounded like a fine label.Everything still felt too tentative to say he was even her boyfriend yet, despite Spook having invited her along on this cruise to his homeland.What they felt like more than anything, was two people who kept colliding but bouncing apart with equal force.“Look,” she pointed at the queue forming in the general lounge.“I think we’re finally about to board.”
“’Bout time, if you ask me.”Ronnie flipped onto his feet, and grabbing both their wheelie cases, skedaddled over to the door.“Get your ass wiggling, Hutton, we’ve some super stars to see.”
“If you’ll just hang back a moment, sir.We’ll need to see your ticket,” a familiar voice said, prompting Alle to sprint to catch up with her baggage.Also, she had the tickets.
“Flynn?”she said, staring at the man in uniform standing by the woman with her hand held out to check their boarding passes.Alle thrust them at her.
Her baby brother turned his head and flashed her a foxy grin.“Hello, Little Princess.”
