Page 85 of Defying Ella
I ran across the road as the walk light flashed a final warning. My gaze fixed on Axel’s red neon teasingly close sign.
The bouncers weren’t out front yet, but it was only 5PM.
I flung the door open and barrelled up the stairs, past the black-haired bodyguard. He’d traded his gig attire for a suit.Interesting choice.
“Slow down, Ella,” Simon, one of the bodyguard’s, shouted after me. “We don’t need a trip to A&E tonight.”
I waved him off. My lungs could barely handle getting me up the stairs, let alone carrying on a conversation.
Guitar riffs ricocheted down the stairs as I neared the top. Only then did I slow. I stepped into the dark-walled room, my chest heaving and my body overheating.
James, Rhiannon’s guitarist, stood on the stage with a look of pure concentration on his face. He stared at the sound booth while strumming the guitar. Dan leaned against an amp with his bass in hand and his auburn hair aglow in the shifting spotlights. He smirked at James as he ramped up his playing.
Chuckling at the pair of them, I turned away from the stage to search for my boyfriend.
Boyfriend.
Some days, I woke up convinced it was a dream. Then Jared would hand me tea with that knowing smile.
I spotted Jared and Ryan at the side of the stage, perfectly relaxed as they chatted to Matt, their manager. The second bodyguard hovered next to the bar, also decked out in a suit. Weird.
Shrugging out of the coat, I strode towards Jared, eager for at least a hug before he went on stage.
I’d barely taken three steps when a little munchkin nearly knocked me off my feet.
“Auntie Els,” Phoebe shouted before descending into giggles. She grinned up at me, her face covered in chocolate. Chocolate that now smeared my jeans. “Die Hapi Dewy Santa.”
Die what?My brows furrowed.
“She means Dydd Hapus Dewi Sant,” Mel said, joining us. She chuckled as she knelt in front of me and tried to disengage Phoebe’s hands from my legs. “They taught her it in nursery today.”
Phoebe danced away from her mother, singing her mangled Welsh. She twirled around the open dance floor, holding her red skirt and petticoat up so it swished. I hadn’tseen a St David’s day costume in years, not since I was in primary school.
“Will there be photos?” I asked, raising my voice to be heard over Dan and James’s on-stage riff-off. “I bet she looked cute with the bonnet on.”
She still looked cute with her checkered shawl and little black apron.
“Of course. I already ordered you a copy.” Mel smiled, patting my arm. “I need to corral her before she covers anything else in chocolate. There’s wet wipes in my bag in the VIP section if you want to clean up.” With that, she gave chase to my giggling niece.
Arms wrapped around my waist before I could move. Jared’s familiar pre-show spicy scent washed over me. I leaned back against him, letting all of the stress energy fade from my body.
“I was starting to think you weren’t going to make it.” He kissed my head, swaying us side to side, a move I’d never have dreamed of experiencing with him a month ago. “Did something happen at work?”
“Yeah, the catering truck broke down. I got pulled into a mad scramble to find a replacement before the dinner run.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“We fixed it in the end.” I turned in his arms and dragged my hands up his chest to lock behind his neck. “But I’d rather forget about work.” Raising up on my toes, I whispered, “I’d rather do this.”
Then I kissed him, like I hadn’t seen him in weeks rather than hours. He didn’t mind at all. He crushed me against him, taking control and deepening our connection.
Everything around us faded. Phoebe’s giggling while Mel chased her. Dan and James heckling each other while they competed to outdo each other and prove one or the other more talented.
Then someone wolf-whistled.
“Jared, you’re up,” Ryan said, amusement dripping from his voice.
We broke apart to find him standing at our sides with a sheepish smile. Jared nodded, pressed one final peck to my lips and skipped off.
