Annie wrinkled her nose. “We can pick something up at the services on the way home.”
“Come on, Annie, let’s give him what he wants. We’ll only get stuck in traffic if we leave now anyway.” Uncle Col obviously sensed I needed some space. He took his wife’s hand and led her away.
“What’s going on, Darren?” There didn’t seem any point in beating around the bush. “Why isn’t Saff here?”
He looked me directly in the eye. “Your aunt’s right when she said Saff’s gone chasing her career. She got a call from the record label summoning her to a crisis meeting. I think they’re about to kick us out. She didn’t want to go, but your aunt reassured her you’d understand. Although, I think that’s the only reason she went.”
I’d known for a while Annie wasn’t Saff’s biggest fan. But pushing Saff away when I needed her the most was low, even for my aunt.
“Where’s all my stuff?” I asked Darren.
“Back at my hotel. Saff stayed there the last couple of nights after we’d checked you out of the other place.”
I nodded. “Good. I’m coming back to London with you.”
He tilted his head. “You are?”
“I think that’s where I need to be.”
29
Saff
It was dark by the time I got home.
I was exhausted, barely able to summon the strength to put the key in the lock.
“Jonas? Are you here?”
My cousin appeared in the doorway to the living room. “Welcome home. It feels like you’ve been away for longer than a week.”
I left my suitcases by the front door and walked towards him, falling into his arms. We weren’t always the most tactile of relatives, but right now I needed a hug.
When I’d left for the tour last Tuesday, I’d been full of hope, eager for TheSB to be successful. I hadn’t envisaged any of the drama with Scott or Tris and Carl.
If you had, you’d probably have questioned whether I was on something.
Oh, the irony.
“Do you know what happened to Tris?” I pulled away, eager to know.
“Yes.” Jonas nodded. “Giles called me after the hearing. Tris has been released on bail, pending further investigations. I suspect he’s gone back to Annie and Col’s.”
My shoulders sagged. I thought he might have come here.
“Come and sit down, you look like you could use a drink. And then you can tell me what happened with Adrian.”
Almost numb, I followed Jonas into the living room and sank down onto the sofa. I kicked off my shoes and tucked my legs underneath me, pulling down the hem of my skirt. He handed me a large tumbler of whisky and sat at the other end of the sofa.
“If I thought my previous actions were putting me in the last chance saloon, it was nothing compared to this,” I began, taking a sip of the liquor and wincing slightly as it burned a path down my throat. No stranger to the head’s office at school, talking with Adrian had been much like the time I was almost kicked out of college for stealing drink from the student’s union bar. “He bawled me out, ranted about how I was bringing the label into disrepute, then asked how I thought my behaviour reflected on you.” I grimaced, the latter being the one part of his monologue which had hit the most. I owed Jonas a lot, not only as a manager but also as a guardian and a friend. I hadn’t, for one moment, considered how all of this mess would affect him.
“What are they going to do, then?”
“Nothing right now, thankfully. Despite what I’ve done in my personal life, professionally the tour with Trash Gun has been a success. Adrian thinks it will be cutting off his nose to spite his face if they drop us. For maybe all the wrong reasons, TheSB are hot property right now.” I gave Jonas a wry smile. Seriously, I was like a cat with nine lives. “But this was my final warning. Any whiff of scandal and that’s it. I’m done.”
Jonas sighed as he shook his head. “In a way, I’m pleased. Despite everything you’ve been through with Carl and Scott, I also know how hard you worked with Darren and the rest of the band to get there. It would have been a shame for them if Adrian hadn’t seen sense.”
For a brief moment, I wondered how much Jonas had had to do with Adrian’s decision. Whether he’d had any influence whatsoever. I was about to ask him, when there was a knock on the door.
