The bar turned out to be gorgeous, really dark and intimate with an old Hollywood style feel. There were old fashioned button leather booths that surrounded the walls, and the bar was a black painted timber affair which currently boasted a crush of people all trying to order a drink while our band took a break mid-set.
I was standing at the bar with Tate, and we chatted while waiting for the attention of one of the bartenders. I found out that Tate’s brother was a drummer in a Melbourne band that I’d seen a few times, so we talked about their music, and I made him promise to let me know next time they made their way to Sydney for a gig.
“Yo, Evie,” the bartender shouted.
I smiled. “Hey, um…”
“Vince.”
Vince was cute with his tight black shirt and skinny black jeans and g*y when I saw him give Tate a sexy wink.
I ordered a round of beers for the table and a bottle of water for myself. The boys usually had a beer or two before or during a show, but I preferred to keep a level head when it came to the serious business of singing.
“Liking Sydney so far?” Tate asked.
“Are you kidding? The beaches are amazing. I’ve already been burnt to a crisp.”
“Soft Melbourne skin.” He grinned. “Have you seen all the sights yet?”
“Sorry?” I shouted over the noise of the bar.
“I said have you seen all the sights yet?”
I shook my head. “Not really. We moved up here and got sucked straight into work, so there hasn’t really been a chance yet.”
He leaned down to my ear so I could hear him better.
“Maybe I could take you out some time?”
I cautiously agreed. I didn’t know him all that well, but he certainly didn’t seem to fit the type that would cause me any heartbreak. A few casual dates might be nice. I would just be sure to tell him I wasn’t looking for more than that.
Tate grinned. “Can I have your number? I’ll ring you and we can set something up.”
I held out my hand. “Sure. Give me your phone.”
He handed it over and I punched my number in before giving it back. “There you go,” I said with a flirty smile.
He winked. “Thanks.”
My eyes flicked to our booth near the front door while we waited for Vince to finish our drinks order, and I saw Jared had arrived. He was wearing a pair of dress pants so black they had a blue tinge and a fitted white and grey pinstripe dress shirt. The sleeves were rolled up, revealing tanned muscular forearms. I also saw that every woman in the room was eyeballing our booth, flicking their hair like the whole bar was participating in a Clairol commercial.
Skanks, I muttered to myself.
I also saw that our table, including Jared, Mac, Mitch, Coby, and Travis, was watching the two of us with avid interest, though Mac’s interest was an unhappy one, and Jared appeared troubled.
Our drinks arrived and Tate leaned in. “Do you want to go put these on the table and have a dance?”
“Maybe later? I need to get back to the band in a minute. Our final set is gonna start soon.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” he replied and put a hand on the small of my back as he guided me over to the booth. We put the drinks down, and Jared immediately took my hand and pulled me aside.
He glanced at my chest and then cleared his throat awkwardly. “What is that you’re wearing?”
“Hello to you too, Jared.”
He folded his arms. “Well?”
“Blame Mac. She made me wear it.” I bit my lip. “Does it really look that bad?”
Jared swallowed visibly. “No, you look sexy as hell, Evie, but every guy in this whole bar is eye f**king you. I can’t say I like it.”
“I don’t really care if you don’t like it.” I saw his eyes flare unhappily and attempted to soften the blow. “Besides, I haven’t been approached by anyone.”
“That’s because you’re a hot singer with a sexy voice in a shit hot band. You’re too good for any of them.”
Jared glared at a couple of guys who were heading our way, and they quickly changed direction.
“Not to mention Tate has been hanging off you since you got to the bar,” he muttered.
“Tate is a nice guy,” I offered. “He’s going to teach me how to play Halo.”
Jared’s look turned to one of amusement which confused me because I didn’t recall saying anything funny. “What?”
“Saying a guy is nice is the kiss of death from you, Evie.”
“What?” I sputtered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jared.”
“Is he another one of your geeks? Does he get a name too? How about Tetris Tate?”
Tate chose that inopportune moment to come over as I finished the last of my drink. “Walk you back to your dressing room?” he asked me, looking around at the crowd. “It’s a crush in here.”
Jared glared at Tate. Tate ignored Jared. I was just relieved to be making my getaway.
“Thanks, Tate.”
I placed my empty bottle on the table, and he took my hand and guided me through the throng of people to the side of the stage. “I’ll see you after?” he asked.
I could see him struggling to be polite and not stare at my chest.
“Sure,” I replied.
As he walked away, I saw we were still being watched avidly by all. I laughed at Mac when it was her turn to give me a frosty glare. Jared simply raised his eyebrows, so I childishly poked out my tongue before I headed through the back door.
The band was already backstage and waiting for me.
“What’s going on out there, Evie?” Cooper asked as I came through the door. We saw you in a Tough Guy Sandwich.”
“It’s her top,” Henry muttered. “It’s causing riots.”
I powdered the shine off my face and re-did my lipstick before pulling at my top, trying to lift it up to cover my boobs a bit more without success.
“I keep worrying that they’re going to just pop out in the middle of a song.”
“Awesome,” said Frog with a laugh. “It’s no wonder every male in the room seems so focused tonight. Maybe if one did pop out it might get us a good write up in the paper.”
Henry whacked him up the head. “It’s not a live sex show, Frog.”
Frog looked suitably chastened. “Jesus. I was only teasing. Sorry, Evie.” He frowned at Henry.
“Hey, guys.” Jack, the entertainment manager, poked his head around the door. “How are you all going?”
“Great!” I answered with a smile. “I’ve never been to this bar before. It’s really beautiful. Thanks so much for having us play here, Jack.”
“My pleasure, Evie.” He gave me a winning smile, his eyes shining brilliantly. “Can I get you anything? I’ve left you some fresh bottles of water by the side of the stage. You just let me know.”
“We’re all good. Thanks, Jack.”
“Okay, well you’re on five.”
I gave him the thumbs up, and he shut the door.
“Can I get you anything, Evie?” Cooper mimicked in a high pitched voice. “What are we, invisible?”
The guys all laughed.
“We may as well be while Evie’s wearing that.” Jake snorted.
“Shut up, assheads, and stop picking on me because I have boobs. You’re all just jealous.”
“Yeah,” Cooper muttered. “We all wish we had boobs right now.”
Jake laughed.
“That is not what I meant.” I gave them all a glare as I tried not to laugh. “Let’s go and if you don’t let up about the boobs, then when I get on that stage, I’m going to announce that you’re all gayer than an Easter Parade. Then you’ll be wrestling with male groupies rather than female ones.”
That seemed to shut them up, and we hit the stage to the cheer of the crowd, playing the final forty minutes of our last set. The last song was a slow acoustic song I wrote after my break up with Wild Renny. It was one of our most moving songs, and the crowd didn’t disappoint by going silent and listening intently.
Standing at the microphone, I let my voice hang on the notes as Henry hunched over, plucking at his guitar, the corners of his lips turned up. I loved seeing the look on his face, his eyes downcast and completely absorbed as he floated somewhere along cloud nine, immersed in the bliss of doing something he loved more than anything.
My eyes picked out Mac in the crowd. Mac was a sucker for this song. I hid a grin, knowing she would be teary and that would piss her off.
My voice rang out huskily on the final note, and Henry stood up from his stool and gave me a hug as the crowd went crazy and roared around us.
The spotlights went off and the stage went black.
“Okay?” Henry asked.
He always asked me that after that song.
I was more than okay. We might not have been on fire like we were for a bigger crowd, but the intimate setting felt more personal, and that was a rush as much as a massive wild crowd was.
“Are you kidding?” I waved my hand towards the crowd surrounding us. “Look at this shit, Henry. We are so hot right now.” I grinned.
The crowd continued their whoops of delight, and Henry chuckled as he picked me up in a big hug and carried me off the stage.
“You know I love you, Evie.”
“Don’t turn into a sappy bastard.” I mock groaned as he set me down on my feet backstage. “I love you too.”
“Damn straight you do. Now go get us all a drink while we sort out our equipment,” he ordered with a slap on my bum.
“Bossy bastard.” I saluted him.
I smiled happily because I didn’t mind being the drinks lady, better being at the bar than stuck sorting out cables and amplifiers.
Mac enveloped me in a hug when I arrived at the bar, which was high praise for our performance, before standing back to wipe a little tear from her eye.
“Damn you, Evie. Playing that stupid song. I didn’t put it in the set list because you know I freaking hate it.”
Mac, of course, loved the song. She just hated being teary.
I patted her shoulder in sympathy and placed a drink order with Vince while Mac pestered me for details about what was going on with Tate.
I looked at my shoes. “Tate’s nice. He’s going to teach me how to play online Halo.” He hadn’t said this, like I’d told Jared earlier, but I assumed it would be a given.
A smug smile danced across Mac's lips. “Well, that settles that then.”
“Settles what?”
“Tate doesn’t do it for you. Nothing to worry about there.”
Mac opened her mouth to speak, but Travis interrupted our verbal tussle.
“Great show, Evie,” he said, stifling a yawn.
Coby nodded in agreement as he tucked me into his side. Coby might have been seven years older than me, but apart from being almost a foot taller, we could be mistaken for identical twins.
Coby had the same dark chocolate eyes, dark brown hair tinted caramel from the sun, and the same rosy olive skin. Unfortunately, he was the one that ended up with the long black eyelashes which he selfishly complained made him look too girly.