by Julie Archer
The man scrutinised Richey. “Ah, yes, the Blood Stone Riot boys. Bet you’re bricking it.” His voice was warmer now; friendly, almost.
“You could say that.”
“Need something to help you chill?” The man slid a hand into his jacket pocket and briefly showed him a couple of options, before covering them up as one of the bar staff walked by.
Richey felt like he couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t just the nerves now, but he was staring his past in the face.
“First time?” asked the man. “Happy to give you a freebie, just this once. After all, you’ve got some big boots to fill. Billy was one of my best customers.” He tried to slip a small bag of white powder into Richey’s hand.
“I... I can’t.”
The man pressed the plastic bag into his palm. “Like I said, this one’s on me.”
“I said no!” Richey barged past the man and headed back into the main body of the club. His breath came in short gasps. He looked down. He still held the bag. It was taunting him, reminding him of the good times, of the best times, of the past.
“Richey, you ready?” asked Alik. He slapped the bassist on the arm.
Richey slipped the packet into his back pocket. He needed to forget it was there and focus on what was about to happen. “Yeah, let’s do this.” He followed the singer and joined him on the stage. He slipped the strap of his bass over his head and plucked at the strings a couple of times. The familiar action soothed him. He turned to Dev and waited as the drummer counted them in.
The short set was a success and well-received by the crowd. Richey had made a couple of mistakes, but no-one seemed to notice. He was cheered emphatically when Alik introduced him properly at the end.
After their set, the band joined Parker at the bar and ordered a round of drinks. A face in the crowd caught Alik’s attention.
“What’s he doing here?”
Richey followed Alik’s gaze, and he recognised the bald man from earlier. “Who is he?”
“That’s Leo Kendrick,” said Alik. “He was Billy’s dealer. Well, he sorted out all of us at one time or another. I thought he’d moved away.”
The wrap of cocaine felt like it was burning a hole in Richey’s back pocket.
“Anyway, let’s not talk about him,” said Alik. “Richey, you were great. How did it feel being up there?”
Richey tried to relax. “Yeah, really good. As if I belonged, somehow.”
“You do belong, mate. You’re one of us now.”
Eva and Poppy were in the queue for the ladies, both mentally cursing themselves for heading in there immediately after the band had finished.
“I know you’re a bit of an old hand at this gig stuff, but I thought Richey was fantastic,” said Eva.
Poppy laughed. “You’re right, he was. Similar to Billy in so many ways, but a breath of fresh air too.”
One of the other women in the queue chipped in. “Isn’t he the guy that works at The Indigo Lounge? He’s pretty hot.”
“The Indigo Lounge is just a temporary thing,” said Eva. “He’ll be going out on tour with the band soon.”
“Then I’d better make a move tonight!” The other woman nudged her friend. “Shame everyone else is already hooked up with someone otherwise you might have had a chance! You’re keen on that guitarist, aren’t you?”
Eva felt Poppy tense beside her. “Let it go, Poppy, they don’t mean anything by it.”
“Don’t they? Eva, I know what can go on. I was around the band enough in the early days when Alik and Billy were single, even when they weren’t that popular. That guitarist is my husband,” said Poppy firmly as she headed into the next available cubicle. Eva continued to listen in on the conversation that was going on behind her.
“I thought I saw that guitarist with someone who definitely wasn’t her.”
“That blonde girl? Yeah, me too. She must be dumb if she thinks that nothing’s going on.”
When Poppy came out, Eva steered her away from the gossips and back out to the bar. As she looked around for the others, her eyes fell on Nate, who was chatting to a woman. Their heads were bent close together, and for a moment, she thought she saw Nate lean forwards and kiss her. Maybe the women in the ladies were right. She saw Richey talking to a couple of the staff from The Indigo Lounge who had the night off, and had come along to lend their support. She headed in that direction instead. Nate suddenly re-appeared, on his own, and slung his arm around Poppy’s shoulders.
“What did you think?” he asked Eva. “How did the new boy do?”
Richey turned around and smiled at her.
“Not bad,” she replied as a half-smile crept across her own face. “Could probably do with some more rehearsal though.”
“Oh, thanks,” he said. “I’m glad you made it though and didn’t have to make too many changes to the shift rota.”
“Not this time. I’ve just heard a couple of women singing your praises though, so I’ll have plenty to make when you’ve left.”
They stared at each other, and Eva was lost in Richey’s deep, dark blue eyes. Suddenly, she didn’t want him to go on tour. “Richey, I,” She reached over and touched his arm, but didn’t have chance to say anything else, as the two women who had been talking in the ladies appeared beside the group. Richey shrugged as they engaged him in conversation and moved him away from her.
Eva watched him as he tried to look interested in whatever the women were saying to him. Every so often he would look back her way and catch her eye. But she had to look away. If she didn’t, she wasn’t sure what she might end up doing. She wasn’t sure exactly of his feelings towards her, and she didn’t want to make a fool of herself if she was wrong.
Chapter Fifteen
“I feel like a dick,” said Richey. “I don’t know how to model.”
The band were at The Indigo Lounge. With Richey’s arrival, they needed a whole new set of promotional shots. Parker had engaged an up-and-coming photographer, who had experienced great success working with emerging bands.
“It’s not modelling, I’m not selling a bloody dress,” said the photographer. “Why don’t you pretend that I’m someone you want to shag, get me some intensity or passion or something.”
For a moment, Eva’s face floated through Richey’s mind. Instantly his demeanour changed and he relaxed while the photographer snapped away. Richey wished he had spent more time with Eva after the gig the previous night. He’d been practically kidnapped by a couple of fans who wanted to know everything about him. By the time they had finally gone home, it had been too late to talk any more, particularly with their early start for the shoot. He couldn’t remember if Eva was working that day, or in what capacity. For all he knew, she was upstairs. The thought that she was close energised him.
“Hey, that’s good! Whoever she is, she definitely does it for you!”
Richey laughed. She definitely did. And he was pretty sure that the feeling was reciprocal. He moved around a bit and tried to replicate shots he’d seen of other bands in magazines and online. It still felt awkward, but he was starting to get the hang of it. After a few more minutes, the photographer was satisfied, and Richey jumped down off the stage to join the others.
“We’re doing group shots next,” said Alik. “We’re pretending to be in the middle of a gig.” He shook his head as he emphasised the word ‘pretending’.
“We could have done that at The Vegas last night,” said Nate. “I feel like shit this morning.”
“And how did that little blonde thing feel last night?” asked Alik. “I saw you getting rather friendly with some girl after Poppy had left. I thought I recognised her too. Was she in Leeds?”
Richey had also seen the guitarist all over a woman who certainly wasn’t Poppy. He hadn’t asked any questions, because it wasn’t his place, but apparently it was common knowledge to the other band members.
Nate nodded. “That’s the one. Came down especially to see me.” He grinned.
“But you’v
e only just got back off tour,” said Richey. “Aren’t you pleased to be back at home with Poppy?”
Nate and Alik exchanged a look.
“What happens on tour stays on tour,” said Nate. “Let’s get started on these pictures shall we?”
The band went along with the premise of playing live, but Richey couldn’t get Nate’s comment out of his head. Although he’d only been staying at the McKennas’ for a short time, it was becoming obvious that Nate and Poppy’s relationship was strained, and now he realised why. While he knew from experience that being in a band garnered a certain amount of female attention, he hadn’t expected it of Nate. From what he’d read about the guitarist, he had always seemed sensible and committed to Poppy. He wondered what had happened to change that.
After they finished the shoot, Parker called them over to one of the tables in the corner, where he and Oliva had watched the shoot unfold. Joanne brought them all drinks, simpering over Richey as usual. He should tell her he wasn’t interested, but there never seemed to be a right time.
“Right, a few things.” Parker passed round the itineraries for the tour.
Richey’s eyes swam as he viewed the dates, times and locations, all accounted for right down to the last second.
Parker went on. “Last night’s gig was superb. You put the work in and made every rehearsal count. Olivia Cole did a fantastic job, as usual, of getting the word out at such short notice, and the crowd that showed up makes me think that Blood Stone Riot are still a draw.”
Alik looked over at Richey and raised his glass. “He’s right. You’ve fitted in so well. You’ve worked really hard to make sure it went as smoothly as it could.”
Richey gave a half smile. If only they knew about his run in with Leo Kendrick and the major self-doubt he’d had prior to the gig, they might not be feeling quite so good about things.
“Next up, Richey, I’ve arranged to reshoot some of the scenes for the ‘Bleed Like Cyanide’ video. Caro and Nic have very kindly agreed that we can have the club again and Josh O’Brien has a gap in his schedule to come and do it. It’s basically going to be a rehash of the scenes, and I suggest you watch the original to find out what you need to do.”
“Right.” Richey tried to look comfortable with it, but acting was about as much of his thing as being photographed was. But being in a band with the reputation and standing of Blood Stone Riot wasn’t like being in NightDrive. It was certainly an education. “Will I need to find time between shifts to do it?”
Parker shook his head. “We’ll work it out. Josh is going to call me later to confirm the dates.” He waved the itinerary at them. “This is the initial schedule for the gigs. There are venues you’ve played before, some newer ones, a couple of Uni slots, and so on. Where possible, we’ve also got a local act doing support. It seemed like a great way to make sure you got a decent crowd.” He went on to explain that they would have two roadies accompanying them on the tour, plus a large crew van. “You’ll need to pack sparingly as there’s not much room for luggage,” he said. “I’ve had to organise this tour on a tiny budget, and there won’t be space for luxuries. Hopefully this will pave the way for bigger and better things.”
There was a nod of understanding around the table. Alik and Dev had a couple of practical questions around equipment and setup. Olivia told them that they would need to be more active in promoting the gigs while they were out and suggested a couple of things they could post on their own social media accounts to get them started. Parker gave them a few more bits of information about the schedule, and that was it.
Blood Stone Riot were on their way back.
Richey had an overwhelming feeling of insecurity as he pretended to scrutinise the sheet. This was a whole new level.
Chapter Sixteen
Poppy went into the dining room, ready to set the table for dinner. She was met with the sight of Nate and Richey poring over masses of tour schedules, maps, and paper with scribbled lyrics. The house was a constant mess these days, with band paraphernalia strewn everywhere. She tried to work around them as they discussed the logistics of how to get from one location to another in the quickest time. Nate cursed Parker for a couple of ridiculous journeys he expected them to do.
“I mean seriously, Exeter to Norwich in one day? That doesn’t give us a lot of recovery time,” he said.
“Guys, are you nearly finished?” Poppy asked. “Dinner will be ready soon.”
“Give us a minute. We’re trying to sort out a few things.” Nate didn’t even look up from the map.
She sighed.
“What?” Nate said. “We’re not kids. This is work.”
“It’s always work though, isn’t it, Nate?”
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean, Nate, is that you’ve barely seen your daughter over the past few months, swanning off all over the country with Alik, and now you’re planning on doing it again, leaving me holding the baby. Literally.” Poppy threw the cutlery down on the table, right in the middle of one of the maps.
“Um, I think I’ll just go and find Eva,” said Richey. He looked between the pair before he slipped out of the room.
Nate turned on her. “What do you think pays for this house? And all the party gifts that the parents of India’s friends expect? Not to mention your shopping habit?”
Poppy sank down onto the chair beside Nate. He had never said anything that cruel to her before. She had always paid her way, or at least she had until India had been born. She couldn’t believe he was throwing that in her face.
“Do you think it’s been easy for us to replace Billy? Despite everything he did, it’s hard not to miss him, to remember him and think about him when we’re playing. Richey is great, but we have to make sure this works. If it all falls on its arse, then it’s going to be difficult to carry on again, even with the success Alik has had with his solo stuff. I’m just grateful that he wants me with him on it. Otherwise I don’t know what I’d do. We certainly wouldn’t be able to afford to live here.”
Poppy reached for his hand, but he pulled away. Nate hadn’t been overly vocal in the aftermath of Billy’s death, and she hadn’t realised just how much it had affected him. He wasn’t the type to be emotional; only showing his true feelings at their wedding and at the birth of their daughter.
“You never said anything.”
Nate didn’t look up from the table. “It’s been such a whirlwind these past few weeks. Touring with Alik; coming home and finding a virtual stranger in our home; finding Billy’s replacement; refreshing all the Blood Stone Riot material; having Richey move in.” He traced his finger around one of the towns on the map, drawing lines on the paper with his nail. “It just feels so different now.”
“But having Eva here gives me some company when you’re not around. Plus an extra pair of hands with India is always useful, and I thought it made sense. And then having Richey here helped you too.”
“It helps to know you won’t be on your own this time.”
Poppy reached for one of the tour itineraries. “How long are you away for?”
“A couple of weeks or so. We’ve got around six nights sorted at the moment,” said Nate. “Although I have no idea what we’re going to do in between times. There’s not much chance we’d get back here.”
“It’s a shame I can’t come with you,” she said.
“Being on the road is no place for a mother and child.”
“Is that all I am to you now? A mother? Don’t I count as a person in my own right any longer?”
“That’s not what I meant,” said Nate. “It’s just that you shouldn’t get upset when you can’t be around all the time.”
“And what about you? Do you like it when I’m not around?”
“Don’t be silly, Poppy.”
“Oh, I’m silly now am I? Just a bored little housewife who goes out and spends her husband’s money.”
“Don’t put words in my mouth, I didn’t mean that!”
“Th
en what do you mean?” Poppy had to know what was going on in Nate’s head before he went away; whether he was happy with the domestic life or whether he wanted something else.
Nate let out a sigh. “Things are different now. They aren’t like they were before we got married. We’ve got responsibilities.”
“I’ve got responsibilities. You just seem to head off when the going gets tough.”
“I do that to keep a roof over our head! To provide for you and India.” Nate shook his head. “Jesus, you’re making this difficult.”
“Now I’m difficult, am I?”
Nate stood up. “I can’t talk to you when you’re like this.”
“That’s it, just walk away.”
He stopped in the doorway and turned back to her. “You know what? That might not be such a bad thing.”
“What?”
Nate faced her. “I think that it might be a good idea if we took a proper break from each other, see what we really want. You’re right. I haven’t been around as much as I once was, certainly not all that much since India has been born and you’ve...”
He trailed off. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks.
“I don’t want you to go,” she said. “Surely we can work this out?”
Nate crossed the room to her. “I’ll call Alik and see if I can stay with him for a bit.” He hugged her awkwardly. “It’s for the best.”
Poppy watched him go; her world as she knew it was crumbling around her.
Chapter Seventeen
Poppy was glad of the opportunity to visit Chrissy and Lara in London. She had tried to call Nate a couple of times over the past two days, but he hadn’t answered. When Eva offered to babysit so she could have a girl’s night, she jumped at the chance. A few drinks and the company of old friends was exactly what she needed.
They met at Jewel in Picadilly, one of their old haunts. It was fairly quiet for a Tuesday night, but at least that meant they could talk properly.
