Dayton orders champagne which comes delivered in a bucket of ice with upturned glasses around the bucket on a big silver tray, it reeks of celebrity. We make our way to the chill out area. Mary, Liz, Taylor and Evan are sat around a table and applaud when we approach. Dayton puts the drinks down and takes a theatrical bow. I laugh and slap him on the bum.
“Well played, Day-day. That set was fucking white hot,” Liz gushes and I see Dayton’s modesty kick in and he blushes slightly.
“You rock, Dayton. If you don’t play here again I’m afraid I will be trailing you back to Manchester and letting Mark and Jimmy know they have just missed the opportunity of a lifetime,” Mary compliments him and Dayton smiles politely before pouring the drinks and handing them out.
“You had that crowd rocking, Dayton, they stomped till they sweat and I heard some of those birds, man, you got them horny. The knickers they threw must have been soggy,” Taylor says and I cringe at the thought, glad Dayton left them on the stage where they belonged.
“Thanks everyone. Honestly, your compliments are really appreciated. The pleasure has been all mine tonight though. Even if I never play here again I can walk away saying that was one of the best experiences of my life. Not that I don’t want to play here again,” he adds, looking straight at Evan with a wink.
Evan claps his hands together and laughs loudly. “Boyo, if Mark didn’t feel the office rock tonight then trust me there will be plenty of people singing your praise. He has his little observers in this place and believe me when I say there wasn’t a person here tonight who can say the crowd didn’t demand more of you. I hope to be working with you soon, Dayton.” He grins and I feel excitement build in my chest, this is all so good to hear.
So much positive feedback, I know how much it means to Dayton and I pray he gets the call back. It means everything and I can’t help but lean into him for a hug.
“Boy done good.” Dave slaps Dayton on the back and I see the happiness and pride in Dayton’s eyes.
We sit chatting until the champagne is gone and after a bathroom break we all get back out on the dance floor. Evan slips away shortly after, wishing Dayton luck and saying he hopes to see us again really soon. The quality of music is amazing all night and I can see why anyone who isn’t perfectly skilled often doesn’t get called back here after a trial set. I just pray to god Dayton’s set impressed enough tonight for a recall. I certainly felt he made an impact but whether he will be asked to come back is another matter.
For now though I feel confident and I relax into enjoying the night with our new friends. Dayton stays close to me all night, grinding and dancing with me, sneaking the odd grope of my bum. He kisses me like it’s the last time he will see me. The sexual attraction between us crackling and sizzling. I struggle to keep my hands off of him, too, he looks so hot and sweaty on the dance floor and I lick the sweat off his upper lip, suckling on his tongue.
I dance against him, his hands sliding down my thighs and over my hips. I get the odd envious glance from female clubbers who recognise him already but I pay them no attention, just as Dayton doesn’t. He only has eyes for me.
I slide my bottom against his groin, dancing with my back to his chest, my arms sliding up to the back of his neck and he kisses me below my ear, sending a thrill through my body. Our body heat and sweat mixes but Dayton insists on keeping our bodies touching as much as possible. I don’t complain. The buzz of the music brings out a feeling of euphoria and adrenaline from the crowd and we aren’t immune. I have to agree with Dayton, tonight has got to be one of the best experiences of my life, too. I know I will pay for all the champagne and dancing in the morning when I can barely crawl out of bed but I’m living in the moment and we party for hours, to hell with the hangover.
Chapter 18
Oh, shit, I’m blind!
I sit up in panic and cry out from the slamming pain in my head. The pillow that temporarily blinded me falls from my face, my stomach churns and my mouth waters. I’m not blind, but I am going to throw up! I clamp my hand to my mouth and bolt for the door, tripping over the silk sheet wrapped around my ankles. I almost army crawl across the floor before I manage to kick the tangled sheet from my feet.
Throwing the door to the en suite open I lurch for the toilet and barely make it before my stomach empties into the bowl. I close my eyes and wrap my arms across my middle. I hate this with a passion, why have I done this to myself? I feel for the handle and flush the toilet but my stomach turns again, bringing up another load of revolting tasting fluids. The memory of champagne and VK Blue springs to my mind and I retch again.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. I should know better. Never again, I vow. I have a fine layer of perspiration all over my body and I finally realise I’m naked. Could this get any worse? I gag again and puke again, I feel like I may actually be dying.
Then it does get worse. Dayton comes to the bathroom door. Kill me now, the embarrassment is too much. I flush the toilet again and Dayton kneels beside me, pulling my hair back from my face.
“Are you okay, baby?” he whispers and a cold chill runs through me even though I’m sweating. I shudder and Dayton grabs a robe off the hook and wraps it round me.
I sit back on my heels and take a deep breath. I’m sure if I wasn’t so pale he would see me blush. This is like one of those nightmares when you walk into school assembly then realise you’re naked and wake up in a cold sweat. I ball my fists into my eyes. My head feels like it has literally been cracked open at some point.
“Is there anything I can get you? Water? Pepto Bismol?” He rubs my back gently and I drop my hands from my mortified face and look at him. He’s knelt on the bathroom floor looking so sad and guilty and I suddenly want to comfort him. Although he doesn’t look in the slightest bit hung over. His eyes don’t even look shadowed from last night. He is dressed, smelling fresh as a daisy and all around gorgeous as always. I curse him in my head, how does he manage it when I’m sitting here on the cold floor, sweating from spewing and I guarantee I look like something the dog coughed up?
“I’m sorry for not looking after you better, sugar. I should never have let you drink so much. It was stupid of me to let you mix your drinks, vodka and champagne.” He cringes. “Your mouth must taste rank?”
I get up gingerly, feeling like my head is going to roll off my shoulders and chase my stomach lining down the toilet. “It’s not your fault, Dayton. I know my limit and I should have stuck to it. Last night was your night and you shouldn’t feel like you have to baby sit me,” I say before brushing my teeth and cleaning my tongue.
“Well, I feel responsible and I really am sorry. Are you sure you don’t want me to get you anything? Some Anadin maybe?” He rubs my back again and I rinse my mouth.
“Anadin would be great, thanks.” I smile weakly before surveying the wreckage of my hair and make-up in the mirror. I look like Alice Cooper but with much worse hair. I groan, fastening the belt on the robe before I start to run the shower.
Dayton brings me the painkillers with a glass of iced water and I thank him with a kiss on the cheek.
“Can you face eating yet?”
I shrug. “I might be okay after my shower and these painkillers. Did you want to order room service?”
“Well, the breakfast menu is off at this time but I could nip into a bakery.”
“Off the menu? What time is it?” I’m shocked that I’ve slept the whole morning away and I sit down on the toilet, hoping the Anadin will kick in fast because I feel like someone is squeezing the life out of my skull.
“It’s almost 1 o’clock, babe. I couldn’t wake you this morning, it was such a late night and I didn’t get up till almost ten myself.” He looks sympathetic. “All I wanted to do was cuddle up to you and go back to sleep but-”
I cut him off. “I totally forgot about your appointment with Jimmy, did you want me to go with you? I’m really sorry, Dayton.”
He waves it away like it doesn’t matter. “It’s okay, Alannah. You wou
ld have been in no fit state, you had to sleep it off and I could manage on my own. It’s a shame you didn’t meet Jimmy, he is a great guy but everything went smoothly.” I still feel guilty about not being conscious to have wished him luck before he left.
“I came here to support you though, babe,” I whinge and he smiles, kissing me softly and running his hand down my cheek where my mascara has run.
“Sugar, it’s okay. Anyway, Jimmy seemed to really like my stuff. He says he can see some points that need tweaking and perfecting but he was pretty impressed and he’s promised to keep in touch. So have Dave and the others. On the whole, I think it has been an epic weekend.” He grins down at me, sliding his hands up and down my arms slowly. I smile up at him and nod my agreement.
“Besides the puke show this morning and the raging bull in my brain at the minute it has been pretty damn... epic,” I say for want of a more suitable word and Dayton chuckles.
“Now you have a hot shower and I’ll go pick up some breakfast. I haven’t eaten yet either and I’m hank Marvin. Won’t be long.” He gives me a chaste kiss and leaves me to shower.
The shower is amazing and I feel a lot better by the time I got dressed in leggings and a cowl neck long top. I go out into the dining room and Dayton has set a tray with cinnamon rolls, croissants, muffins and danishs. He’s pouring orange juice and smiles when he sees me enter the room.
“Better?” he asks and I cringe.
“I couldn’t have got any worse, sorry, I made you play nurse. I must have looked a real state.” I chuckle.
“You always look gorgeous to me, babe, even with your head down the toilet, naked,” he teases and I playfully slap his shoulder, did he really have to bring my lack of clothing into this?
“Tell anyone and I may be forced to strangle you in your sleep,” I threaten with a smile.
“If you do it with your thighs I will go down without a fight.” He laughs and I roll my eyes and start picking at a butter croissant.
“I really hope you get the result you set out for this weekend, Dayton.”
He is tucking into a cinnamon roll and nods. “So do I, babe. You know, I couldn’t have done this without you. Dopey never left the suitcase so I think it was all you.”
I lick my lips and sip my drink. “I didn’t do anything, it wasn’t luck that got you this chance or impressed Jimmy and Mark. That was down to pure talent, babe. It has been amazing to be here with you though and you have treated me like royalty all weekend. I know I could just keep telling you how thankful I am but I thought I would buy you a little something to return the favour.”
I take the ring of musical notes from my handbag and plop it in the middle of the table between us. Then I place the Wonka bar beside it.
“Alannah, you didn’t have to.”
“I did, to make me feel better. Open the chocolate first, if there is a golden ticket in there then it’s an omen. Mark and Jimmy will be back in touch with good news.” I smile and he rolls his eyes at my optimism but picks up the Wonka bar, pulling back the paper. Sure enough there is a shiny golden paper wrapped around the chocolate. “See! I’m telling you, you did amazing this weekend and you will get a call back.” I giggle and he gives me a boyish grin.
“I love you and your silly superstitions. I suppose only time will tell, baby.”
“I love you, too. Now open your present.”
He takes the ring box and cracks it open, I watch his face intently and his eyes light up. A smile spreads across his handsome face and he looks up at me. “Babe, this is ace. It’s so me, it’s... perfect. I love it.”
He rounds the table and pulls me into a tight hug, kissing me deeply and taking my breath away. Then he breaks off the kiss and rests his forehead against mine. “Thank you.”
“No, Dayton, thank you.”
The drive back is a little more subdued in comparison to the drive down and I think we both feel the weight of returning to the daily grind settle upon us. It’s like we have gone from the massive high of the weekend of luxury, fun and generally amazing times to knowing every mile we drive takes us back to roofing, hunting for work, and not being able to spend every minute together. The weekend has been perfect, I don’t think it will be topped for a long time and I’m a little gutted it’s all over.
Dayton rests his hand on my knee and just seeing the ring on his finger makes me smile. “Don’t look so blue, baby. I know the post weekend depression too well. We’ll do it again someday.”
I smile at his reassuring words and nod. “I’d love to. I wish all weekends were that great. I could relive that weekend every weekend. Well, minus the naked spewing.”
He laughs before nodding in agreement. “If I get this contract then that will be every weekend. I’ll spend weekdays in the studio and weekends in Sphinx. It will be like my dreams come true.”
The thought hits me that as much as I loved London and this weekend I don’t know if I’m cut out for living that kind of lifestyle. I don’t want to live in London. Visiting was fun but to be there seven days a week? I flick Dayton a nervous glance and he’s looking at the road with a dopey smile on his face. I clear my throat.
“So, there’s no way you could do the weekday work from Manchester and just do London at the weekends?” I watch him intently and he doesn’t take his eyes off the road but he does shake his head.
“Nope, we’d be moving to London. It’s a six track contract to start with Epic and hopefully more after that. Plus, it wouldn’t just be Saturday nights at Sphinx. It’s a seven days a week club and I’d be expected to mix at least four of those seven. It would be immense, don’t you think?” He grins and I look at my hands in my lap, feeling my heart sink a little but I force a fake smile.
“Sounds amazing, babe,” I murmur. Dayton flicks me a glance and frowns.
“What’s wrong?” He can read me like a book, so finely tuned with me he knows I’m not really happy. I shrug.
“You’d want me to leave with you?” He nods, giving me a look that screams of course! “Dayton, I don’t know if I could do that. I mean, I’d be leaving my parents and my friends. Manchester is all I’ve ever known.”
“But... Alannah, you must have known this was a possibility when Barros set it up? I mean, we’ve already talked about you moving in with me. Why not move in together in our own place in London? You seemed as eager as me for this weekend to get me a result?”
“I was. I mean, I am! I just never thought about you leaving Manchester. I don’t know why.” I gulp and I see his face drop. I thought he would look pissed off but he doesn’t. All I see in his eyes is disappointment and sadness.
He turns off of the motorway into a service station without warning and he bags the first vacant space he finds, pulling the handbrake on harshly. He turns in his seat and meets me with a serious expression. He opens his mouth to speak then stops and sighs, rethinking his words. “Alannah, I don’t know what’s going to come from this audition, maybe nothing, maybe everything, I don’t know. All I know is that if this contract does happen, I need you with me, please.”
I feel my throat thicken and swallowing past the lump lodged there tears spring to my eyes. “Dayton, I love you. I would do anything to make you happy. But what you’re asking is huge! It’s not like we’d just be moving to Birmingham or Nottingham. It’s London.”
“I know that!” He sounds exasperated.
“And we’ve only been together four months.”
“So what? Alannah, I love you, too, and damn, if you asked me to move to Siberia tomorrow to be with you then I would,” he exclaims and the look in his eyes tells me he is deadly serious. Oh, fuck.
“I’d never ask you to do that,” I whisper, my voice is croaky and my eyes well up with tears. He meets my gaze with a pleading look and I have to look away. I can’t stand that he looks so disappointed.
“You know what music means to me, Alannah. You understand it better than anyone else. You get it more than my parents, Luke and Ross. Damn, you even get it
more than Barros. You said it yourself, it’s in my fucking blood. You know what this weekend meant to me and getting this contract.”
I nod, swiping a tear from my eye. “Yes, Dayton, okay, I get it. Music is your everything and I won’t ask you to quit. I won’t stop you from going.”
“No, Alannah! You are my fucking everything. You’re my first thought in the morning, my last before I sleep. Separation from you is a physically painful, I mean proper pain. It’s like I can’t breathe or think straight. I can’t function without you. Without you this whole thing is meaningless. Somehow, Alannah, at some point, you stole the part of me that lived for music and you made me live for you!” He is practically shouting and his words break the dam on the river of tears I’ve been trying to plug. “You said you would always be there, no matter what,” he reminds me softly.
My tears fall freely and I shake my head, not wanting to hear this. I don’t want this. I cannot choose between him and everything else in my life that I love. My parents would be so upset if I left Manchester so soon into this relationship. I’d go crazy without my girls. I can’t imagine not being able to pop round to Corrine’s for girly nights and vampire fests.
“I don’t want to choose. I can’t think about this,” I sob and Dayton pulls me across the centre console into his lap. I bury my face into his neck and try to slow the tears. He makes soothing sounds and rubs my back until I calm. When I’m more in control of my emotions and my thoughts have stopped racing, I sit back and he pushes my hair back over my shoulders before gently cupping my face, making me meet his gaze..
“Look, we are getting way ahead of ourselves. We don’t even know if this contract with Epic Records will happen. It all seems too good to be true. So let’s just cross each bridge as we get to it. Nothing is going to happen overnight and we could get all worried and worked up over something that’s never going to happen. Okay?” he asks calmly, wiping my eyes clear of tears and I sniffle, giving him a small nod.
The Final Note (DJ Series Book 1) Page 18
