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My head swung around to Joey, who was grinning like he had a fucking coat hanger in his mouth.
“No idea what you’re talking about,” I grumbled, while sneaking another peak.
Jimmy was bloody well ignoring Amber, he had his back to her, and all I wanted to do was go over there and punch him.
“Think seriously about it, Ron.” Elliot dropped his phone down onto the table as he addressed me. He’d been looking at photos of Belle, his fiancée, and her growing bump. Beau had come around to his best friend getting his little sister pregnant, but we still liked to wind him up about it from time to time. Not tonight, though, I wasn’t in the mood.
“About what?” I asked, like I didn’t have a clue.
“We talked about this, mate. He’s our support act, don’t forget.”
Elliot, always the voice of reason, looked at me with one of those sympathetic down-turned lip expressions. The sort your geography teacher used to give you when you only got thirty percent in your test on rock formations and clouds.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, so please don’t feel the need to give me a lecture.”
“None of us are stupid, Ronald,” Joey said, sticking a toothpick in his mouth.
“You are. And don’t call me Ronald.”
He grinned before grimacing as he poked around his teeth. Beau, who had eaten as much of my chicken as he could manage, pushed his plate away.
“You’re talking bullshit, Ron,” he said, rubbing his belly. “It’s clear that you’ve got feelings for her. You go all starry eyed around her.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do,” from Beau.
“Fuck off,” from Joey.
“I think you need to reconsider that,” from the ever-logical Elliot.
Looking at them all, it was obvious that they knew me too well. Every single set of eyes was sympathetic and understanding of the dilemma I was in. I knew it would be bloody disastrous if anything happened between Amber and I, but it wasn’t enough to stop me wanting it. I didn’t care that it could jeopardise the whole tour. What I did care about was her, and those feelings were intensifying every day.
“I can’t help it,” I admitted. “We were just friends but…” I shrugged.
“Fuck, Ronnie,” Beau sighed. “You don’t half pick them.” He rubbed his hand over his mouth and glanced over at the Blind Devil table. “He’s not the nicest person on this planet, that’s for sure, but you know Amber will be the one judged.”
“Nothing has happened,” I stressed, leaning in close so that we weren’t overheard. “We’ve not even held hands.”
“Christ,” Joey scoffed. “Do you need some blue pills or something?”
“Joey, stop being a dick,” Elliot chastised him with a cuff around the head. “This is serious. It’s clear he likes her.”
“Does she know how you feel?” Beau asked.
“I told you. We’re just friends.” I dropped my head against the table and groaned. “Although, I did tell her today that her being with Jimmy makes me jealous.”
Joey dropped his head closer to mine. “Please tell me you didn’t.”
I turned to look at him, my forehead still stuck to the table cloth. “Kind of.” Sighing, I sat up and explained what had happened earlier.
“To be fair, she shouldn’t have put you in that situation,” Elliot responded. “She must have known it would be difficult for you to grass on him, even if you don’t like him.”
“But he makes her miserable,” I protested. “I get why she asked.”
“I know that. It’s obvious.” Elliot shook his head. “You only have to look at her to know that.”
“He’s a wanker,” Joey offered. “And he’s not going to take it well. He’ll use who you are to gain positive publicity for himself, you know that, right?”
