The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson (27 page)

There’s a line of people snaking out the front door of the venue when we arrive. Johnny directs Davey to take us around the back.

‘But my ticket will be at the front,’ I say worriedly to Johnny. ‘Shall I get out and queue?’

‘Nah.’ He shakes his head and gives me a weird look. ‘You’ll be alright.’

Hmm. I suppose I
am
with Johnny Jefferson.

There’s no one around the back, but then the black metal door bursts open and a blonde girl wearing a headset pokes her head out, spies the limo and grins. The door of the limo opens and I see Davey standing there, and behind him, Samuel and Lewis. Where did they come from? Did they come ahead to the venue? They must have done.

‘After you,’ Johnny says to me. I climb out on to the pavement and wait, flanked by Johnny’s security guards. Christian comes next, gently ushering me towards the door. I still half expect the girl with the headset to demand to see our tickets, but she doesn’t. I look back at Johnny.

‘Cheers, Bud,’ he says to Davey as he climbs out. And then the screams start. I don’t know where they come from, who the girls are or how they spotted us around this side of the venue – maybe they saw the limo drive past – but Christian presses me forward, and moments later, Johnny and Samuel are inside with us. I guess Lewis must be waiting outside for our exit later.

My head is spinning. ‘Is this what it’s always like?’ I say to Christian.

He looks at me like I’m bonkers. ‘That was nothing,’ he tells me.

The girl leads us down a corridor and then I feel Johnny’s hand on my back and I instantly feel calmer somehow.

‘Do you want to wait backstage?’ the girl asks over her shoulder.

‘Nah, let’s go and get a drink,’ Christian says, glancing at Johnny for agreement.

‘Cool.’ Johnny nods.

The music from the venue outside the corridor is muted, the bass a dull thumping, but we come to a door and when the blonde whooshes it open, the noise is deafening. The venue is crowded, the bar is packed and the stage is dark and empty. Samuel goes first, looking almost comical in his size and posture – but despite his penchant for silly jokes, he is
not
someone to be messed with.

We’re about a quarter of the way through the crowd on the dance floor, en route to the bar, when Johnny is noticed. At first it’s just shocked looks and excited nudges as the crowd parts in front of us, but like a ripple, the news spreads outwards and then the crowd swarms around us. Nobody screams, though – maybe that would be too uncool – but all eyes are on him. Eventually we reach the bar – Samuel goes first, clearing a space – and then the bartender appears miraculously.

‘What are you having?’ Johnny bends down and asks me in my ear.

‘Erm . . . Whiskey and Coke?’ I ask hopefully. I may have been good in the limo, but now that I’m inside I feel so jittery about meeting Jack that I kind of want a drink.

‘Try again,’ he says, deadpan.

I pull a face.

‘Let her have a beer,’ Christian suggests genially. ‘A light one?’

Johnny raises one eyebrow at me. ‘I’d prefer cider,’ I tell him with my best smile.

‘They won’t do cider here,’ Christian chips in. ‘Go on, get us a couple of beers, mate.’

Johnny shoots him an unimpressed look, then leans in and asks for two beers and a Coke. My shoulders slump, so I’m surprised when Christian gives me a cheeky thumbs up. Then a bottle of beer is in my hand and I realise Johnny is drinking the Coke. Result! I can’t believe I got served in here, actually. Definitely a perk of having Johnny around, I’d say.

‘Cheers!’ Christian says and we all chink bottles. That’s when I look around to see that there are dozens of sets of eyes staring straight at me. I jolt with shock. Whoa, this is so weird. They must be wondering who I am, why I’m here with Johnny Jefferson. I take a sip of my beer. It doesn’t taste too bad. Johnny asks Christian about someone called Sara – maybe that’s his girlfriend – but I tune out.

I wonder if Jack got my message? I feel a hand on my waist and spin around, coming face to face with the boy himself. Butterflies instantly take flight in my stomach and heat radiates from the place where he’s touching me.

‘Hi.’ He seems guarded as he looks past me to Johnny, but Christian is saying something into Johnny’s ear and he’s distracted.

‘You alright?’ I ask cautiously, then his eyes are on me and my heart flips. I’d almost forgotten how good-looking he is.

‘Yeah,’ he says uncertainly. ‘I just got your text.’

‘Thought I’d better warn you.’

‘Thanks.’ He smiles a small smile. ‘Catch you afterwards?’ He looks past me again.

‘Sure.’

He squeezes my waist and then turns around, making his way back through the crowd. My eyes follow him until he’s out of sight, then I turn around to see that I’ve finally got Johnny and Christian’s attention.

‘Who was that?’ Christian asks.

‘That,’ Johnny replies, giving him a significant look, ‘was Jack Mitchell.’

‘Aah,’ Christian says knowingly.

My face burns as I take another gulp of my drink. Johnny and Christian grin at each other. A man appears on the stage, setting up or doing something. Johnny pats Christian on the chest and nods towards the stage, indicating for us to go closer. We start to make our way through the crowd, but then a man stops Johnny and they backslap and greet each other enthusiastically. Johnny pulls him forward.

‘Christian, you know Billy?’ Johnny says, and he and Christian do a complicated handshake while my head spins. Jack’s dad?

‘And this is my daughter, Jessie,’ Johnny says. Billy’s eyes widen and he looks shell-shocked for a split second before regaining his senses. He leans forwards and shakes my hand the proper way.

‘Well, well, well,’ he says, looking back at Johnny. ‘I didn’t know you had a daughter?’

Johnny shrugs. ‘Neither did I,’ he says. ‘So, how’s life treating you?’

I can’t hear Billy’s reply, but I’m hardly paying attention anyway. Johnny has just told Jack’s dad that I’m his daughter. For the first time, it really hits me that the truth is about to come out. And my life really
is
going to change.

Billy stays with us to watch the band, and as the crowd around us start chanting and looking up at the stage, the atmosphere is charged.

I lean up into Johnny’s ear. ‘You just told him I’m your daughter!’ I exclaim.

‘Everyone’s going to know the day after tomorrow anyway,’ he replies with a shrug.

‘But I haven’t even told Jack!’

‘Tell him tonight.’

He
so
doesn’t realise what a big deal this is to me . . .

The girls in front of us start screaming and their reaction is contagious because more join in as the band take the stage, and then BAM! Jack and Brandon start pounding on their guitars in unison while Miles bashes the hell out of the drum kit behind them. Eve bounds on to the stage, wrenches the microphone out of the stand, and starts to sing the hell out of the venue. It’s amazing –
they’re
amazing – even more so than at Agnes’s party. This venue, this crowd, it’s unbelievable. I jump along and throw my hands up in the air, while Johnny, Christian and Billy coolly nod their heads along to the beat beside me. This just makes me giggle. Johnny raises one eyebrow at me, but I ignore him and carry on dancing.

Jack looks so sexy up there, I fancy him even more and I didn’t think that was possible.

He’s singing into the mic, doing background harmonies, and then the lyrics cut out for an instrumental break and Eve turns around to face him, bouncing on the stage in front of him, while he plays the life out of his electric guitar. He grins at her and a horrible feeling overcomes me.

This is different to last time. Last time they could barely look at each other. Now there is definitely chemistry. Major chemistry. What the hell has happened in the two weeks I’ve been away? So much for not letting a guy get to me. If he isn’t interested in me any more, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I’ll be devastated.

No. No. I am stronger than that.

I force myself to carry on dancing, to not appear bothered as Eve spins around and continues to sing. But I watch them closely over the next couple of songs, and I’m sure that something is up. When they slow things right down, she looks over her shoulder and sings a sad, soulful song to him – and he stares right back at her for a good few seconds – before she faces the crowd again. It makes me feel sick.

I stare up at him, the urge to dance well and truly out of the window. Luckily no one else is dancing now, anyway, as this is a chilled-out track. He looks down at the crowd, his eyes moving left and right, stopping near me. I think he’s seen his dad, because he nods his acknowledgement. Has he seen me? No, probably Johnny. And then his eyes are on mine, and I swear time contracts as he and I stare at each other.

Eve starts to sing to him again, but this time he doesn’t smile at her. He almost looks . . . irritated. As for me, well, I don’t want to be here any more, but I refuse to look like an idiot and leave.

Someone grabs my arm and I turn around to see Agnes.

‘Hey!’ she exclaims. ‘I thought you went back to the UK?’

‘Change of plan!’ I shout back, surprised that she’d want to talk to me. She looks strangely pleased to see me, actually. Her edgy black-haired bob is mussed up and she looks cool in a dark-red top and what I’m guessing is her trademark thick black eyeliner.

‘He was bummed!’ she shouts.

‘What?’

‘Jack!’ she tells me. ‘He was bummed when you left!’

I glance up at the stage, confusion making my head feel fuzzy again. Eve has her arm around Jack’s neck while he plays his guitar.

‘Trust me,’ Agnes shouts in my ear as she sees my face fall. Then she freezes, looking past me. She must’ve seen Johnny. I glance over my shoulder, but it’s not Johnny she’s seen, it’s her dad. He looks torn-up as he stares at her. I turn back in time to see Agnes pushing her way through the crowd.

My heart sinks and I impulsively glance up at Jack. It’s clear from the troubled look on his face that he saw this exchange. He’s shaken, but he doesn’t stop playing. His gaze returns to mine, but I only meet his stare for a few seconds before I force myself to look away.

Jack told me Agnes wasn’t speaking to his dad, and there’s my proof. Their family is just as dysfunctional as mine from the looks of that.

The gig is awesome, and despite my concerns about Jack and Eve, I’m pleased for him.

‘They were good,’ Christian comments afterwards when the band has finally exited the stage after their raucously demanded encore. He seems genuinely impressed. Billy nods, seeming pleased. The club’s music has started up again, but it’s not as loud as the band were.

‘Yeah,’ Johnny agrees.

‘Come get a drink?’ Billy suggests, patting Johnny on the back.

‘I’m only on the soft stuff these days,’ Johnny replies.

‘Ah man, what’s happened to you?’ Billy exclaims. Johnny just shrugs and Billy tuts with mock disgust. ‘This is what happens when you settle down.’

‘You should try it,’ Johnny replies pointedly.

‘Nah.’ Billy brushes him off with a cheeky grin which looks just like Jack’s. ‘Not for me.’ He leads the way back to the bar, but Jack intercepts him.

‘Hey, boy!’ Billy shouts, engulfing him in a hug. Jack awkwardly detaches himself, smiling with embarrassment at Johnny, Christian and me, while Billy heartily shakes him. ‘Johnny, you know my boy, Jack?’

‘Hey, Jack,’ Johnny says in a cool, calm and collected way as they shake hands. Jack looks a bit fazed, but is trying not to be. Johnny introduces Christian and they shake hands, too.

‘You guys were great,’ Christian says with genuine enthusiasm.

‘Thanks.’ Jack seems touched.

‘And you know Jessie, of course,’ Johnny says drily.

‘Yeah.’ Jack’s blue-grey eyes meet mine for what seems like an age as those treacherous butterflies sweep through me once more.

‘Have you seen Agnes?’ Jack asks his dad apprehensively.

Billy shifts awkwardly and shrugs. ‘Nah. She took off. She’ll come back.’

‘Jesus Christ, Dad. I told you not to screw it up.’

‘I’m sorry, alright?’

Johnny and Christian exchange a look, and Johnny jerks his head in the direction of the bar, his intention being to leave them to it.

‘Hang on,’ Billy interrupts them, putting his hand on Johnny’s arm. He turns back to Jack. ‘Come on, drink first. We’ll go and find your sister afterwards.’

Jack hesitates, but then he glances at me and seems to change his mind. He nods.

‘Same again?’ Johnny asks me when we near the bar.

‘Yes, thanks.’

I jump with surprise as Jack takes my hand and pulls me a couple of steps away from the others. I look up into his eyes and I’m thrown by the expression on his face.

‘Are you OK?’ I ask hesitantly.

He doesn’t answer immediately. ‘I don’t know,’ is what he replies with, which only baffles me more. ‘It’s good to see you again.’

He might’ve said it’s good, but he doesn’t exactly look pleased.

And then it’s like slow motion, the slim, dark-skinned hands sliding around his waist from behind and I find myself eye-to-eye with Eve as she rests her chin on Jack’s shoulder.

‘I’ve been waiting for you,’ she says to him, but her eyes are unwaveringly on me.

He unclasps her hands from around his waist. ‘I’ll be there in a minute,’ he says steadily.

‘Don’t keep me waiting much longer, baby,’ she says, kissing his cheek and giving me a meaningful look as she sashays off.

Despite what my earlier intuition was telling me, I’m still shocked. Jack stares at me helplessly, and then out of the blue, Johnny appears by my side, his arm draped around my neck and his lips on my temple as he gives me a perfunctory kiss.

‘Time to go,’ he says firmly. He must have seen the exchange and wants to take me away before I get even more hurt. I glance up at him to see that my assumption is correct: Johnny is staring Jack down, anger flashing in his eyes.

‘Give me a moment,’ I plead. I’m not ready to walk away, yet. He nods down at me, then gives Jack one more pointed look, before turning back to Christian.