The Club (10 page)

‘Well, I suppose you’ll have to,’ Leonard grumbled disappointedly. He had really wanted to talk to the girl in person – to let her know that, as a trusted friend of her late father, he was always available should she ever need any advice or guidance, or even just a fatherly chat. But it would have to wait, he supposed. Remembering his manners now, he said, ‘I wanted to thank her – and yourself, of course – for inviting my wife and me tonight. We’ve had a lovely time.’

‘Glad you enjoyed it.’

‘Oh, we did. Everything was wonderful. The food, the drinks, the service – couldn’t fault a thing.’

‘Very pleased to hear it,’ Fabian murmured distractedly, his gaze fixed firmly over Leonard’s shoulder on the Allen table, where he could see Melody being touchy-feely with Tony. She’d obviously forgiven the ugly lout for neglecting her, but Fabian hoped she didn’t get
too
relaxed and let anything slip.

‘Are you open tomorrow?’

‘Sorry?’ Snapping his attention back to Leonard, Fabian frowned. ‘Tomorrow? Oh, right – yes. And every night thereafter. Shall we expect to see you?’

‘Absolutely!’ Leonard beamed, taking it as an actual invitation.

It was six before the club was totally cleared of guests, and by half past most of the staff had gone, too.

Bumping into Fabian on her way to the lower bar, Jenna gave him a tired smile. ‘Good night, wasn’t it?’

‘Fantastic,’ he agreed. ‘Bet you’re wondering what you were so worried about?’

‘I wasn’t worried,’ she lied, her eyes twinkling because they both knew how panicked she’d been. ‘You were great, by the way. I was watching you with Melody Fisher.’

Fabian blanched.
Oh, shit! What had she seen?

‘It was really nice of you to dance with her,’ Jenna went on, oblivious to the wariness in his eyes. ‘Not that it could have been all that hard, considering how lovely she is, but I know you only did it to help Tony out. So, well done.’

‘Thanks,’ Fabian muttered, more relieved than she could ever know. ‘All in a day’s work.’

‘A very
good
one, in your case,’ Jenna said. ‘Staying for a drink?’

Fabian was tempted, but when he saw Vibes, Kalli and Austin loitering by the bar he decided against it. Much as he’d have liked another one-to-one with Jenna, there was no way he was wasting his time on the hired help. Anyway, he was still on edge about the whole Melody situation and needed to get home to relax.

‘Actually, I’m a bit knackered,’ he said, yawning to emphasise the point. ‘And I’ve got to come in first thing to wait for the delivery, so I’ll give it a miss, if you don’t mind?’

‘Course not. And don’t worry about that delivery. I’ll come in early and help you with it.’

‘No need, I’ve got it covered. You just stay in bed till you’re good and ready.’ Leaning towards her, Fabian kissed her on the cheek. ‘Happy New Year.’

‘You, too,’ Jenna said, sitting down wearily on one of the tall bar stools.

Stepping out of the way to let Fabian past, Kalli put her hands on her non-existent hips and gazed around at the mess of glasses, plates and overflowing ashtrays littering the bar. Pushing up her sleeves, she set about clearing up.

‘Leave that,’ Jenna told her. ‘The cleaners will do it in the morning. Come and have a drink – I think we all deserve one.’ Looking around at them all now, she said, ‘Thanks so much for everything you’ve done, guys. You’ve really helped make it go well tonight.’

‘We
were
pretty damn good, weren’t we?’ Austin crowed, going behind the bar to pour the drinks.

Straddling the stool beside hers, Vibes said, ‘I hope you’re including yourself in that, Princess, because
you
were fantastic.’

‘Hear, hear,’ Kalli agreed, sitting on the other side of Vibes. ‘You were brilliant, Jenna. Nobody would ever guess it was your first time.’

‘
Like a virgin
,’ Austin sang camply, popping the cork out of a half-full bottle of champagne that Maurice had left under the counter.

‘Shut up, you idiot,’ Kalli scolded. ‘Jenna’s trying to relax.’

‘It’s okay,’ Jenna assured her. ‘I don’t mind a bit of music. Subject of,’ she said then, turning to Vibes. ‘You were
amazing
.’

Dipping his head, Vibes gave a modest shrug. ‘I was okay, I guess.’

‘Oh, come on, you were
way
hot!’Austin chipped in enthusiastically, laying four glasses out on the counter. ‘When the doors opened and you hit it with the Big Ben chimes, I thought I was gonna
die
, it was that spine-tingly. And the way you came out of that gospel version of “Auld Lang Syne” and blasted straight into that Kylie remix . . . Oh, my
life
!’ Closing his eyes, he hugged the champagne bottle to his chest. ‘It was like getting into an ice-cold shower after a sizzling sauna!’

‘I think we get the picture.’ Jenna laughed. ‘Now, do you think we could get the drinks?’

But it was true what he’d said. Vibes had turned the room on its head tonight, drawing people onto the dance floor and holding them there, never giving them a chance to think about sitting down as each track raised the pace of the last. But his real brilliance had shown itself in the final hour, when he’d started to mellow the mood, subtly slowing the pace down to the final laid-back bluesy smooch.

‘Fantastic,’ Jenna murmured, sighing happily.

‘Isn’t he?’ Kalli agreed, resting her chin on her hand. Blushing then, she added, ‘I meant as a DJ.’

‘Me, too,’ Jenna said quickly.

‘What-
ever
!’ Austin murmured amusedly.

Smiling, Vibes looped his arms around their shoulders and hugged them to him. ‘You are one pair of terrific ladies – you know that?’

‘What about me?’ Hand on hip now, Austin tilted his head and pouted flirtatiously. ‘Don’t you get hugs round here if you haven’t got boobs?’

‘You, my friend, get a high five!’Vibes laughed, slapping palms with him across the bar. ‘I’d like to propose a toast,’ he said then, picking up his glass. ‘To friends . . . and to Jenna’s success.’

‘That’s two toasts,’ Kalli said, smiling slyly as she noticed that Jenna and Vibes couldn’t seem to look each other in the eye for more than a few seconds at a time.

‘Oh, who cares, Little Miss Perfect?’ Austin tutted. ‘Button up, and
bottoms
up!’

Reaching for her glass, Kalli said, ‘You’d better take it easy, ’cos you’re not having another one after that. And I am
not
cleaning the taxi if you throw up in the back again.’

Letting Kalli and Austin out a short time later, Jenna set the alarms and locked up, then stood with Vibes outside the front door to wait for his cab. He’d booked it from the same firm as the rest of the staff, but everyone else’s had been and gone a long time ago and there was still no sign of his.

It was pitch dark outside, and absolutely freezing. Jenna was shivering, and her nose felt like an icicle, but there was no way she was leaving Vibes by himself. There had been too many reports of gangs attacking lone men in the city lately, and she’d never live with herself if that were to happen to him.

‘You should go,’ Vibes told her. ‘It’s too cold to be hanging around out here.’

‘I’m fine,’ she lied, smiling to disguise the fact that her teeth were chattering. ‘What time did they say they’d be here?’

‘Twenty minutes ago.’

‘Bloody hell. I didn’t realise they were that late. They’ve probably forgotten.’

‘No worries.’ Shrugging deeper into his jacket, Vibes stepped forward to look down the deserted road. ‘I’ll give it another five and start walking.’

‘Don’t be daft,’ Jenna said, glancing up at him. ‘My car’s out back. I’ll take you.’

‘Nah, it’s cool.’ He shook his head. ‘I don’t want to put you out.’

‘You won’t be,’ Jenna said firmly. ‘But if you stay out here for much longer you’ll be too ill to come to work tomorrow – and that’s no use to me, is it?’

‘If you’re sure?’ Vibes peered into her eyes – then glanced quickly away when it suddenly struck him where he’d seen that shade of green before.

Shaking the memory away before it took hold and burned, Vibes said, ‘Second thoughts, I think I’d best just wait. That cab’s probably gonna come racing round the corner any minute, and I wouldn’t want to miss it and waste the guy’s time on a day like this.’

Jenna knew better. Turning, she walked away, calling back over her shoulder: ‘Come on.’

Catching up with her when he realised that she wasn’t taking no for an answer, Vibes adjusted his stride to match hers. He’d never noticed quite how petite she actually was, and the glow from the street lamps gave her hair a beautiful blue sheen.

‘You’ll have to direct me, because I don’t know my way around Withington,’ Jenna said when they were in the car.

Rubbing his hands together as the heater blasted delicious hot air at him, Vibes said, ‘Left at the corner and keep going straight.’ Falling silent then as Jenna reversed out of the yard into the narrow alleyway, he leaned his head back against the rest and thought about how well the night had gone.

Fabian had done himself proud with the guest list, and the rest of the staff had really pulled their weight to make sure everything went smoothly. Particularly Kalli, from what he’d heard. But then, he wouldn’t have expected any less of her. She might be the smallest and youngest of the waitresses, but it was to her that they all turned when they needed help or advice.

‘She’s a good kid,’ he said out loud. Adding, ‘
Kalli
,’ when he realised that Jenna wouldn’t know what he was talking about.

‘She is, isn’t she?’ Jenna smiled fondly. ‘I haven’t known her as long as you have, but you just get the feeling you can really rely on her, don’t you?’

‘That’s because you can,’ Vibes murmured. ‘And that’s good, ’cos we all need someone to rely on.’

‘Very true,’ Jenna agreed. ‘Bit of a rare luxury for me, these days, though, because I lost touch with most of my friends when I left Manchester. I’ve met lots of new people since I came back, but it’s not the same, is it?’

‘I hear that,’ Vibes said softly. ‘Many faces in the picture – few close to the heart.’

‘Very poetic.’

‘Very
safe
,’ Vibes said, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. Dawn was only just beginning to break, and the dull street lamps were casting long shadows across Jenna’s tired face, but she was still one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. There was a proud tilt to her chin, and a dignity in the way she held herself which told him that she would be a faithful lover, or a lifelong trusted friend.

Shaking the thought away, he sat up straighter and concentrated on staying awake as they travelled out of town and into Withington.

‘It’s the next turning on the left, then second right,’ he said when they reached the village centre. ‘First house on the left.’

Pulling up at the kerb outside the corner house a minute later, Jenna smiled when she saw three grown men chasing each other around the garden with water guns. ‘They look like they’re having fun.’

‘Oh, man, I thought the party would have been over by now,’ Vibes groaned. ‘Gina must be having a fit. It would have been murder getting the baby to sleep with these fools making so much noise.’ Sighing now, he unclipped his seat belt. ‘Best go see if I can get them to cool it.’

Reaching for the door handle now, he hesitated, unsure how to say goodbye. It was New Year’s Day, but should he kiss Jenna on the cheek and wish her a good one like he would have any other female friend? Or would she think that completely inappropriate because she was his boss?

Opting for the cautious approach, he nodded at her. ‘Right, well, thanks for the lift. And I’ll, er, see you tomorrow, I guess.’ Smiling shyly, he added, ‘Don’t go falling asleep at the wheel on your way home.’

‘I won’t,’ Jenna assured him. ‘See you tomorrow.’

Hopping out, Vibes stepped back to the gate to wave her off.

‘Who’s that?’ Kenneth asked, coming up behind him with a sly grin on his face.

‘My boss,’ Vibes said, pushing the gate open.

‘Hot momma.’

‘Wouldn’t let Gina hear you saying that.’ Strolling up the path, Vibes nodded at Kenneth’s friends, who were sitting on the doorstep now, skinning up. ‘Happy New Year, guys.’

‘Certainly is,’ one of them called back in a loud whisper. ‘I’m happy as fuck, me. Fancy a puff to see it in, mate?’

Shaking his head, Vibes said, ‘Thanks, but I’m gonna hit the sack.’ Touching fists with Kenneth then, he said, ‘See you in the morning, man.’

‘Sweet dreams,’ Kenneth called after him as he made his way inside.

Knowing exactly what he was getting at, Vibes flipped him the finger.

4

Fabian had barely slept, but nobody would have guessed it to look at him when he was getting the club ready for opening that night. His hair was perfect, his nails buffed, and his skin glowing, thanks to a visit to Toni & Guy in between overseeing the cleaners and sorting the delivery earlier that day. It was an expensive indulgence but, in his experience, women appreciated a well-groomed man – especially a well-groomed man in a suit. And his midnight-blue Armani and silver-grey shirt couldn’t have looked better if it were being strutted down a catwalk in Milan.

But he didn’t just
look
good. He felt good, too.

Coming down off the coke in the restless early-morning hours had mellowed him enough to think the Melody Fisher situation through more rationally, and he’d come to the conclusion that she wouldn’t dare tell her boyfriend what had happened. If everything was honest and open between her and Tony Allen she wouldn’t have had to engineer getting Fabian alone like that – she’d have come right out and asked him for the coke in front of Tony. But she obviously hadn’t wanted Tony to know, and that gave Fabian something to hold over her if she got out of line.