Page 104 of Doc Rock
Mai yanked the hoodies out of her bag.“Can we borrow your car? And a couple of pillows.”
“Of course. Youknowwhere the keys are. Take the cushions off the sofa.”
Stevewatchedwith interest as Mai and Ford donned hoodies— laughing when Ford’s was much too short in the torso for him, as, despite being one of Mai’s longest,it wasway too small— then stuffed the cushions up them and pulled the hoods up.
It wouldn’t pass muster in the light, but in the dark, it shouldgetthem to Steve’s car and out oftherewithout attracting the paparazzi's attention.
Chapter 36
Ford
Ford followed Sie out the front door of Steve’s house, trying to control his laughter at the absurdity of the situation.
Although the old man made it difficult when he called out to them,“Bye, Kylie. Bye, Jason.”While waving to them from the doorstep.“Safe journey back to the farm.”
Sie lifted a hand in acknowledgement and replied in the most fake voice,“Bye, Uncle Steve.”
Ford bit his lip and didn’t say anything, instead concentrating on slouching and getting into the car and out ofthere.
He didn’t look directly at the men and women lurking on the street outside Sie’s house, but he kept them in his peripheral vision andsawa few of them glance over with initial interest on their faces. Once they took in the odd figures that the hoodies and cushions gave them, along with the poor posture they were both affecting, the reporters looked away.
Ford fixed his gaze firmly on the road as they drove, not risking looking around and making eye contact with any of the journalists.
“They didn’t follow us,”Sie said, peering back over her shoulder as they left her street.
“Yup. They had no idea it was us.” His heart thudded at the thought that he could be an ‘us’ with Sie again.
Itfeltunfair that they kept being interrupted. Was the world conspiring to keep them apart?Maybe he should tell her now that he still loved her?
He glanced over to the right, where a very drunk man hung onto a lamp post, vomiting onto the road. Yeah, he wasn’t telling her now. This was not how he wanted to do it.
All these years she had been missing, he’d thought he would never forgive her if he finally found her. Now heknewhecould.He already had.He wanted a future with her. Not a life full of bitterness and regret.
“Are the boys home tonight?”Sie asked.
Ford nodded. He wished they weren’t; he wanted her all to himself.“Probably. They wanted to practise later.”
“What for?” Sie asked.
“For the show at the pub.”
“They want to play?”
“Try stopping them!”When he’d told the rest of the band about playing in the pub, they decided it wasn’t a show just about Ford;it wasgoing to be their next Midnight Thunder concert.
“Oh,”Sie suddenly sounded hesitant.“Right. That’s great, I’ll enjoy watching you three.”
“You’re not getting out of it that easily.”Ford laughed.
“You still want me to play?”
“Of course. You’ll always have a spot to play with Midnight Thunder. With me,”he amended.“Whenever you want. Iknowyou probably won’t want to play in our big shows, but that’s not a problem. We’ll hire a session guitarist.”
“Not Ryan?” Sie giggled.
“Definitely not Ryan. I haven’t spoken to the other two yet, but they’ll agree with me. The spot Ryan borrowed was alwaysyours, and it always will be. You can play with us in any show you want to. And if you don’t want to, that’s also fine.”
“I…” Sie’s voice hitched. “I don’t know what to say.”
