Page 87 of Doc Rock
Mai wanted to lean into him, to grab his hand and entwine their fingers. Instead, she forced herself to sit stiffly and try to ignore his proximity.
Closing her eyes to block out the pub around her, she listened to them play. As the music washed over her, the hairs on her arms stood on end.
Over the years, she'd listened to a lot of Midnight Thunder. They always sounded good. Even with his many problems, Ryan was an excellent guitar player. But with her, even recorded on a mobile phone in a shed, they sounded great. Her playing fit in with the band perfectly. The way they meshed together was like they were psychic.
A shiver rushed through her when her voice soared with Ford’s.
This was special.
Her gaze swung to him, and he was looking right back at her. They didn’twatchthe rest of the video. They just listened as they stared into each other’s eyes.
Mai was transported back to a time when life was simpler, and all they needed was each other and music. In the years they’d spent together, they’d never grown bored with each other. She used to be happy sitting and staring at Ford as he sang. As he helped her write music to the lyrics she created. As he played guitar, and as he practised his stage swagger. Which oncehad looked awkward, but now looked like he was born to be a frontman.
Regret crashed over her, crushing her as she was face to face with what she threw away. What she ran away from.
When the music stopped, she couldn’t help herself; she leaned towards him, towards his lips that were so close to her that shecouldfeelhis breath on her face.
And he leaned away.
A flush rose up Mai’s cheeks.Shit.She had been so caught up in the music. She would have kissed him. Right here in the pub in front of her friends.
And he had leaned away from her. She was mortified.
What the hell had she been thinking?
Her embarrassment filled her, and her ears rang. She didn’tgetto kiss him anymore. A small voice reminded her that he had already kissed her. She shoved that voice down. He'd been in shock to find her alive. She had let him think his first love was dead. Of course he was going to be mixed up.
He must have had time to think though, and clearly didn’t want to repeat it.
Clearing her throat, she moved away from him and took the AirPod out of her ear.
Avoiding looking at him, she said,“We sounded good.”
Ford grunted in reply.
Mai put her phone down and shuffled her chair away from him.“Well,there’s nothing we can do. I’m hungry. I’m going to order myself a burger. Do you want one?”She stood up without waiting for his reply.
It wasn’t his fault she was an idiot. She needed togetaway from him for a moment and calm down.
“Sie.”
Mai didn’t stop when Ford called for her and made her way over to the bar., her ears still ringing with her embarrassment.
Tears welled in her eyes, so she diverted to the toilets. She needed to pull herself together.
Pushing through the doors to the ladies’, she was relievedit wasempty. She leaned on the sink and stared at her red-rimmed eyes in the mirror. Pulling her glasses off, she splashed some water on her face.
Sheheardthe toilet door open, and she dropped her gaze to the tap, trying not to make eye contact with whoever had just walked in.
“Are you okay?”Hel asked.
Mai looked up andcouldonly make out the blurred outline of her friend, so she put her glasses on, snapping everything back into focus.
“Yeah.”Mai plastered on a bright smile but couldn’t stop herself from sniffing.
“So you didn’t just lean in to kiss Ford, then run away when it didn’t happen?”Hel asked.
“Shit,”Mai muttered. Of course her friend hadnoticed; they were sitting at the same table.
