Page 94 of Doc Rock
Whenit wasin place, Mai took a deep, steadying breath and got to her feet. She took off her pink glasses and handed them to Hel. The stage Ford sat on became blurry, and she carefully made her way through the crowd until she stood off to the side, waiting for Ford to finish the last verse ofSummer Days.
But he didn’t finish the song; his blurry figure was up and moving toward her with the guitar held out.
He leaned down to her and muttered,“How much can youseewithout your glasses?”
Mai shrugged. “Bugger all.”
Instead of passing her the guitar, he took hold of her hand. A ripple of electricity shot up her arm, and she had to stop herself from entwining her fingers with his.
He tugged her up onto the small stage, leading her across to the seat and gesturing for her to take it.
Her heart thundered in her chest.
This was a mistake. What the hell had she been thinking?
Her knees trembled, and she sank down into the chair. She wouldn’t be able to play. Her hands were shaking too much. She’dfeltso brave when she was sitting watching, but now shecouldfeelher panic rising.
Then Ford’s warm hand touched her shoulder, and he bent down close to her ear so only shecouldhearhim.
“I’m here, Sie. You can do this.”
She took a steadying breath, then another and another. Tipping her head back, she smiled up at his blurred face. The heat of his hand swept through her, and her pulse calmed again.
With one last deep breath, she strummed the opening chords ofSummer Days, shutting out the whispers that were spreading around the pub.
“Holy shit, is that Sie?”
“Who the hell is that?”
“It’s the girl, the one from the original band.”
“I thought she was dead?”
The voices faded away. Alltherewas now was Ford and her. Playing together like the last sixteen years hadn’t happened.
And when her breathing picked up, and her panic rose,it waslike Ford sensed it, and he would squeeze her shoulder, bringing her back down to earth and letting her play.
After three more songs, Ford announced,“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. We need to head off now. But it’s been great playing for you.”
His hand released from her shoulder, and a flood of disappointment washed over her, but only for a moment, as he took the guitar from her, putting it onto the stand at the back of the small stage, then took hold of her hand and led her off and straight out the front door of the pub.
“I need my handbag,”she protested quietly as Ford tugged her back toward his car.
“Hel and Frost are right behind us, and she’s got it.”His soft voice made her shiver.
Mai glanced over her shoulder andcouldmake out the blurred outline of the giant hockey player and the ginger curls of her friend in the dark. She really needed her glasses back.
“Oh my god! Mai, you were incredible! I can’t believe how good you are.”Hel strode up to her and yanked her into a hug, which was awkward as Ford didn’t let go of her hand.
“You’veheardme play before.”Mai chuckled at her friend’s enthusiasm, even as heat rushed through her at the fact Ford hadn’t let go of her.
“Hel, do you mind if we skip the quiz tonight and head home? I’m tired.”Frost’s deep voice interrupted Hel, who was about to start another round of saying her friend was incredible.
Hel pulled back from Mai and passed her handbag over.“Okay, big guy. Iknowyou need your beauty sleep.”She giggled as she said it.
Frost slung his arm around his fiancée’s shoulder, whispering something in her ear that made her flush before she declared,“We’re off home. Have a good night.”She was ten meters away with Frost when she yelled out,“Oh yeah. You were good too, Ford!”
Mai began to giggle at the slightly affronted grunt that came out of Ford. It must have been a very long time since he’d been an afterthought to someone as far as music was concerned.
