I Knew You Were Trouble: A Jessie Jefferson Novel (23 page)

‘No Lottie tonight?’ Brandon asks Agnes.

She rolls her eyes. ‘No. She’s filming. Where’s Maisie?’

I take it that’s his girlfriend. He shrugs. ‘Out with her friends.’

Agnes frowns at him and he shakes his head innocently. ‘What?’

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash of orange. Brandon laughs at the look on Agnes’s face and releases me, but I barely notice.

Comic Book Girl is here.

Jack breaks away from us to greet her. I watch as he bends down to speak in her ear and I feel a stab of jealousy as she smiles and nods at whatever he’s saying.

I thought her bright orange hair was part of her Comic Book Girl get-up, but obviously not. She’s wearing it forties-style in a sleek bob with wavy curls. She’s not that much shorter
than him, which means she’s much taller than me. She looks über-cool.

Jack puts his hand on her lower back and guides her towards us.

‘Hey, guys!’ she says with a grin at Brandon, Miles and Agnes. Her gaze eventually rests on me. ‘Hi,’ she says, holding her hand out. Is it my imagination or does her
smile not reach her eyes?

‘Jessie,’ I say, as I shake her hand. Her grip is bony and pincer-like.

‘Susan,’ she replies, and I swear she doesn’t look at me again for the next five minutes.

‘There’s Drew!’ Agnes says after a while. ‘Come meet him.’

I’m only too pleased to be dragged away after standing there like a lemon.

Drew is even taller and broader than Jack. He’s wearing a T-shirt, but his arms are decorated with tattoos and he has short dark-blond hair like his dad.

‘Aggie!’ he shouts, scooping her up in his arms. She squeals as he squeezes her a little too tightly.

‘Put me down!’ She screws her nose up and flaps her hand at his face. ‘Urgh, you stink of cigarettes!’

He grins, unfazed, looking past her to me. ‘Who’s this?’

‘Jessie,’ she replies with a smile.

‘Ah,’ he says with amusement, clasping my hand in his. ‘So
you’re
Jessie. We meet at last.’

He has Jack’s eyes, I realise with a start.

Suddenly Jack himself is between us, slapping Drew on the back.

‘Bro!’ I hear Drew shout in his ear, as he engulfs him in a bear hug. I have a feeling he’s a bit drunk. ‘Thanks for coming down.’

I don’t hear what else is said between them because the music is too loud and their heads are huddled together. ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor’ by Arctic Monkeys comes
on so I pat Agnes’s arm and indicate the dance floor. She nods. Drew notices us leaving and he smiles as I wave bye. I catch Jack’s eye a split second before we walk away.

We dance for a while and then Drew plays his set so, by the time we exit the floor, I’m hot and sweaty and a little bit tipsy. Agnes manages to grab a couple of seats in a booth and
I’m grateful because my feet are aching in my high heels. Looking round, I spy Lewis leaning against a wall.

Johnny was right: he’s stayed out of my way. I wouldn’t know he was there at all, except when I look for him. He’s rarely in the same place twice, and he certainly hasn’t
given anyone the impression that he’s here for me. So far tonight, I’ve been able to go incognito. No one has given me a second glance.

‘I’ll go to the bar,’ Agnes tells me. A moment later Jack slides into her recently vacated space. He turns to face me, his knee up on the seat and his left elbow resting on the
table. For the first time in what feels like ages, he stares at me directly.

‘Why didn’t you tell me you could sing?’ he demands.

‘You’re talking to me now?’ I reply. He’s been drinking whiskey. I can smell it from here.

‘Don’t change the subject. Why didn’t you tell me?’

I shift in my seat and look away from him, my heart pounding against my ribcage. ‘You didn’t ask.’

‘I did, actually.’

‘You were joking!’ I exclaim.

He still hasn’t taken his eyes from mine. ‘Brandon and Miles want you to try out for the band,’ he says.

‘
What?
How do they know I can sing?’

‘I kinda told them,’ he admits.

‘Well, I don’t sing in public.’ I shake my head determinedly. Is he being serious?

‘Jessie,’ he says firmly and I jump as his hand rests on my hip.

‘Jack,’ I reply warningly, glancing down at his hand and then back at his face.

He takes his hand away. ‘Yeah, yeah, I know you’ve got a boyfriend.’ He rolls his eyes. ‘I won’t touch you, I swear. But come over tomorrow. Sing for the
guys.’

‘What happened with Susan?’

‘She’s good, but you’re better.’

My stomach flutters.

‘Have you got something else to do?’

His question stumps me because no, actually, I’ve been bored out of my brains and I could do with a distraction.

At that moment, Agnes returns with our drinks. ‘Beat it,’ she snaps at Jack, who’s sitting in her place.

He leans in towards me, so close that I can feel his breath on my skin. ‘Think about it,’ he says with a significant look.

‘What was that about?’ Agnes asks the moment he’s gone, leaving me in a bit of a tizz.

‘He wants me to try out for All Hype.’

‘Does he now?’ She sounds sardonic. ‘I thought he’d hold out at least a coupla days before asking.’

I narrow my eyes at her.

‘You’re awesome, Jess,’ she says matter-of-factly. ‘I wish I could sing like you. I’d kill to be in their band.’

‘You would?’

‘Yeah, but I can style you instead,’ she decides with a grin.

I can’t believe I’m actually considering this.

The next morning, I wake up early and full of nerves. Did that seriously happen last night? Am I really trying out for All Hype today?

Brandon and Miles turned on their charm when Agnes and I rejoined them. They were so amiable and encouraging that I somehow found myself agreeing that no, it couldn’t hurt to go to
Jack’s today.

My nerves intensify, but when I think of Susan, and how cold and catty she seemed, it bizarrely stiffens my resolve. I’d hate her to be their lead singer, but it looks like she’s
next in line if I don’t step up.

For a moment, I picture myself onstage with the band and it gives me a thrill. But the jitters soon take over again.

Eventually Johnny emerges from his room after what feels to me like the longest lie-in in history.

‘I need to talk to you,’ I say, dragging him into the studio before he can go downstairs.

‘What’s wrong?’ he asks, still looking only half awake.

‘Nothing’s wrong.’ I come straight out with it. ‘Jack wants me to audition for All Hype.’

‘Now why doesn’t that surprise me?’ he asks drily, slumping into a swivel chair.

‘I think I want to as well,’ I tell him, still feeling a little uncertain as I sit down opposite him.

‘Yeah?’ he asks with interest, before his expression transforms into a frown. ‘Of course you do.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ I ask.

‘I know how you feel about Jack Mitchell.’

‘No, you don’t,’ I bite back. ‘I’m with Tom.’ Oh, and I must remember to call him later.

‘That won’t stop Jack from trying it on,’ he says and my face heats up.

‘Yeah, well, even if he does, which he
won’t
,’ I add pertinently, ‘he won’t get anywhere.’ I’m resolute about this. ‘Anyway, Miles and
Brandon will kill him if he comes onto another band member.’

Johnny reels backwards slightly, but Meg interrupts us before he can comment.

‘Oh, you’re awake,’ she says, coming into the studio.

‘Hey.’ He tugs her onto his lap.

‘Have you told her yet?’ she asks him over her shoulder.

‘Not yet,’ he replies with an amused smile.

‘Told me what?’ I ask, confused.

Meg smiles at me mischievously. ‘How do you feel about adding singing lessons to your daily tutoring sessions?’

It turns out Annie knows someone who’s recently graduated from music school and is looking for new students to fill his books. Johnny and Meg thought it would do me good to balance my
compulsory subjects with something that really interests me. I’m touched that they care enough to look into it.

I turn to Johnny, seeking his approval. ‘Did you ever have lessons?’

‘No,’ he admits. ‘But I never had confidence issues with singing in front of people,’ he adds pointedly.

Another flurry of nerves swirls through me. If only I could’ve started my lessons a week ago…

Davey has the day off with his family so Johnny offers to drive me to Jack’s. I ask if we can go on his bike.

Agnes looks delighted when she comes outside to buzz us into the courtyard. Johnny helps me down from the back of the bike and flips his visor up. I take off my helmet and shake out my hair,
then glance at him to see his green eyes are crinkled at the corners.

‘Have fun.’

‘Thanks.’ I smile at him and he looks past me, raising one hand in a half-wave.

I glance over my shoulder to see that Jack, Brandon and Miles have come out of the games room. They’re looking a little overawed.

Johnny flips his visor back down and revs his engine loudly, roaring out of the drive. God, I love my dad.

And I do, I realise, as my heart expands. It might have been a casual thought, but I discover that I meant it.

‘Sweet ride,’ Miles says, his goggle-eyed expression distracting me from my warm thoughts.

‘For sure,’ Brandon agrees. ‘You ready?’

I nod because my sudden anxiety has rendered me speechless.

‘You sure know how to make an entrance,’ Jack murmurs as we walk down the side of his house.

We reach the games room and I put my jacket and helmet off to the side, taking a few deep breaths to calm down. I turn round to see that Miles is already behind the drum kit and Brandon is
standing talking to him, gripping his bass guitar by its neck and swinging it slightly. Jack is front and centre, lowering the mic stand for my height. I remember that Susan was here yesterday and
she’s much taller than me. I don’t even know what I have to live up to. What if they still choose her?

Jack jerks his head at me, indicating that I should join them. I slowly walk forward.

‘How’s this?’ he asks of the microphone height, moving back to make room for me.

‘Good,’ I reply, far too aware of his body heat beside me.

Agnes is sitting at the back, grinning at me. I take another deep breath and offer her a shaky smile.

Jack reaches for his guitar, slipping the strap over his head. ‘Any requests?’ he asks.

I cast my eyes over his bandmates, looking at me expectantly.

‘ ‘Hit Me With It’, ’ I reply. It’s the name of my favourite All Hype song.

Jack looks impressed. ‘One of ours,’ he says, glancing at Brandon and Miles. Miles grins and twirls his drumstick around in his right hand and then immediately starts to bash on his
kit.

I jolt. This is all happening very quickly.

Brandon brings in the bass, then Jack starts to pound on his guitar strings and I realise with horror that the lyrics have completely flown from my mind.

Oh, God, oh, God… Focus, Jessie!

I feel like a rabbit caught in the headlights as I look at Agnes, and then the first line comes to me like a bolt of lightning and I don’t have time to think any more, only sing.

I step up to the mic and let rip.

‘Jeez!’ Brandon is the first to speak afterwards.

‘Told you so,’ Jack says flippantly as I try – unsuccessfully – to look cool, calm and collected.

‘I messed up on a couple of lines,’ I apologise.

‘No, man, that was good,’ Miles says, impressed. ‘Shall we go again?’

‘OK.’ I nod. ‘What next?’

‘What else do you know?’ Brandon asks.

‘How about ‘Disco Creep’?’

He nods and grins – it’s another one of theirs. I glance at Agnes and she gives me the thumbs up. I bite my lip. I feel like I’m buzzing.

Two songs later we take a break. Agnes gets me a can of lemonade from the fridge.

‘Done deal,’ she says with a significant look, glancing at the boys. They’re deep in discussion. I see Jack nod and then Brandon comes over.

‘We usually have basic band practice on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, but we’ll have to ramp up rehearsals in the lead-up to San Fran.’

‘Maybe we should still cancel,’ Jack chips in.

‘Not yet,’ Brandon states firmly.

I’m staring at them, flummoxed. ‘What, that’s it? I’m in the band?’

I glance at Jack to see him dig his hand into his pocket. He stares back at me, his eyebrow slightly raised.

‘If you wanna be,’ Brandon says.

‘Um, yeah. I mean,
yes
. Definitely.’ I thought I’d have to jump through a few more hoops.

Agnes whoops melodramatically, prompting laughs from Brandon and Miles.

Er, shouldn’t I tell them I’m going back to England at some point?
I push the thought aside, just wanting to enjoy the moment. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
One question is plaguing me, though.

‘What about Susan?’ I glance at Jack.

‘Who?’ Brandon asks cheekily.

‘I’ll let her know,’ Jack replies, flashing a dirty look at his friend as he pops a cigarette between his lips and heads out of the games room.

‘Don’t console her too much!’ Brandon calls after him. ‘So, Jessie…’ He turns back to me once Jack has gone, but I can’t concentrate because my head is
too full of the thought of Jack ‘consoling’ Susan.

I’d really better call Tom tonight.

‘Finally!’ Tom exclaims down the line. ‘Where have you been?’

It’s Thursday morning in LA and we’ve been missing each other’s calls all week.

‘I’m sorry. I’ve been really busy,’ I tell him.

‘So I’ve seen from the pictures,’ he replies.

‘Oh, God, really?’ I squirm. ‘Which ones?’

‘Well, first there were the ones of you going out for dinner with your dad on the back of his motorbike. You looked hot in your leather jacket, by the way.’

I smirk.

‘And then you went to a club that same night?’ This time there’s a bit of an edge to his voice.

‘Yeah, my friend’s older brother was DJ’ing.’

‘Which friend?’ he asks.