Chapter Eleven

The weather was crisp and fresh when Danny and I pulled up back at Muscrove Apartments several hours later. We both walked in silence up the sidewalk and into the foyer.

"I had a good time tonight," Danny told me as we stopped at some point along the darkened hallway to say goodnight.

My mind was working furiously. I had a request, and I wasn't sure if it was a sensible one. But maybe Lana was right, maybe I had done enough thinking, maybe it was just time to go with my gut. "Do you want to come up?" I blurted.

Danny looked at me in surprise. I could tell that my question was the very last one he had ever expected to hear. I watched him quietly as a range of emotions flew across his face. He clenched his jaw and shoved his hands deep into his pockets before he shook his head stubbornly, "I don't think that's a very good idea right now."

I knew exactly where he was coming from. I think we both needed to take things slow to get used to one another's presence in a non-hostile way.

"No funny business," I assured him. "Strictly platonic. I'll make you a coffee and we'll eat Tim-Tam's and talk about the weather."

Danny pondered over my suggestion, "the weather?" he confirmed.

I nodded, "yeah. Ya know it has been strangely sunny lately."

Danny smiled at me before shrugging, "ok. I guess we can talk about the weather."

I smiled, "great." I gestured to the stairs, "after you."

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The packet of Tim-Tams I had opened was long gone; as was the bottle of wine I had fished from the depths of my fridge. Danny's suit jacket was lying somewhere in my dishevelled apartment, and we had both retreated onto my balcony with another bottle of wine. It was a beautiful night, or morning… I had lost track of time.

"What are you getting Lana and Eric for a wedding present?" Danny asked as he opened a packet of chips and tipped them into the bowl I had discovered in my pantry.

I pulled my feet onto the chair and bit into a chip, "I have no idea. A million different ideas have run through my mind but…" I shrugged, "all of them are too stereotypical for someone like Lana."

"I think wedding presents and I think of things like cutlery and blenders," Danny mused thoughtfully, "but Lana would have all those things wouldn't she?"

I nodded, "definitely. Besides anything that belongs in the kitchen would be useless because Lana can't cook. I was thinking I'd get her a lifetime supply of Tim Tams, but then I realised that would be my dream wedding present and not hers," I grinned.

"Really?" Danny asked in amusement, "a lifetime supply of Tim Tams?"

I nodded and bit into another chip, "definitely. My life would be complete."

Danny smiled, "I'll keep that in mind."

"So are you excited about the CD launch?" I questioned as I topped up our wine glasses, "It's going to be brilliant!"

"Brilliant?" Danny repeated with a raised eyebrow, "aren't you counting your coins a little too early for that?"

I shrugged, "I hope not because I've already written the press release." I grinned at his doubtful face, "I'm the best event manager in London Danny, relax."

"And so modest too," he added clinking his glass against mine.

"Well I get paid for a reason I suppose."

"Do you have any promotions on the horizon?"

"From the Gremlin?"

"Yeah." Danny popped a chip into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully, "I liked that lady."

I shrugged, "who knows. I don't think there's anywhere left to go. The next step for me would be to start my own company."

"That'd be cool. You'd be good at that."

I tipped my head to the side and surveyed him thoughtfully, "Maybe. What about you? Any more plans now that your new CD is coming out?"

Danny opened his mouth to answer, before closing it and looking at me thoughtfully, "Actually speaking of my new CD, I was wanting to ask if you'd go with me to the CD launch."

I raised an eyebrow, "as a date?"

"Yeah," Danny confirmed, "tonight has been pretty successful. I reckon if we drink as much wine at the launch as we have tonight, then that date might be successful too."

"And what then?"

"We could go to the wedding together," Danny suggested with a sly grin.

I leant back in my seat and surveyed him closely, "really?"

"If you want to."

I smiled, "ya know, all these dates are going to require a lot of wine."

"Well," Danny mused slowly, "I'm hoping that by the time we get to the wedding that we won't need the wine… So what do you say?"

"Pick me up at eight?"

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"Would you like a drink Amber?"

I smiled politely at the waiter, "no thank you."

"Amber!" Lana whined from across the table, "have a drink, this launch is a huge success, and everyone who is anyone is here. Reward yourself."

I pointed at her, "I will. As soon as everyone who can make or break this event leaves, I will be at that bar downing cocktails like there's no tomorrow," I promised, "until then. I'm on my best behaviour."

Lana finished the remains of her drink with great exaggeration.

I rolled my eyes and turned my attention away from her to the large room I had hired for McFly's CD launch. It was packed to the brim with every single person worth knowing in the UK. I had lost track of Danny and the boy's hours ago… as soon as they had stepped into the room they had been swept away in conversation with various important looking men in suits. Aside from their disappearance, everything was running very smooth, I hadn't had much to do except sit around nervously with Lana.

I took a deep breath and willed myself to relax. I turned my interest back to Lana and grinned, "so…"

She looked at me in confusion, "so what?"

I beamed at her, "Tell me about the wedding! I've been so caught up in work that it's been ages since you've updated me on all the plans."

Lana screeched dramatically. Fortunately the room was so loud that the piercing noise that erupted from her throat didn't travel far. "Everything is perfect. I hired a wedding planner."

"A wedding planner?" I repeated with a laugh, "why? You're trained in event management."

Lana rolled her eyes, "planning your own wedding takes the fun out of the event. Look at you sitting there all stressed out when you should be enjoying yourself. Why in the world are you so stressed anyway? I don't think I've ever seen you stressed before."

I shrugged, "I just want to night to run smoothly."

Lana perched her elbows on the table, "all your event run smoothly. There's more to it than that." And then as though reading the answer in my eyes her mouth dropped open, "awwwww, you want everything to go well for Danny."

"Don't be stupid," I responded although I suppose she was partially right, "the boys are my clients, I want this night to go well for all of them."

Lana grinned knowingly at me.

I scowled at her and began to slide out of the booth; "I'm going to get a drink now."

Lana lifted her glass to me, "so glad you've decided to join me."

I gave her the finger.

At the bar I came across Dougie… a very drunk Dougie.

"Amber!" he yelled as he stumbled up to me.

I grinned at him and reached out to pat his hair, "how are you doing? Are you having a good time?"

"I'm celebrating!" he shouted at me, lifting his drink into the air. All around us people burst into cheers. Apparently he was celebrating with a lot of people.

I turned to the barman, "I'll have whatever he's having."

"Are you going to join the celebrations Amber?" he asked me stumbling into the bar and looking at me with large bright eyes.

"Absolutely," I grinned, "what are we celebrating?"

He opened his arms dramatically, half the liquid in his drink sloshing out of his cup, "everything! You and Danny are back together…"

I blinked, "we are?"

"Lana and Eric are getting married," Dougie continued as if he hadn't heard me, "our CD is going to number one, and…" Dougie paused dramatically, "the suits have gone!"

"They have?" I spun around in a circle to confirm his words. He was right. All the music industry professionals had left the party for the evening. I grabbed the remains of Dougie's drink from his hand and sculled the contents down, it burnt all the way down my throat. "Cheers to that!"

I took my next drink from bartender and ordered a new one for Dougie. By the time it was done, I turned back around to realise that Dougie was no longer beside me, but was instead clamouring up onto the bar. "Omg," I groaned as he stood up and yelled until he had everyone's attention. Thank god everyone important had left.

Next thing I knew Danny was pushing through the crowd with Lana in tow, and then all three of them were up on the bar.

"I'd like to take this opportunity!" Danny yelled with a drink in one hand and what appeared to be a toilet roll in the other, "to thank everyone for coming!"

The crowd cheered. I grimaced and skulled down the contents of my drink, thinking that maybe if I drank enough I wouldn't remember this display in the morning.

"And on behalf of the boys, I'd like to thank the beautiful Amber for organising this event, and also thank her for everything she's done for the band over the past few months!" Danny continued provoking another round of cheers. "And also," Danny continued, "this here…" he clasped an arm around Lana, "is my good friend Lana and she's getting married in two days! Drinks all around!"

I stared up at them in a mixture of horror and amusement; those three were going to be very sick tomorrow.

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To be continued...

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