Everything I want: Will Alfie and Lily's love survive?... by K. L. Shandwick Page B

stage. Keiron welcomed us again to the record label and told the fans that we’d be touring in the New Year. This was news t o us.
    He encouraged everyone to buy the album, either on CD or digitally, and echoed our sentiments of a few moments ago when we thanked people for their sup port.
    We were buzzing when we left the stage and headed back to the dressing room. After a quick change we were whisked off to our after-p arty.
    We were packed into a limo and taken to a downtown hotel. I had no idea what the name of the hotel was. I didn’t pay attention to that part of the information pack we received. I had been so focused on the playing-live- to- the- five- thousand- people part that I didn’t concentrate on anything else.
    The hotel foyer was beautiful, decorated in rich gold leaf painted ceiling cornices, crystal chandeliers, and faint red-colored walls. It felt extremely opulent and reeked of ‘old’ m oney.
    We were ushered into a room where there were a few hundred people waiting. It all felt like a crazy d ream.
    My worried eyes searched the room for someone I recognized. They almost bulged out of my head when I saw Rick Fars standing there. He was the lead singer of Cobham Street, and I couldn’t believe he was actually at our launch party. He was standing there, so confidently, at the front of the crowd of pe ople.
    Well he wasn’t really in front. I think my mind just magnified him. He was someone who would instantly be recognized. I was a fan after all.
    It was hard to understand why he had a wide shit-eating grin on his face and was clapping with everyone else. Fo r us.
    Keiron made another short speech about us, and then we were left to mingle. My head was spinning from all the praise and well wishes from ever yone.
    It was at least an hour before I was able to grab a proper drink and take a seat. My feet were killing me in my h eels.
    Cody had stuck with me throughout until I sat down but abandoned me to find a big busted blonde who had caught his eye. I was looking over in Shawn’s direction when a warm hand touched my arm.
    Turning into the direction of the touch, I tilted my head and came eye to eye with Rick Fars who was grinning down at me. “At last, you have space to breathe, huh?” He chuckled. “May I?” He gestured at the seat next t o me.
    I nodded, a little star struck that this man was even here, let alone making time to talk to me again. When Alfie had supported Cobham Street in London, Rick Fars, the lead singer, had come to talk with him and introduced himself to me. That was New Year’s Eve a couple of years ago. I didn’t expect him to remember that we’d met be fore.
    I had embarrassed myself by wittering on about my studying music in college to a guy that made millions doing just that on a weekly basis. “Well, well, I guess that college education paid off.” He smirked and wagged his finger a t me.
    My jaw dropped. “You remembe r me?”
    He chuckled softly. “You look like that and ask an old horn dog like me if he remembers you? I always remember the women that don’t let me in their panties.” He stared at me, his face utterly ser ious.
    I sat awkwardly in silence, and he started to belly laugh. “Don’t sweat it, baby, I’m just fucking with you.” He chuckled again and wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. He stared back at me again seriously, “or not.” I smirked, realizing that he was being pla yful.
    “I saw your band’s gig tonight, Lily. You were fucking great. There’s a lot of talent in that little band, honey. Plus, you look so fucking hot. I’d pay to see you for sure.” He grinned and placed his hand on my shou lder.
    I was having another pinch-me moment sitting here with one of the biggest stars in rock music. And he was talking about paying to see my gig. C razy.
    We talked about some of the songs we’d written. I was still a little star-struck, but when I got past that, I realized he was in no hurry to move on from talking t o me.
    Someone