Winners and Losers by Linda Sole Page B

during the potato harvest – and that wouldn’t leave him much time for anything else.
    â€˜Shall we dance again?’ he asked. ‘I could walk you home later if you like – unless you want to go with your friends?’
    â€˜I’d like it if you took me home. I have to be back by half past ten – is that too early for you?’
    â€˜No, it’s fine,’ Connor said. ‘I have to get up early myself so I usually leave around that time.’
    It wasn’t quite the truth, but he would have left whenever she said, just for the pleasure of walking her home.
    Connor walked Sarah to her front door, kissed her on the cheek and reminded her of their date the following Friday. He had wanted to kiss her properly, but he knew she would be nervous of kissing him for the first time and he wanted to get to know her better.
    He was smiling, well pleased with the world when he strolled back to the yard behind the club where he had left his van. Tiddy was standing by it, kicking at the ground and looking fed up.
    â€˜You’re back, then. I thought you would be ages.’
    â€˜I just walked Sarah home. I told you, I’m not interested in anything else for the moment. How did you get on?’
    â€˜Bloody Brian Bates beat me to it,’ Tiddy said gloomily. ‘Come on, let’s go. I’ve had enough.’
    â€˜Connor – just a moment!’
    Connor hesitated as he was about to get into the driving seat. He saw Terry striding across the yard towards him.
    â€˜I’m glad I caught you. Look, I know I didn’t offer you much earlier. What if we gave you ten pounds for the night? It is important and I know you could do it. I’ll come over and go through the songs with you – on Sunday if you like?’
    â€˜Yes, all right,’ Connor agreed, surprised at himself. ‘If I can learn your stuff in time, I’ll do the gig – but I can’t promise anything else.’
    â€˜Thanks, mate,’ Terry grinned. ‘You’ve saved my life. That gig in Cambridge is the best thing we’ve been offered since we started. Phil is as sick as a pig at missing it – but he’s going to Spain with his girlfriend and her parents and he can’t get out of it.’
    â€˜If I were him, I wouldn’t want to,’ Connor said. ‘Bloody hell! That’s the trip of a lifetime!’ Most people went to Bournemouth, Devon or Blackpool for their holidays, if they were lucky.
    â€˜Yeah, well, it would be for most of us,’ Terry agreed. ‘But once we hit the big time the world is our oyster – and the Bad Boys are going places, believe me. We’ve got another six gigs lined up already, and a performance at a seaside show.’
    â€˜Well, I hope I don’t let you down. I’ll meet you outside the shop in Stretton High Street on Sunday at three. We’ll go somewhere quiet and practise together . . .’
    â€˜Sure thing,’ Terry said. ‘Your gear looks great. You won’t need anything different for the gig.’
    â€˜Right.’ Connor nodded and got into the car.
    Tiddy looked at him as he started the engine. ‘What was all that about, then?’
    â€˜They want me to do a gig next week because their lead singer will be away.’
    â€˜You never agreed?’ Tiddy stared at him. ‘I know they like you down the club but it will be different at a real gig.’
    â€˜Singing is singing,’ Connor said. ‘It is just for a laugh. I’m only going to do it the once.’
    He sensed that his friend was jealous. Tiddy hadn’t liked it because Sarah had danced with him all evening and then let him walk her home. He had encouraged Connor to go on stage at the club, but now he was talking him down – perhaps because he sensed that Connor might be growing away from him.
    â€˜What will Dan say? He won’t think much to it if you’re out every night at a