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“Off you go then,” Billy barked. “Disappear off to a cupboard or outside or wherever you like. You’ve got fifteen minutes to learn those words, then get back in here and join in with the rest.”

Tilly looked at Sophie and Sophie looked back. Neither said a word.

Chapter Ten

The little entranceway of the village hall was less than warm. It was also less than private. Sophie wished she’d picked up her jacket before she came out, but Tilly had stalked off and she’d followed behind like a lost puppy.

“Can you read music?” Tilly asked.

“No,” said Sophie.

Tilly sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers. “Alright, give me a second.” She pulled out her phone and started messing with it.

Sophie bit her lip, wondering just what to say. The problem was, she’d had no chance to explain herself. The rehearsal had started so quickly, and now that solid ‘no’ was hanging in the air. It seemed weird to bring it up now, but then, she had to say something, didn’t she?

Unless she just left this, like everything else, unfinished and ruined. She took a hiccuping breath and glanced over at Tilly. Her curls fell over her face as she leaned over her phone screen and her profile was so angular, so perfect, that Sophie’s heart stilled for a second.

Okay, alright, leaving things was not an option. She liked Tilly, she had already admitted that. There was no hurry though,surely? It wasn’t like they were going anywhere. She had time to fix this. Maybe she should just give it a few days, see if Tilly forgot.

“Alright, this is easy,” Tilly said, holding up a piano app on her phone. “I’ll play your part first.” She looked at the music Billy had given them in her other hand.

“Billy said we just had to memorize the words,” Sophie said.

Tilly arched an eyebrow at her. “Really? Because if we’re going to do something, we should do it well.”

“Well, yeah, I guess, but maybe we should just do as we’re told?” asked Sophie anxiously.

Tilly breathed out through her nose. “What’s the problem?”

“There’s no problem.”

“I’m a police officer. You think I can’t tell when someone’s lying?”

“I’m not lying,” Sophie said, starting to feel warmer now.

“Sure about that? Because you don’t look very comfortable right now.”

“Because I forgot to bring my jacket, that’s all,” said Sophie.

Tilly arched that eyebrow again, and Sophie’s pulse pumped a little harder. “Right.”

Sophie blew out a breath. She had to deal with this. Well, with the ‘not going for a drink’ part. The terrifying ‘singing in front of someone else’ part would have to wait a minute. “Listen, I’m sorry about before. I didn’t get a chance to explain myself.”

“No explanations necessary,” Tilly said sharply.

“Yeah, but—”

“We’ve got fifteen minutes to learn this,” said Tilly. “Are we going to actually learn it, or should we make idiots out of ourselves when we go back in?”

Sophie could feel herself go pale. “She’s not going to make us sing it in front of everyone.”

Tilly frowned. “Um, that’s sort of the point. That’s what a solo is.”

“Yeah, but…” Sophie found that she was feeling a little bit sick. “But…” she tried again.

“But… you’re terrified,” said Tilly. The corner of her mouth tweaked up just a little, then the movement disappeared. She cleared her throat. “Nothing to be terrified of.”

“There’s not?” squeaked Sophie. “Because apparently I’m supposed to go out there in front of pretty much everyone I know and sing a song that I don’t know.” She didn’t add ‘with you,’ even though she was thinking it.